Together but apart for camping event

THIS school holidays has been the perfect time to connect to country and Camp Out on the Mount.

Since 2013, Connecting Country and local Landcare and community groups have organised the free event for people to appreciate the land of Mount Alexander, or Leanganook.

Mount Alexander region Landcare facilitator Asha Bannon said the event originally looked a lot different.

“It started off being really focused on controlling pine trees which are a really bad weed up on Mount Alexander, or Leanganook,” she said. “It did such a good job that there were less pine trees to control, at least at a family gala event.

“It’s become more focused on just getting people out camping and appreciating Leanganook and connecting people to how they can care for the land and also connect with Dja Dja Warrung culture and values.”

This year’s event, which started earlier this month, is being held virtually until Sunday, 18 April with people encouraged to camp on their own and participate through the Connecting Country website.

“It’s all hosted online, but we’re still strongly encouraging everyone to go out camping if they can over the school holidays,” Ms Bannon said.

“It can be up on Leanganook or if people were wanting to join in from further afield they can go camping anywhere they like.”

The website features four sections for people to interact with, including loving Leanganook, caring for the land, connecting with Indigenous culture, and of course, camping out.

“It’s really more of a do-it-yourself thing with the resources from the website,” Ms Bannon said.

“Then people can make a contribution to what we’re calling the camp out collage, which will be a big compilation of people’s photos and stories and things they want to tell us about why they love the Mount.”

Ms Bannon also said people can make pledges to look after the native environment.

“Anything really big or really small, everything adds up to make a difference,” she said.

“People can pledge to plant some native plants in their yard, go to a Landcare or friends group working bee, or even go out on a bush walk and pick up some rubbish as they go.

To keep updated with Camp Out on the Mount 2021 and Connecting Country, visit bit.ly/3dLg6cQ.