Development Victoria is supporting the remediation and healing Country works at a former mining site in Bendigo to restore the health of the land, making it fit for future use to benefit the community.
Located on Chum Street, the project will be delivered in partnership with Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation (trading as DJAARA) and the City of Greater Bendigo.
Group Head Housing, Penny Forrest, said remediating sites like Chum Street is crucial for healing Country and creating lasting benefits for the future of the Bendigo community.
It’s important we embrace First People’s cultural knowledge and understanding and restore this historically contaminated site into a safe and valuable asset that will provide substantial benefits to DJAARA and the wider Bendigo community.
Penny Forrest
Development Victoria
Chum Street is significantly degraded because of past mining activities and has been largely vacant since the 1950s when mining ceased.
Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation (DJAARA) CEO, Rodney Carter, said as custodians of Dja Dja Wurrung land, they feel a deep responsibility and cultural obligation to heal it and look after it.
Despite the devastating impacts left by mining at this location and across Djandak (Country), there have been few efforts to heal impacted areas. It is for this reason, DJAARA welcomes this partnership, from which significant planning and action will follow, so this site can be healthy and functioning once again.
Rodney Carter
Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation (DJAARA)
Bringing former mining sites back to health, the healing of upside-down Country, is a key goal of DJAARA’s Dhelkunya Dja (Healing Country) Country Plan.
Development Victoria will undertake the healing and remediation of the area in accordance with Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) requirements.
Preliminary environmental and geotechnical works are expected to commence in late 2024.
The local community will be kept informed ahead of any planned healing and remediation activities.
For more information on the project visit the Chum Street, Bendigo webpage.
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View allUpdated on 02 October 2024