Wathaurung Aboriginal Corporation facts for kids
The Wathaurung Aboriginal Corporation is an important group that represents the Aboriginal Australian people in the Geelong and Ballarat areas of Victoria, Australia. Since May 21, 2009, it has been a Registered Aboriginal Party. This means they have a special role in looking after and protecting Aboriginal culture and heritage in their traditional lands. The organisation is also known as Wadawurrung or Wathaurung.
The Wathaurung Aboriginal Corporation has offices in Ballarat. They carry out their duties as a Registered Aboriginal Party under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006. This law helps protect important Aboriginal places and objects.
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Who Works There?
Byron Powell was appointed as the chairperson of the Wathaurung Aboriginal Corporation in 2009.
Sean Fagan has been the Cultural Heritage Coordinator since 2011. Before him, Bonnie Fagan (Chew) held this role from 2008 to 2011. The Cultural Heritage Coordinator helps manage and protect important cultural sites.
Mapping Important Cultural Sites
The Wathaurung Aboriginal Corporation uses a special computer program called CrestSX. This program helps them map and record important cultural sites. These sites can be significant for events happening now or from as far back as 25,000 years ago. That's when the Wathaurung people first lived in the Geelong, Ballarat, and Bellarine Peninsula areas.
How the Mapping System Works
Funding for this project came from a grant by the William Buckland Foundation. This allowed the Sir Zelman Cowen Centre at Victoria University to work with a company called Iconix. Together, they developed a geographic information system, or GIS. This system lets the Wathaurung people map their important sites. They can control the information and share it with land managers. These managers include groups like catchment management authorities and Parks Victoria.
Protecting Hidden Sites
Some cultural sites are not always obvious. For example, a corroboree tree was a special meeting place. People would gather there for trading or traditional dances. One such red gum tree is over one hundred years old. It stands in Buninyong, right in the middle of a busy street. Using the CrestSX software, the Wathaurung people can identify these sites. They can also track their condition and how they are being managed. This is done by recording details and taking photos. The software also helps gather oral histories. These are stories passed down through generations. They provide important details about a site's meaning.
Awards for the Project
This special mapping software has won awards. It received a heritage award from the National Trust of Australia. It also won an award from the City of Ballarat.
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