Welcome
The Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association (HICSA) was established in December 2009
“To establish a welcoming and culturally affirming place in Healesville that provides a central point of contact for community members, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, for information, services and programs that are focused on building a healthy, strong and skilled community”
The Association and its members are committed to working collaboratively and harmoniously to achieve the above vision. To work towards the general betterment of Aboriginal people and, specifically, for the advancement of Aboriginal people in Healesville and the Yarra Ranges.
Acknowledgement to Country
The Board of the Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association Incorporated would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land, the Wurundjeri, and pay respects to their Elders past and present. We would also like to acknowledge those peoples, including Elders, who came to live on Wurundjeri land from all over Australia as a result of dispossession from their homelands, and in more recent times through choice. We will strive to uphold a cultural respect model that further includes and strengthens all our people, stories, traditions and culture for now and future generations.
Latest News
Information
HICSA held a Community Lunch on Thursday 26h April in recognition of Anzac Day and in honour of Aboriginal Service men and women. Aunty Dot Peters has worked passionately for the recognition of Aboriginal service men and women, and gave a beautiful talk about the impact of war and loss on families. For Mabo day, we held a Community Lunch on June 5th.
On the third of June 1992 the High Court of Australia rejected the ridiculous notion of "Terra Nullius", that this land was not occupied before European colonisation. Eddie Mabo a Torres Strait man conducted a ten year battle through the courts that led to this historic judgement. The Mabo Judgement states in law that Indigenous Australians have by prior occupation, ownership of land where native title has not been extinguished.
We also held a Community lunch on the 3rd July where we celebrated Naidoc Week. They dared to challenge – this year’s theme celebrated the champions who lived to renew the spirit of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through the establishment of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in 1972.
At our next community lunch on 31st July, we were honoured to host the MAV and Councillor Ken Saunders from Glenelg Shire Council who encouraged Aboriginal people to consider running for council and the positive impact they could have for community. We’d also like to thank Councillor Noel Cliff from Yarra Ranges Council who also attended.
If you’d like any more information on running for council please contact us at HICSA. Our next community lunch was held on Tuesday 11th September. We were lucky to have beautiful weather for our ‘Spring into Spring’ bbq and our community members did a fantastic job preparing for the lunch, helping to cook up a storm, and planting the seedlings which look amazing. We filled 4 veggie garden beds with heaps of veggies like different varieties of tomatoes, beans, capsicum, zucchini, cucumber, lettuce etc and we will finish planting the bush tucker plants.
Aboriginal Health Conference 2012
Aboriginal Health - Everyone's Business
Robynne and Aboriginal Affairs Minister Jeanette Powell had a great night at the Department of Health ‘Close the Health Gap’ Aboriginal Health conference in May, 2012. Messages of hope were written on the twigs which were added to Bunjil’s Nest.
Fiona and Robynne presented at the conference. We told the story of HICSA and talked about the communities’ hopes for a Belonging Place, and both agreed that Robynne is much more comfortable at public speaking than Fiona.
HICSA aims are to:
“To establish a welcoming and culturally affirming place in Healesville that provides a central point of contact for community members, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, for information, services and programs that are focused on building a healthy, strong and skilled community”
Harmony and Close the Gap Lunch
HICSA hosted another community lunch on Wednesday 21st March to celebrate ‘Harmony Day’ and ‘National Close the Gap Day’. The lunch was smaller this time as the weather very rainy, windy and cold. About 20 people enjoyed lasagne, salad and a yummy healthy dessert made by the women’s group that morning.
The next Community Lunch will be held on Thursday 26th April at 12:30pm. It will be held in recognition of Anzac Day and in honour of Aboriginal Service men and women heroes. Aunty Dot Peters who has worked passionately for the recognition of Aboriginal service men and women will be at the lunch.
(Any volunteers that would like to help prepare the food for Community Lunches are more than welcome – and very much appreciated!!)
Renew our Path
HICSA is very excited to announce funding from the Department of Human Services – Indigenous Family Violence Regional Action Group to deliver a youth respectful relationships program. HICSA has partnered with Boorndawan Willam to offer an exciting cultural program where Aboriginal youth (male and female groups) will explore and discuss respectful relationships. Each group will produce a Possum Skin Cloak where messages of respectful relationships will be burnt into the skins.
These cloaks can then be used for future ceremonies organised by youth.
