Today, the garden is fulfilling its purpose as a special place, to recognise the Aboriginal history of the Benalla region, and as a healing and knowledge-sharing space for all.
Through a collaboration between local Elders, the Tomorrow Today Foundation and Benalla Rural City Council, along with the help of a team of enthusiastic volunteers, the Aboriginal Garden was created in 2002 on the banks of Lake Benalla.
In the intervening years, improvements to the garden have been made.
It now features wide, meandering paths through beds of native plants, large seating rocks, a stone carving depicting the totems of local mobs, and entrance signs that provide the history and meaning of the garden.
Most recently, new plants went into the garden’s sweeping beds.
A working-bee that included local Elders Chris Thorne and Aunty Cheryl Cooper, students from Tomorrow Today’s Anganya program, members of the Full Impact Squad and Dr Gerard Brownstein from the Aboriginal Garden Committee, spent a spring afternoon planting more than 50 gold dust wattle (Acacia acinacea) and river bottlebrush (Callistemon sieberi).
Elder Chris shared with the students one of the bush-tucker uses for the golden wattle.
“The wattle can make a refreshing tea,” he said.
“Once the billy has boiled, you can swirl a sprig of wattle through the hot water to make a slightly sweet drink.”
Aunty Cheryl shared her local knowledge too.
“When the yellow wattle flowers are out, it tells us that it’s time to catch the yellowbelly (golden perch) from the river,” she said.
“They make the best eating at this time of year.”
Tomorrow Today’s Anganya education officer, Heidi Perry, explained the importance of the garden to the program.
“Over the last 12 months we’ve used the garden for a number of gatherings and learning activities,” she said.
“Having Aunty Cheryl and Elder Chris involved has deepened the students’ knowledge and understanding of indigenous plants and traditional practices.”
Ms Perry thanked Benalla Mitre 10 for its donation of tools and gloves for the ongoing project.
“The staff at Mitre 10 were so helpful and generous. Having the right gear makes the job that much easier,” she said.
The Aboriginal Garden is located off Mitchell St at the end of Benalla St.
You can also access the garden from the lakeside walking track. Everyone is welcome to visit and enjoy the garden.
You can learn more about the Anganya program and Benalla’s Aboriginal Garden at tomorrowtoday.com.au
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