Since colonial occupation, the site has only become more sacred — now part of just two per cent of Yorta Yorta Country's tree coverage that still remains free from agricultural clearing.
And now, at long last, the Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation joint management plan agreed to in April last year has been launched.
The ambitious vision, titled Heal the Land, Heal the People – Healthy Country promises the restoration of country altered by logging, climate change, weeds and feral brumbies to its Traditional Owners.
On Wednesday, July 7, hundreds of Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members gathered at Barmah to officially launch the plan and agree to a new path forward in the management of the park.
Yorta Yorta Traditional Owner Land Management Board chairperson Lance James said the plan was a "significant step" in providing protection and recognition of Yorta Yorta people's right to care for country.
Energy, Environment and Climate Change Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said it symbolised a growing partnership with Traditional Owners and the state government in the management of parks and reserves.
“This . . . is a momentous achievement which will make sure Aboriginal culture and knowledge informs the way the land is cared for,” she said.
“By working side by side with Traditional Owners, we are ensuring the much-loved Barmah National Park is protected and managed in a sustainable way.”
The third joint management plan to be unveiled in the state since 2010, the document recognises Yorta Yorta people's traditional ownership and custodial rights of the land, promising a new era of equal partnership in the management of the park.
Key to the agreement is $1.3 million to employ four Yorta Yorta joint management rangers, and on-ground works.
Renovations to the $3.4 million Dharnya Centre are also under way, with a conference facility, meeting rooms, an industrial kitchen, group accommodation, a site manager’s house and landscaping expected to be completed by July next year.
Member for Northern Victoria Mark Gepp said the agreement was a win for Barmah National Park's future prospects.
“Incorporating the aspirations of Yorta Yorta people into management planning of country will enhance the park's long-term health,” he said.
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