RETURN TO THE TRIBE – EXPERIENCE A BUSHFOOD TRIP AT THE GUMS CAMPGROUND

Nowadays, we live in a time of great change. For most of us, we have become disconnected from our natural environment, our tribe, our food and our spirit. But we need to connect with the earth, like-minded tribes, food sources and our natural selves. Because this connection promotes the health of the planet, mind, body, spirit and provides a sustainable way of life. I’m exploring and creating such a sustainable space at The Gums Campgroundin Kinglake National Park.

01SiteInformation

Kinglake National Park lies on the slopes of the Great Dividing Range where is situated 50 kilometres northeast of Melbourne. The Park has many beautiful natural landscapes, among which, the most popular landscape Masons Fall, a picnic area with waterfalls andnaturalplants.

Section1–

MasonsFalltoTheGumsCampground

Section1 shows the topography from Masons fall to the Gums Campground. The campgroundis locatedatthe lowest pointinthe section.

ReferenceDocuments

• Park Victoria.(2011).KINGLAKENATIONALPARK MASTERPLAN.

• NATURALRESOURCESANDENVIRONMENT.(1996).KinglakeNational Park ManagementPlan.

StrategiesforKinglakeNationalPark

➢ Recreation and use: Extend and diversify overnight camping, including restoration of The Gums camping area.Investigatenewopportunitiesat MarshallsRoad.

➢ Access and Circulation: Develop short Australian Standard Class 1 or 2 circuit walks at Masons Falls

Picnic Area, Jehosaphat Gully, The Gums Camping AreaandWombelanoFalls.

➢

Information, Interpretation and Education:

Investigate the potential for use of the Park by education groups, including through partnerships with educational institutions, the Kinglake Ranges

Wilderness Camp and the Toolangi Forest Discovery Centre. Plan for the needs of educational groups at campingandpicnicareas.

VisitorsandRecreation

● “The most popular activities in the Park were sightseeing, short walks (less than 1 hour), picnicking / BBQ, socialising with family or friends, and nature appreciation and enjoying the Parkenvironment / atmosphere (see Graph 1). The most common group size of people surveyed was 2 or 3-5 people. The most common length of time spent in the Park was 2 3 hours (49% in 2008), with significant numbers staying up to 1 hour (38%in 2008).

● Other activities in the Park included half day and day walks, mountain bike touring (which has been observed to be increasing), horse riding and school education excursions. A small camping area with 10 sites, The Gums, is located on Eucalyptus RoadinthenortheastofthePark.

● As well as the traditional ways of experiencing parks through picnicking, walking, sightseeing and nature appreciating, a demand is growing for well designed and accessible infrastructure such as camping facilities suitable for campervans and motor homes and walking and cyclingtrails. “

Reference: Park Victoria. (2011). KINGLAKE NATIONAL PARK MASTERPLAN. 9

KeyActivitiesatTheGumsCampground

Reference: Park Victoria. (2011). KINGLAKE NATIONAL PARK MASTERPLAN.

TheGumsCampgroundQ&A

Q1:Whydopeoplelikecamping?

•Freedom

•ToFeel CloserToNature

•NaturalEducation

•HealthBenefits

•DigitalDetox

•Relax andUnwind

•Test Yourself

•Sense ofAdventure

•Solitude

•PeaceandCalm

•FamilyTraditions

•Fora Bit of Fun

•Campingis Cheap

•OpportunitytoGet Outdoors

•Release Some Endorphins

•Meet Like MindedPeople

• …

Q2:Whydopeoplecampatthegumscampground?

• It’s locatedinKinglakenationalparkwitha beautifulnatural environmentandthere are other attractionsnearbytovisit.

• It’s a1.5hourdrivefrom Melbournecity areaandcanbe returned in oneday.

• The campsitehasarelatively completetourist facilitiesandhigh accessibility.

• Insummer,the Eucalyptusforest providesa muchcooler environmentthanthe city.

• The campgroundhasa highqualitywater feature, Islandcreek.

• …

Q3:Whypeopledon'tcamphere?

• Need todriveto the camp,notfriendly to peoplewhodon'thavea caror can'tdrive

• Asthere is nosignalin thecamp,visitorswill feel unsafe.

• It's toocoldinwinter andthere's a fire hazardinsummer.

• Visitorshaveto bringfoodorgoto Kinglaketownto getfood.

• There’s noshelter there.

• …

EVC2005–SmallScale

In order to design outdoor kitchen on site, I conducted a series of site analysis. Including the EVC study, in the scale of the whole park, I found that the EVC of the site was well preserved, and there was no significantpatchshowingthe lossofEVC.

EVC2005–BigScale

The site is located between Riparian Scrubs and Lowland Forests, with two different vegetationlandscapes.

