News
Cultural protection works completed at Devilbend
Friday 9 November, 2012
Protection works on fragile indigenous cultural sites at Devilbend Natural Features Reserve have been completed thanks to a huge contribution from volunteer groups. Last Friday, 27th October, a group from the local indigenous community joined with volunteers and Parks Victoria staff to work on protecting significant rock scatter sites around the Devilbend Reservoir. Teams of people carried large coconut fibre rolls and secured them along eroding banks to prevent further damage.
On the Saturday, volunteers from Friends of Devilbend, Devilbend Landcare and Seawinds Nursery joined with Bunurong Land Council, Boonwurrung Foundation and Traditional Owners to re- vegetate one of the larger sites on Daangean Point. Culturally significant areas in the reserve have been covered with geotextile matting, and then covered with topsoil and mulch. Approximately 4000 plants specially grown by the Seawinds Nursery Volunteers have been planted into these sites.
Both days were coordinated by Parks Victoria staff who’ve been working alongside the volunteer groups at Devilbend Natural Features Reserve for the past seven months on this special conservation project.
Ranger Georgia Kerr says it’s been an incredible project that’s involved people of all ages and backgrounds.
“A lot of time and hard work has gone into protecting these culturally significant areas. It’s been a fantastic joint effort that’s bought together many different people and groups, all with a connection to this special place.
Working together on these cultural sites has resulted in a sharing of knowledge and cultures and interests for everyone involved. The diverse history of previous land use across the Peninsula makes it important to ensure that sites like these at Devilbend are preserved and protected into the future”.
Other major site improvement works are currently underway in the reserve which is expected to open to the public in mid-November.