Gurutjanga (Mount Kooroocheang), Nyaninuk (Mount Beckworth), Mount Greenock, Dharrang Gauwa (Mount Tarrengower), Liyanganyuk banyul (Mount Alexander) and Lalgambuk (Mount Franklin).

If these ancient peaks of southern Dja Dja Wurrung country could speak they’d no doubt tell remarkable stories like those to be found in the significant new book by Professor Barry Golding.

In writing Six Peaks Speak: Unsettling legacies in southern Dja Dja Wurrung Country, Kingston-based Professor Golding collaborated with Castlemaine-based geologist Clive Willman.

He also had the backing of a State Library Victoria Creative Fellowship to help research and write the book that has potential to open many eyes afresh to the region’s immense natural and cultural significance.

Six Peaks Speak is set to be launched by Dja Dja Wurrung Group CEO Rodney Carter on International Mountain Day, December 11, at Castlemaine.

As part of the International Mountain Day celebrations, a series of On Country Mountain walks and local, peak-specific community presentations are scheduled to take place during the week leading up to the launch.

The book bears witness to significant changes that have occurred over the past 200 years as though viewed from the perspective of the peaks that stand silent sentinel over this ancient volcanic landscape, including much of the Hepburn Shire area.

Professor Golding uses the term ‘unsettling in the book and its title in intentional contrast against the term‘settlement’ that’s often associated with the  arrival of Europeans in the landscape.

“I’ve used the term ‘unsettling’ because a lot of this stuff is still unsettled,” he says.

“People were killed or displaced and removed from Country.”

The result of two years of dedicated work, Six Peaks Speak provides a revelatory peeling back of time and layers to gain an enhanced appreciation of the landscape’s remarkable past and present.

Besides delving into seldom-accessed archives, the book draws on Li-DAR remote sensing technology to help literally peel back the layers through time.

The work records and celebrates the presence of significant Indigenous cultural legacies that remain within the landscape. Legacies like the Indigenous communal oven mounds.

“I’ve had huge support from the Djaara Traditional owners,” Prof Golding says.

In writing Six Peaks Speak Professor Golding’s hope is that the significance of the region’s natural and cultural heritage may be better appreciated by the wider community, including policy makers, into the future.

“It’s a resource  for the community including for the First Nations community to use as a springboard to acknowledge the unsettling, and to settle the unsettled,”he says.

The book’s contents are evidence-based with each chapter featuring over 100 footnotes.  Professor Golding admits researching and writing it  has been “a huge job”.

“It’s been good fun,” he adds ahead of the upcoming book launch, community events and series of associated walks.

The 420 page book is being published by Common Ground in the US and following its launch it will be available through selected retailers and online.

The book launch is set for 2pm, Wednesday December 11 at the Castlemaine Visitor Information Centre.

The launch will follow a special Caring for Country, Caring For People event taking place on the same day from 9:30am to 1pm at Lalgumbuk (Mt Franklin). It will be a chance to join with Djaara to celebrate International Mountain Day.

Community events leading up to the launch of Six Peaks Speak: Unsettling legacies in southern Dja Dja Wurrung Country include:

Friday, December 6, 8pm Gurutjanga Speaks presentation, Commercial Hotel, Kingston

Saturday December 7, 7:30pm Lalgambuk Speaks presentation, Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre

Sunday December 8, 2pm Dharrang Gauwa Speaks presentation, Maldon

Monday, December 9, 7:30pm Mount Greenock Speaks presentation, Maryborough

Tuesday, December 10, 7:30pm Nyaninuk Speaks presentation, Esmond Gallery, Clunes

The coinciding program of walks is being hosted by the Great Dividing Trail Association (GDTA) with registrations for the walks online through the GDTA website.

Walks

Friday, December 6, 9:30am Gurutjanga (Mt Kooroocheang) GDTA cultural landscapes tour & walk

Saturday, December 7, 9:30am Liyanganyuk banyul (Mt Alexander) GDTA walk

Sunday, December 8, 9:30am Dharrang Gauwa (Mt Tarrengower) GDTA walk

Monday, 9 December 9, 9:30am Mt Greenock GDTA walk

Tuesday, December 10,9:30am Nyaninuk (Mount Beckworth) GDTA walk

Words: Eve Lamb

The Mount Alexander Shire Council is inviting the wider community to come together for a free family-friendly event to celebrate Australia Day – Survival Day this Friday January 26.

The event will be held at Castlemaine’s Victory Park from 10.00 am, and will include a Welcome to Country by Dja Dja Wurrung Elder Uncle Rick Nelson, a citizenship ceremony and the presentation of local Australia Day Awards.

The event will also include a Survival Day concert, programmed and hosted by Uncle Rick Nelson. The line-up includes performers Bart Willoughby, Allara & Olenka, Kinja, and others.

“Council and the Dja Dja Wurrung community have a long history of working together towards reconciliation,” said Mayor Matthew Driscoll.  

“The Survival Day concert on 26 January is one example of that reconciliation in action.

“Last year’s Survival Day concert was fantastic, with performances from The Rattlers, Darcy Spiller, Yung Warriors, Tjimba Possum Burns and more.

“We had some really positive feedback about the event, and I’m looking forward to being able to do it all again.   

“Bart Willoughby is an icon in the music scene, and has played with some incredible bands like No Fixed Address, Goanna, and also The Black Arm Band.

“It’s great to be able to have him perform here in the shire for the Survival Day concert.

“We’ve got more artists that we’ll be announcing soon, so come along to Victory Park on the day and enjoy the concert,” said Mayor Driscoll.  

In 2018, under the leadership of Dja Dja Wurrung Elders, the council decided to formally dual name events held on 26 January as Australia Day – Survival Day.

The renaming of the day recognises how celebrations on this day impact the First Nations community. It is also one of the actions the council says it’s taking towards reconciliation.

Event details:

What: Australia Day – Survival Day community event
When: Friday 26 January, 10.00am – 2.00pm
Where: Victory Park – 30 Mostyn Street, Castlemaine
Cost: Free