COMMUNITY and the City of Whittlesea gathered on Sunday to celebrate bunjil nganga Parkland’s open day.
There were two community spaces which were celebrated, the Aboriginal Gathering Place and the Granite Hills Major Community Park just off Hunters Lane in Mernda, which finally brought together 3.6 kilometres of trail which connects the start of the Granite Hills trail in South Morang to the park.
The day saw plenty of entertainment in front of the new community park, which provided plenty of fun for the kids, with giant slides, swings, sandboxes, a flying fox, open-air pavilion, picnic and barbecue areas.
First Peoples performances, cultural workshops and art displays were featured across the precinct, as well as roving performers in a relaxing atmosphere.
The park was created through the City of Whittlesea Council contributing $5.5 million, while the Victorian Government provided $2.5 million from the Growing Suburbs Fund.
Additionally, the bunjil Nganga Parkland Connecting Trails was also joint-funded by the City of Whittlesea and Victorian Government, which was paid in part through $1 million from the Suburban Parks Program and $322,000 from the Growing Suburbs Fund.
City of Whittlesea Mayor Councillor Lawrie Cox said it was great to see the project completed.
“We are delighted to see the Aboriginal Gathering Place project completed after more than 20 years of advocacy from local First Peoples. I would like to thank all those along the way who have championed this project,” he said.
“Council is proud to show its commitment to reconciliation and self-determination for our First Peoples community by funding the building of the Gathering Place. This is now a safe space for the whole community that celebrates culture, supports learning and stronger community connections.
“The Aboriginal Gathering Place, the addition of the new Granite Hills Major Community Park as well as the walking trails ensures this much-loved park is a place where families can play, people can connect with nature and everyone can feel welcome.”