Former mining site to be ‘healed’

A STATE Government department is teaming up with a Bendigo Aboriginal organisation and the City council to rehabilitate a former mining site in Golden Square.

Development Victoria announced last week that it would perform remediation and ‘healing Country’ works at the Chum Street site in partnership with the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation and the City of Greater Bendigo.

Development Victoria’s group head of housing Penelope Forrest said the land is significantly degraded because of past mining activities and has been largely vacant since mining there ceased in the 1950s.

“It’s important we embrace First People’s cultural knowledge and understanding and restore this historically contaminated site into a safe and valuable asset that will provide substantial benefits to DJAARA and the wider Bendigo community,” Ms Forrest said.

“Remediating sites like Chum Street is crucial for healing Country and creating lasting benefits for the future of the Bendigo community.”

DJAARA chief executive officer Rodney Carter said bringing former mining sites back to health – the healing of ‘upside-down Country’ – is a key goal of the organisation’s Dhelkunya Dja (Healing Country) Plan.

“We all want healthy Country,” Mr Carter said. “As custodians of Dja Dja Wurrung land, we feel a deep responsibility and cultural obligation to heal it and look after it.

“Despite the devastating impacts left by mining at this location and across Djandak (Country), there have been few efforts to heal impacted areas.

“It is for this reason DJAARA welcomes this partnership, from which significant planning and action will follow so this site can be healthy and functioning once again.”

DJAARA has already conducted waterway assessments and has developed a plan for staged rehabilitation.

Development Victoria will carry out healing and remediation of the area in accordance with Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) requirements.

Authority CEO Lee Miezis said early engagement with Development Victoria had helped the EPA understand what will be needed to safely remediate the land.

“We will have regular engagement and [will] provide clear regulatory advice throughout the project,” Mr Miezis said.

Preliminary environmental and geotechnical works are expected to begin late this year.