By Shamsiya Hussainpoor
Yarra Ranges Council’s ngurrak barring – RidgeWalk project is one of 33 community projects across Australia to be recognised as a recipient of the 2024 Bupa Landcare Grants – the funding will support environmental restoration and community engagement through native plantings and cultural art installations.
The project will feature Djirra Binak (Reed Basket), a significant artwork by Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Kim Wandin and master weaver Chris Joy, in collaboration with Collide Public Art.
The sculpture, located in a culturally significant area opposite Falls Road, Kalorama, will be placed at the centre of a new Indigenous planting scheme featuring local fibre plants, including those traditionally used for weaving.
This fusion of art and nature seeks to honour Wurundjeri cultural heritage while celebrating the natural beauty of the Dandenong Ranges.
With the support of the Bupa Landcare Grant, the Djirra Binak sculpture will be part of a broader effort to restore a disturbed clearing in the forest, bringing native flora back to the area.
The artwork and planting are expected to be completed by early Autumn 2025, with a community planting event and ceremony to be held at the site in the coming months.
Yarra Ranges Council’s ngurrak barring trail, which spans over 39 km of interconnected pathways, immerses walkers in the rich cultural and natural wonders of the region.
The project includes a series of permanent artworks, interpretive signage, and gathering spaces, featuring works from some of Australia’s most important artists, including First Nations artists from the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung, as well as non-Indigenous artists inspired by the Dandenong Ranges.
The Bupa Landcare Grant will also fund indigenous plantings at two other key locations along the trail, including Coles Ridge Track, Kallista, and Sassafras, where architectural nodes will serve as community gathering points.
Bupa and Landcare Australia’s 2024 grant program, which is part of Bupa’s Healthy Cities initiative, has allocated $1 million to support tree planting and environmental restoration projects across Australia – the funding will help plant 82,500 native trees, shrubs, and ground covers, transforming local environments and promoting both environmental and health benefits across the country.
Yarra Ranges Council expressed their gratitude for the funding, highlighting how this project brings together cultural, environmental, and community values.
More details about upcoming community events related to the project will be shared in the near future.
For more information on the Bupa Landcare Grants and the ngurrak barring RidgeWalk project, visit the Landcare Australia website at landcareaustralia.org.au/bupa-healthy-cities-landcare-projects/
