Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2021-23

Highlights and Outcomes from the Second Innovate RAP 2021-23  

• Council's strong partnership with Bunurong Land Council particularly in monthly meetings and with consultations and development of Council matters.    
• The Reconciliation Action Plan 2021–23 was officially launched in February 2022 at the Springvale Community Hub in partnership with Bunurong Land Council.  
• The council partnered with Bunurong Land Council to celebrate Reconciliation Week, holding a ‘Be Brave Make Change’ event, attended by local schools and youth groups at the Springvale Community Hub.  
• The council partnered with Dandenong Market and Bunurong Land Council in holding a NAIDOC event for the opening of NAIDOC Week, which was attended by 24,000 community members.  
• The Waa and Bulln Fire Pit was awarded the LGPro Award for Excellence in First Nations Community Partnership Initiative. This initiative was in partnership with the Bunurong and Wurundjeri Land Councils.  
• The council has engaged Bunurong Land Council in engagement of Welcome to Country and Traditional smoking and Yidaki ceremony at over 30 council events this budget year.  
• The council successfully engaged Bunurong Land Council in the development and consultation of the new Arts, Culture and Heritage Strategy.  
• The council led and developed the Dandenong Art Creek project in partnership with Bunurong Land Council- being led by Bunurong Land Council on Bunurong country and Woi Wurrung Wurundjeri Land Council.  
• The council partnered with Bunurong Land Council in the Discover Dandenong Creek Festival attended by over 6000 community members in North Dandenong.
• The council has engaged and commissioned Bunurong performers and artists across several arts and public art projects. 
• The council has consulted Bunurong Land Council, in formally inviting Bunurong artists, in five significant street scape projects in connecting public art pieces across the municipality- one which includes road art on the newly named Muderra Way, Noble Park.  
• Council has led a submission via the Living Links project in securing funding to be provided to Bunurong Land Council via Parks and Conservation program- with regards to the Police Paddocks cultural sites of significance and have also funded the undertaking of Lidar Cultural Heritage Site assessment for the Police Paddocks cultural area.  
• The council has employed a Bunurong land Council Bushlands team member, within their Parks and Conservation team in supporting the capacity building of Bunurong Land Council Environmental Green Team.  
• The council, in partnership with Bunurong Land Council and DDACL, has developed a Connecting to Country Program- in supporting the future development of the Wurundjeri Warren Beek ranger program.  
• The council was successful in Vic Health funding grant in supporting and auspice the delivery of the Connecting to Country program, with Greater Dandenong parks and conservation team.  
• Council have engaged Nomuckerlener Indigenous Consulting, Bunurong owned and run business, in the delivery of Cultural training with funding endorsed for 100 staff, in March and September 2023.  
• The council has implemented in consultation with Bunurong Land Council- acknowledgement of country plaques- reflecting council’s formal Acknowledgement Statement. Welcome to country – Wominjeka decals and signage across 6 main council buildings, in supporting further the cultural safety of community attending council buildings.  
• Council partnered with VACSAL, in hosting the inaugural Koorie Statewide Senior Netball and Football Carnival- participant over 5000 community and attended by over 5000 community at Tatterson Park in Keysborough.  
• The council partnered with Bunurong Sports Association and Victorian Aboriginal Health Service, in hosting the inaugural Koorie Statewide Junior Basketball Carnival, during NAIDOC week. The council again nominated to host this event in 2023, during NAIDOC week.  
• The council has engaged Bunurong Land Council in supporting a Cultural Learning Strategy and induction modules, in relation to building Cultural Capacity with the council.  
• The council was invited to support and partner with the Aboriginal Community Forum Committee, in coordinating and hosting a community forum, in relation to the increase of Aboriginal children entering care, in the southern region. This forum attended by over 100 community members, with attendance of MP’s and dignitaries and recommendations derived from this forum, to be tabled in Parliament by Shadow Minister of Child Protection, who attended this event.  
• The Council Parks team have been granted funding for the creation and consultation with Bunurong Land Council Elders and Woi Wurrung Wurundjeri Land Council Elders, in the creation of a placental garden, women’s business healing space, on Bunurong country.  
• The council, in partnership with Monash Health and Bunurong Health Service Antenatal services and midwives, enabled the running of an antenatal yarning circle program, for all Aboriginal mums and bubs in the Southern- Bayside region.  
• Council partnered with Quit Victoria, Cancer Council, Bunurong Health Service smoking cessation team and Maa Naim Djambana Gathering Place and Casey Gathering Place, in the creation of a smoking cessation educational video for use and distribution to all primary health service providers in the region.  
• The council formally joined and supported the inaugural Koorie NAIDOC March walking in solidarity with community- behind a City of Greater Dandenong NAIDOC banner created in consultation with Bunurong Land Council. 

