The Annual Yorta Yorta Youth Journey commences across country at Murchison next week on the 15th October.
The Annual Yorta Yorta Youth Journey commences across country at Murchison next week on the 15th October.
The journey will take place over 5 days and will finish at Barmah Lakes on Friday, 19th October. This will be a unique experience moving across Yorta Yorta country with the youth undertaking hiking and canoeing activities. Along the way students will engage with Indigenous Parks Vic/Yorta Yorta Woc Rangers and with Yorta Yorta Elders in a range of activities aimed at increasing biodiversity knowledge and strengthening connection to country.
The program is focused at all Indigenous youth in Year 9 and 10 level at Secondary School, from regions across Yorta Yorta country including Victoria and New South Wales. The program, which is in its third year, is at no cost to students thanks to the support of Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation (NAC), Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and partner agencies through funding from the Australian Government.
Wayne Tennant, Manager Strategic River Health at the Goulburn Broken CMA said "The journey, a joint initiative of the Goulburn Broken CMA and the Yorta Yorta NAC, will facilitate the exchange of traditional ecological knowledge from Elders to youth and expose participants to broader natural resource management issues."
"Elders from Yorta Yorta Nation and the region's youth, which have been involved in previous journeys, will pass on valuable knowledge" said Mr Tennant.
Damian Morgan-Bulled, CEO of Yorta Yorta NAC said "We hope that participants will come away from this journey with a greater knowledge of their country and culture, the region's biodiversity, and an understanding of natural resource management. We are looking forward to being able to strengthen the connection to country for these young people."
For further information please contact Yorta Yorta NAC on 03 5832 0222 or the Goulburn Broken CMA on 03 5820 1100.
Photograph (Gaye Sutherland): Participants in the 2011 Youth Journey at Barmah with Uncle Col