General News
6 December, 2024
Book talk to explore history
An upcoming community presentation at the Maryborough Regional Library aims to showcase the fascinating history of Dja Dja Wurrung Country.
Over the next five days, Professor Barry Golding is hosting numerous community presentations and walking tours from Kingston to Clunes.
The tour will culminate in the official launch of his book titled Six Peaks Speak: Unsettling Legacies in Southern Dja Dja Wurrung Country, promoting intercultural stories through six mountains.
Mount Greenock, located on the outskirts of Talbot and home to an extinct volcano and historic mine site, will be the subject of Prof Golding’s presentation this Monday at the library, with further discussion on Mount Glasgow.
Written with support from Castlemaine geologist Clive Willman, Prof Golding said the book aims to provide context to what he believes is a “layer of history that has been forgotten”.
“I want to help increase awareness of the First Nations associations and how those associations are intrinsically linked to the geology, ecology and climate of this area,” he said.
“Maryborough is in south Dja Dja Wurrung Country, which was a comprehensive Aboriginal nation with lots of clans and people living in the landscape around Maryborough.
“I’ve looked at all of the accounts from the first white people who came into the landscape in the late 1830s and followed the history right through the present day.
“There are all these flags in the landscape that many people don’t understand or know about.
“We talk a lot about gold but it’s a bit of a blank slate in a lot of people’s knowledge about First Nations geology and land management.”
According to Prof Golding, building local knowledge of the surrounding areas is vital in attempting to preserve it for future generations.
“Five of these mountains are surrounded by public reserves which based on the evidence haven’t necessarily been very well treated and there are huge issues around present-day management,” he said.
“Mt Greenock happens to be a reserve that very few people even know about, the whole mountain is where Major Thomas Mitchell identified the rich grasslands and called it Australia Felix.
“My point in the book is we have got to leave bits and pieces of remnant public land which, frankly, we know nothing about and they haven’t necessarily been managed in the public interest.
“I estimate that perhaps only 10 or 20 percent of all the Aboriginal sites I know of in the landscape have been formally recorded, so we haven’t even got to the point of documenting what’s there, let alone looking after it.”
Central Goldfields Shire Council manager tourism, events and culture Rosalie Hastwell said the presentation is another way the library aims to increase learning opportunities in the community.
“Maryborough Regional Libraries are a rich source of inspiration and learning for many in our community,” she said.
“Popular activities including book talks by authors offer a great opportunity to hear about recently published work across a wide array of topics.
“Prof Golding has developed the book in close consultation with Dja Dja Wurrung People, who recognise the great value of mountains as places of spirit and gathering.
“This will be a fascinating and informative talk exploring some of the legacies associated with Mt Greenock.
“All are welcome to come along and learn more about Culture and Country in line with council’s commitment through its recently adopted Reconciliation Action Plan.”
The free Mt Greenock Speaks presentation will be held on Monday, December 9 from 8 until 9.30 pm at the Maryborough Regional Library.
Copies of the book can be purchased at the event and also available online at cgscholar.com/bookstore/works/six-peaks-speak