Dja Dja Wurrung garden opened

THE newest addition to the Bendigo Botanic Gardens was officially opened at an event last Saturday.

Costing more than $7 million, the one-hectare Larni Garingilang precinct sits between the older part of the gardens and the Garden of the Future.

The new space is a celebration of Dja Dja Wurrung culture, with four areas of the precinct focusing on a different element of the region’s traditional owners.

“Larni Garingilang… means home of growth in the language of the Dja Dja Wurrung,” said City of Greater Bendigo mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf.

“The new precinct has filled a void between the existing gardens and encourages people to connect and interact with the landscape, and the Bendigo Creek.

“It’s an exciting new cultural precinct for Greater Bendigo with a strong focus on the indigenous plants that have been used by the Dja Dja Wurrung People for over 60,000 years.

“The precinct features over 15,000 indigenous plants and 106 trees many of which were used for tools, food, clothing and medicine by the Dja Dja Wurrung people.”

Each of the four sections of Larni Garingilang has a different meaning and role in the space.

The Dhelkunya Buluk wetlands echo links to the Bendigo Creek, Djimbai-tjarrang outdoor learning space has a focus on the environment, Wat-pu-tjaara is about gathering and connecting with people, while the land and its flora area and the Balitj Murrun mound signifies a remnant mullock heap.

In addition, there’s also cafe and community space as well as an extensive water capture and reuse system at the site.

The works were undertaken with $4.3 million from the State Government, $1.75 million from the Federal Government, and $1 million from the City of Greater Bendigo.

An extra $10,000 was proved by the Friends of the Bendigo Botanic Gardens to help with the design of Larni Garingilang.

Federal Member for Bendigo, Lisa Chesters, attended the opening last weekend and praised the Friends’ role in the project.

“The Bendigo Botanic Gardens are a much loved and well used space for local families and community members and the Larni Garingilang precinct is a fantastic addition,” Ms Chesters said.

“I know this development is a passion project for the Friends of the Bendigo Botanic Gardens, who first raised this project with me a decade ago.

“I’d like to thank them for their vision, passion and advocacy.

“I also commend the Dja Dja Wurrung Enterprises for their contribution to the design of the precinct, raising community awareness to our cultural heritage.”