Campaspe Shire Council's First Peoples engagement officer Suzy Barlow with Yorta Yorta Elder Aunty Denise Morgan Bulled.
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A native reed‑planting event was held at Echuca’s Aquatic Reserve, marking the lead‑in project to the Weaving Waterways program.
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The reed planting supports a public art installation to be launched in June at the site, creating a permanent gathering place.
The April 29 event involved students from St Joseph’s College and the Njernda Youth program, planting traditional reeds on Country under the guidance of Woka Walla, NSW Parks and Wildlife Service and Campaspe Shire Council’s Parks and Gardens team.
It was a chance to support revegetation efforts following the floods and contribute to the regeneration of local flora, fauna and the natural environment, while becoming part of the site’s ongoing recovery story.
Students from St Joseph’s College Echuca and Njernda Youth Program participants helped with the reed-planting at Echuca's Aquatic Reserve.
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Native plants for the project were supplied by Rochester Nursery.
This project is supported through flood recovery funding provided by Emergency Recovery Victoria under the Community Recovery Hubs Program.
The funding is designed to support community‑led, culturally safe recovery activities that help people reconnect, heal and rebuild a sense of place after disaster.
Campaspe Shire Mayor Daniel Mackrell, who attended the event, said the reed-planting contributed directly to this aim by supporting cultural renewal, environmental repair and long‑term recovery of a flood‑impacted waterway.
“The planting also holds deep cultural significance,” he said.
“Respected Yorta Yorta Elder Aunty Denise Morgan‑Bulled has longed for almost 40 years to see traditional reeds returned to local waters so that weaving practices can continue on Country.
“This long‑awaited project represents the beginning of young people reconnecting with culture and creating a place their families can return to, gather and enjoy for generations to come, right here in Echuca.”
The reed-planting helps support cultural practices as well as environmental recovery following flooding in 2022.
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The project will continue through wrap‑around school and youth-based activations, bringing life to the artwork through learning, storytelling and hands‑on engagement on Country.
“Alongside cultural connection, this project will help reinvigorate the body of water, stabilise eroded edges and improve the overall health of the site, supporting both environmental restoration and flood recovery outcomes,” Cr Mackrell said.
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