Nikki James and the team at Winton Wetlands at the official launch of the new Corroboree Circle and Bush Tucker Garden. Photo: Rene Martens.
An early morning downpour settled the earth and cooled the landscape, creating the perfect atmosphere for the 150 people who gathered to witness an important cultural milestone at Winton Wetlands on Saturday, November 29.
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Nikki James, a proud Yorta Yorta woman, lead the official launch, and was the event co-ordinator for the opening of a new Corroboree Circle and Bush Tucker Garden.
Nikki was brought in to see the project through to completion, ensuring that the cultural vision, community connections and environmental knowledge embedded remained intact.
The launch featured a powerful Welcome to Country, followed by corroboree dancing, a didgeridoo performance, a weaving workshop with Yorta Yorta artist Glennis Briggs, as well as cultural storytelling from Uncle Lance James, yarning about the Yorta Yorta people and its history.
There were also discussions about plant knowledge.
The event brought together Rumbalara Elders as well as local Benalla Elders Cheryl Cooper and Carol Alliman.
There was also an art exhibition from the Mokoan Creatives group (Catherine Fuller, Jana Brook, Doug Spowart, Victoria Cooper and local Benalla Elder Aunty Gayelene), and information displays from the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority.
A didgeridoo performance was part of the opening of the Winton Wetlands’ new Corroboree Circle and Bush Tucker Garden.
The Benalla library, represented by Remy Hengen, offered colouring sheets and storytelling pages provided by Moira Shire Council, along with environmental activity packs that promoted care for native wildlife and local ecosystems.
Remy spoke warmly about the library’s long-standing friendship with the Yorta Yorta Nation and its commitment to supporting cultural learning within their space.
That includes a collaborative activity led by Aboriginal artists and educators, supported by Samantha Baddrock from the Wangaratta Art School and Benalla school teacher Céline Forster.
Rebecca shared her appreciation at being able to support an art activity that would help represent the day in a space that was incredibly important to her.
Many attendees contributed to the legacy artwork How the birds got their colours, including acclaimed local Yorta Yorta artist Annie Cooper, whose sculptural pieces around Mokoan already tell profound cultural stories.
Local photographer Rene Martins filmed and photographed the event.
Attendees had an opportunity to learn traditional Aboriginal weaving methods at Winton Wetlands at the opening of its new Corroboree Circle and Bush Tucker Garden.
Adjacent to the circle, the Bush Tucker Garden showcases 26 Yorta Yorta traditional foods, as well as ceremonial and medicinal plants from the Mokoan native plant guidebook.
Nikki said the completion of this project carried both cultural and personal significance, as she had spent the past four years at Winton Wetlands creating all cultural education and bush kinder programs.
The event was supported by Gil Cunneen and Matt Long, whose hard-working efforts included fencing, installing in-ground water sprinklers and establishing three garden beds where Nikki, her local elders and land neighbours planted 300 plants a month ago.
“Being able to come back and finish what I started means a lot, not just for me, but for our community,” Nikki said.
“This space represents pride, connection and a continuation of our story. It’s a place for our young ones to learn and for visitors to understand the richness of our culture.”
Supporter and participant Céline Forster said working with Nikki on various (Flexible Learning Centre) school projects and working directly with Koori and non-Koori students had led to more engagement and cultural development with students, and with Indigenous people and allies throughout the area.
“This positive support has allowed connections to form that are supporting our young people, and community overall, and is extremely important to the community within the Yorta Yorta Nation from an ally's point of view,” she said.
“We’re looking forward to developing our relationships in this space with Nikki and the Yorta Yorta Nation community further.
“As the leading teacher in the Marrung lead role, over a range of schools, based on the level of professionalism and quality exercised at this event, 2026 looks exciting for our student community, and the community overall.
“We feel very grateful that Nikki is back at Winton Wetlands and able to continue investing her time and expertise into this very special space.”
