Barwon Coast, Wadawurrung lauded for place-naming project

BARWON Coast and Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation have been recognised for a joint project in this year’s Geospatial Excellence Awards, presented last month.

Held by the Geospatial Council of Australia, the awards – previously the Asia-Pacific Spatial Excellence Awards – aim to celebrate the achievements of outstanding individuals and organisations within the Barwon Coast and Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation won the Victorian ‘Excellence in Geographic Place Naming’ award for the Bukareeyoo naming process, which as seen the area of Wadawurrung Country informally known as the Ocean Grove Spit, be formally labelled as “Bukareeyoo” (pronounced Book-ar-ee-you) – a Wadawurrung word which means “between”.

The name was given to the area by Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation.

Barwon Coast and Wadawurrung held a community sunrise ceremony on August 26 to celebrate officially returning Wadawurrung language to Country.

“We are so pleased to receive the Excellence in Geographic Place Naming award alongside the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation for the project which has returned Wadawurrung language to a very special part of the Ocean Grove coastline,” Barwon Coast chief executive officer Gary McPike said.

“This is significant recognition of the highly valued partnership we have with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation.

“It underlines the importance of returning their language that has evolved over the millennia and is now returning following a brutal disruption over the past 150 years or more.”

Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation cultural strengthening general manager Corrina Eccles welcomed the collaboration with Barwon Coast.

“We acknowledge the partnership, engagement and commitment from Barwon Coast who deeply listened to us and walk alongside us, working tirelessly to make change to return this language name. Nyatne [thank you] Barwon Coast.”

“The renaming of Bukareeyoo, returning it to Country and place will see our language grow and flourish for decades, our language will be spoken by many every day, but we truly hope they listen to the story of the name, and stand and look and feel the story Bukareeyoo, between two waters a beautiful place on our Country, Wadawurrung Country.”