Nature connection and resilience for a sustainable future, Mt Tarrengower, 30th April 2022
All Events
Nature connection and resilience for a sustainable future, Mt Tarrangower, 16th Oct 2021
Walk and talk on Djandak with Aunty Marilyne Nicholls, 7th July 2021.
Mondo Lounge and Mirawara are organising a great event for young people for Naidoc Week. Come and join us on a Cultural walk at Mt Dharrengower with Aunty Marilyne Nicholls and discover the importance of this beautiful cultural landscape.
timeline for the day
9.45 am: Meet at Mt Dharrengower (Mt Tarrengower).
10.00-10.30 am: Welcome to Country and Smoking ceremony with Aunty Marilyne Nicholls.
10.30-11.30 am: Cultural Display.
11.30-12.30 pm: Walk and Talk on Djandak: talk about impacts of gold mining and upside-down Country, visit rock-wells and story-telling.
12.30-1.00 pm: Lunch.
1.00-2.30 pm: Walk and talk on Djandak, visit rock-shelter.
2.30-3.00 pm: Debrief.
Shaping our history together, a narrative to stop racism, 10 weeks course in Maldon
Shaping our history together, a narrative to stop racism is a series of workshops, including a day out on Country, to share our past history since colonisation, talk about ways to reduce racism in our communities and finding ways forward to a more inclusive and resilient future.
The sessions will be run by Aunty Marilyne Nicholls and other Dja Dja Wurrung representatives, along with Emmanuelle Dubuc who is the founder of Mirawara Outdoor Experiences Inc. Through the weekly sessions, the participants will discover Indigenous culture, especially Dja Dja Wurrung culture and talk about our common history since colonisation. The end of term will be celebrated with a field trip on the cultural landscape of the Dja Dja Wurrung people: Mt Dharrengower (Mt Tarrengower).
This project comes as response to the Statement from the Heart, where Traditional Owners across the country, are seeking a Makarrata Commission to supervise the agreement making process between government and First Nations and truth-telling about their history (Statement from the Heart, 2017). There cannot be reconciliation without acknowledging the continuing impact of colonisation on First Nation Peoples. The sessions will be held weekly during term 3, starting on Thursday 15th July 6.30 and finishing at 8 pm at the Maldon Neighboorhood Centre. The participants will have a reading packet available and specific readings will be selected weekly to engage in deep discussions during class time. You can register your interest at the Maldon Neighboorhood Centre on (03) 5475 2093. Cost: $200 full price and $180 concession
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Nature connection and resilience for a sustainable future, Leanganook 29th May 2021
Where do we find resilience in these challenging times? How do we embrace a way of life that protects and enhance the natural world? Mirawara is organising an event that will touch on those questions and open conversation of how to move forward in this changing world. Deep adaptation and cultural change are needed so come and join the conversation in the natural surroundings of Leanganook, Mt Alexander near Castlemaine, on Sunday 29th May 2021. The day will include Welcome to Country and a Cultural walk with Rebecca Phillips, ancestral work with Emmanuelle Dubuc, fire by friction, deep nature connection and games with Claire Dunn (My Year Without Matches) and Indigenous stories and dance with Mitchell Boney and Rebecca Phillips. BYO lunch, water and chairs. This is a great family event, everyone is welcome!
Timeline for the day:
9.30 am: Meet at Leanganook campground on Joseph Young Drive, Mt Alexander, Vic
10 am–10.30 am: Welcome to Country with Rebecca Phillips
10.30-12 noon : Cultural walk with Rebecca and Mitchell (group A).
Fire by friction with Claire Dunn (group B)
12 noon-1 pm: lunch
1 pm-2.30 pm: Cultural walk with Rebecca and Mitchell (group B).
Fire by friction with Claire Dunn (group A)
1.30 pm-3.30 pm: nature connection activities with Claire Dunn
4 pm-5.30 pm: Indigenous stories and dance around the fire. Talk about ancestry with Emmanuelle and transformative change in the face of what we are facing now with Claire Dunn, Rebecca and Mitch.
Pick my Project!
Pick My Project is finally back! We have 3 climbing trips left from the great initiative Pick my Project and we can’t wait to see some of you out in nature once again. It has been a very challenging year for us all, a year to reflect, a year to ponder about what we really want to see in the world, a year of longing for the warmth of our loved ones, a year of patiently waiting to regain the freedom we once had. But above all, the longing to be with each other sharing the beauties of the world, of nature and of our humanity.
The depth and silence of winter has matured the seed of inspiration for so many of us and, at Mirawara, so many projects are coming to fruition. We will have some great activities for the summer holiday to keep you and the kids busy. We are also planning to be very busy this Autumn with a Crowd-funding campaign to run a bush-adventure therapy program for our community including eco-philosophy, Indigenous Knowledge system and nature connection activities. Register to our email list to stay tuned! Have a wonderful festive season and we are looking forward to see you out there!
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Celebration of Earth Core!
A great array of memories are flashing back to us here, at Mirawara, as our Earth Core program is coming to an end. So many adventures filled with joy and laughter, stories of renewal and hope, teachings that will keep flourishing in our hearts for a more resilient and sustainable future. We would like to thank all the people that supported our vision and made our Earth Core program possible through Pick My Project this year. Also, an enormous thanks to the Victorian Government for their great funding initiative and to all the people that came on our adventures this year. We would also like to thank all the mentors and volunteers that helped create such a rich experience for us all. Mirawara will continue to work hard to secure funding so that our programs can be accessible to all.
As our way to thank you for your great support, we are organising a free event at Leanganook (Mt Alexander) on Sunday 29th March 2020. The event will start at 10am and finish around 8pm. The timeline for the day is as follow:
9.30am: Meet at Leanganook campground on Joseph Young Drive, Mt Alexander, Vic
10am–10.30am: Welcome to Country with Rebecca Phillips
10.30-11.30am: Cultural walk with Rebecca and Mitchell.
11.30-12.30: Talk about ancestry with Em, talk about transformative change in the face of what we are facing now with Claire, deep connection with nature and oneself. Teachings from the past and the lessons learnt. Indigenous ways of knowing, deep nature connection, how can we get there?
12.30am-1.30pm: lunch time (BYO) and reflection
1.30-3.30: Fire by friction with Claire Dunn
3.30pm-5pm: nature connection activities (walking like a fox, group activities) with Claire Dunn
5pm-6pm: Light supper
6pm-8pm: Indigenous stories and dance around the fire.
bookings are essential: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/98332411891
YOUR FEEDBACK would be greatly appreciated so, if you participated in some of our Earth Core activities, please fill in the survey below. It will help us secure funding in the future. Thank you!
Earth Core: our Spring and Autumn program is here!
Our Spring and Summer Program is here! We have so much on offer with outdoor activities planned for almost every weekend so, take you pick and join us on our next adventure: Rock-climbing, abseiling and rope work, Cultural tour of Boort with Aunty Marilyn Nicholls and a weekend of adrenaline at the famous rock-climbing mega: Mt Arapiles. We also have special free places for Health Care card holder.
For more info and bookings go to: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/o/mirawara-14769924778
Emmanuelle Dubuc on 0437 172 786
Beaver wood and cedar
Beaver wood and the sweet smell of Cedar, wild rivers rushing through my veins. I run through the woods, knowing where I belong.
There is nothing like your home Country, the land that speaks your language. The trees, the birds and animals that are entwined with your own.
My song his heard here, touching every breath of Nature, thunder and storms, rain drops and fawn.
Emmanuelle Dubuc
A great movie from where I come from…Canada! A sweet reminder of what Mirawara’s role is and the vision that it carries. Let the river carry us through…..