Community Well-being Programs
Community Lunch
We hold a monthly community lunch. Contact HICSA for the date and time, or you can join our mailing list and we will send you an invitation. The community lunch is an opportunity to gather, enjoy each other's company, to yarn and celebrate Aboriginal culture, to 'respect, care and share'.
Paving Our Way
This program involves creating and laying clay pavers at Oonah to finish the outdoor sitting area. The clay pavers will have Aboriginal themes about people and environment and explores the theme of reconciliation and cultural awareness. Yarra Ranges Council provided funding to support this program. If you or your organisation would like to be involved, please contact HICSA.
Yarra Ranges Council provided financial support for this program.
Exploring and Discovering our Local Aboriginal Stories
This project will develop a local pamphlet about Aboriginal sites of interest in the Healesville area. In particular Coranderrk will be featured. The pamphlet is being developed in consultation with Swinburne University, Wurundjeri Council, Wandoon Estate and HICSA. The Tourism and Business sectors of Healesville are also involved. The pamphlet will be used by schools and tourism to learn about local Aboriginal sites of interest and the story of Coranderrk. Cultural Strengthening Youth Worker – Brooke Collins will lead this project.
Yarra Ranges Council provided financial support for this program.
Sharing our Journeys - Then and Now
This is a project supported through funding from the Australian Government's Your Community Heritage Program. The project will involve a partnership with HICSA, Yarra Ranges Council and the Healesville Library. The project aims to:-
- Creatively raise the profile and understanding of Aboriginal community cultural heritage through the development of a DVD expressing the cultural living history of the Healesville Aboriginal Community and;
- Develop important cultural inclusion tools for “Bagung Djarlind” the new Healesville Library facility, through the installation of a creative Aboriginal historical artistic piece.
Education Bursaries
HICSA has received funding from ‘Towards a Just Society’ for education bursaries. Education bursaries are available to help with education fees (primary, secondary, TAFE or university), excursions, uniforms or books etc. A selection criteria and limit applies. Applications for bursaries must be passed by the Board and so please allow 4 to 6 weeks for processing. Contact the HICSA office by phone for an application form.
Community News: Coranderrk Festival March 16th 2013
March 2013 marks the 150th anniversary of the Coranderrk Station’s opening. Our aim is to celebrate the significance of Coranderrk and its place in Victoria’s history. Another important component of the festival is to educate general community about the historic property. In the 1860’s Coranderrk encompassed some 4850 acres. A large proportion of Healesville residents are living on what was Coranderrk land.
On the day of the festival you can expect music (with some local performers) cultural activities/workshops, informative/photographic display, bush tucker tasting…..just to get you tempted!
Brooke Collins and Jacqui Wandin
Coranderrk Festival Directors
Corranderrk 150th Anniversary
HICSA is upporting the Coranderrk 150th Anniversary committee to organise a festival next year. This is planned to commemorate the walks by William Barak, Simon Wonga and other Elders when Coranderrk was first founded in 1863 and their subsequent walks over the next 25 years to save Coranderrk from closure. A six day walk will commemorate a number of sacred and significant sites along the Yarra, which is now being termed as the ‘Birrarung Songline Reconciliation Walk’. As well as recounting the history of Coranderrk, the festival will also seek to involve all Aboriginal families who have had a historical connection to Coranderrk, with the purpose of creating opportunities for all these individual and family stories to be told and recorded. More information later.
Auspice Arrangements
HICSA is able to support non-incorporated Aboriginal groups to access funding to support their programs. Contact HICSA for a copy of our Auspice Policy or talk to a member of staff. Examples of support offered to the community included auspicing funds to support a local football team, the Evonne Goolagong Sports Foundation and the Elders Association.