Highlights and Achievements from the 2023 Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)  

The City of Greater Dandenong held the following events, delivered in partnership with the Bunurong Land Council, with over 38 Welcome to Country and Smoking ceremonies held across council.  

• Reconciliation Week Event Springvale Hub over 300 attending, collaboration Youth Services, Festival and Events, Children and Family Services, Libraries, Arts and Culture, Community Development, New Directions  
• Rec Week Nature Play/ Storytime event- MCH, Early years, Conservation and New Directions- Attended 60 people  
• NAIDOC week event Dandenong Market event  
• Discover Dandenong Creek Festival- Basket weaving, Koori Will Shake Spears, Djirri Djirri  
• The City of Greater Dandenong partnered with City of Casey, VACCA, Casey Aboriginal Gathering Place and CGD- New Directions and Conservation Team- in the delivery of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day event 700 community attended.  
• The Voice campaign community forum event- collaborations with Nairm Marr Djambana/ECCV  

The City of Greater Dandenong engaged a number of Bunurong and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creatives in the following projects, with:

• Bunjilwarra Youth Art workshops- Kobi Sainty  
• Garner Lane lightbox artist installations- Auntie Heather Kennedy, Kobi Sainty  
• Muderra Way renaming/ Bunurong Artist/ Mentor project launch  
• Makers Market- local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creatives engaged  
• Kutcha Edwards Drum Theatre performances  
• The Sapphires Drum Theatre performances  
• Railway Parade Bunurong Artworks collaboration  
• Drum Theatre Welcome Wominjeka flags project  
• Sista Baskets Workshops- Walker St Gallery  
• Resurrection Primary School Aboriginal Art piece  
• Jesse Wright Gadigal Pod Cast Booth workshop  
• Walker St Intern First Nations Curato  
• WILAM BIIK exhibition and curation- attended over 3200 community  

Furthermore:

• Council had Acknowledgement plaques erected across all Council main buildings, Acknowledgement Lanyards created and distributed to over 500 staff and meeting room Acknowledgement cards  
• The council Mayor passed a notice of motion- council support YES Vote National referendum Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.  
• Second Aboriginal Community Forum held- Eyes on Boorais partnership in raising concern with Government in relation to the over representation of Aboriginal children in the out of home care system.  

The City of Greater Dandenong engaged and consulted the Bunurong Land Council, in relation to the review of a number of key council documents which included;  

• Cultural Heritage Strategy review  
• Co-Design Creative Space Bunurong consultations  
• Springvale Revitalization Project  
• Public Art Policy  
• Revised Flag Raising Policy  

Other engagement:

• Council's Cultural Awareness Training delivered to over 140 staff, which included Councilor Cultural Awareness training  
• The Voice Aunty Lunchbox sessions held Aunty Helen Bnads  
• Lunch and Learn Cultural Awareness Yarns held with – Bunurong Jillian West  

Conservation and Parks working alongside Bunurong Environmental team to support:  

• Livable Communities, Livable Waterways - Future Climate Plots (Living Links, Melbourne Water, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action) Grant  
• Our Catchment, Our Communities - Urban Forest Project (Living Links, Melbourne Water, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action) grant  
• Nairm Marr Djambana. Deadly Dingo and Living Culture, 2 x First Nations facilitators to run 44 intergenerational environmental engagement sessions at Nairm Marr Djambana Gathering Place.  
• Dardimunwurro Connecting to Country- “Native Footsteps- Tracing Indigenous Footsteps” partnership sponsoring- supporting 8 Aboriginal young men Cultural exchange program  
• Community Planting days 12 Welcome to Country, Smoking and Yidaki attended by over 3304 community members  
• Conservation and Parks Cultural Practice and Knowledge Sharing  

Tertiary Training, Qualification, Cultural Practice and Knowledge Sharing - Contribution in support of the Trust for Nature Warren Beek Rangers program (Certificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management students - First Nations/Traditional Owners) in alignment with the CTC funding agreement and project deliverables.