Topography&Hydrology

Then, I studied the topography and hydrology of the site. I found that the topography of the site is flat and lies in a valley in the middle of a mountain range. On the west side of the site, Island Creek flows from mountainsin the southtofarmlandin thenorth

Section2–

AcrossTheGumsCampground

Section 2 shows two types of EVC. In addition, it can be seen that the height difference on site is within10m.

ExistingVisitorFacilities

Next, let's take a look at the site's existing facilities. Existing resources includes nonpotable water and gas. The water source is rainwater collected through the roof of the toilet, which is full of leaves and impurities. There is a lot of dust and leaves on the Gas BBQ, soit’s needsto be cleanedbefore use.

Transportation

Visitors need to reach the site via entrance on the Kinglake Glenburn Road. Although the road of the site is narrow, it’s one way for cars, so the traffic is in order.

DesignLocation

In combination with convenient transportation, parking space, proximity to the creek and better scenery, I finally chose the location of Outdoor Kitchen onthe northwestofthe site.

● In order to get design ideas, I took some explorations.

● Firstly, I observed my sustainability practices in daily life, including growing my own food and composting in the Community Garden. Compared with the lifestyle of purchasing food from supermarkets, this self-sufficient mode reduces a large amount of carbon emissions and has a positive impact on the environment.

● Secondly, I built a circular economy model in my kitchen, which fully recycled food and water resources, and uses solar energy instead of gas. Moreover, I observed nature and thought about how my own life could be connected with land during my site visit.

● Finally, I decided to learn ancient indigenous wisdom and use outdoor kitchen design as a medium to introduce indigenous bush truckers to encourage others to make sustainable choices and do their best for the better of the planet.

Exploration1:ObservingMyOwnBehaviour–SustainableFoodStyle

Exploration2:CircularEconomyinMyEverydayLife

Exploration

LearningfromTraditionalWayofLife

Credit:

“Bush food is indigenous to Australia, and is also referred to as bush tucker fare. The Australian bush offers unique native flora and fauna thatfed aboriginalsfor over60,000 years.

Exploration3:LearningfromTraditionalWayofLife–BushTucker

Exploration3:LearningfromTraditionalWayofLife–BushTucker

●Local bushfood sources

Exploration3:LearningfromTraditionalWayofLife–BushTucker

●Bushfood dishes

Eucalyptustea

Lomandraflat bread Australianviolet& River mintsalad

Fresh Kangaroo apple&Nodding saltbushberries

Prickyi currant pie withApple berry jams

Historyoftraditionaloven

Fig.1Re-CreatinganAboriginalEarthOven withClayeyHeatingElements

Fig.2ClayovenstemsfromAncientGreece

● Cooking was first done over open flames in "Earth Ovens," or pits dug into the ground and heated up. Archaeologists discovered several remnants of these pits, especially in the Ukrainian region where they were discovered with coals dating back to 20,000 BC. Mammoth bones are thought to have once been used in every residence in this area for cooking and heating. The history of the wood burning oven as we know it today begins with Old Greece and the legendary "Clay Oven" or "Ipnos," which was used to create bread and other baked items. Throughout history, many varied (and weird) types of ancientovenshavebeendiscovered.

● Credit: https://www.electrafixbc.ca/articles/future of ovens.html

Re-CreatinganAboriginal EarthOvenwithClayey HeatingElements

Next, I'll think about how to design the Outdoor Kitchen. I researched traditional Ovens. The methods of cooking food with firewood are primitivebutenvironmentallyfriendly.

Fig2.Earthovenre-creationprocess:

(a, b) the fire is lit gradually, with an ember in a dry grass bundle, on top of clayey balls lining the base of the pit, while others are left dryingbeside; (c, d) the hardwood is reduced to coals and the driedclayey ballsare placedover; (e) the hearth is loaded again with hardwood andleft until the flamedies; (f) the pit is cleared, exposing the hot base and leaving the movable clayey heatretainers beside; (g) the roots are packed with wet reeds and placedonthe hotbase; (h) the hot movable heat-retainers are laid over; (i, j) the pit-hearth is protected with sheets of stringybarkandsealedwith sand.

Copyright:MaurizioCampanelli

Credit: https://exarc.net/issue 2018 2/ea/re creating aboriginal earth oven clayey heating elements experimental archaeology and paleodietary

FutureFoodSystemByJoost

Bakker,Melbourne.

Joost's Future Food System also brings me inspiration. Water, food and energy can build a network model,recycle andregenerate.

Precedents:OutdoorKitchen

Fig.1

Fig.2

Fig.3

These outdoor kitchen photos show how the kitchen blends into the outdoor environment.

Fig.1

• Outdoorkitchenina junglelandscape

• The shadeprovidesshadefor the outdoorkitchen

• Natural,well drainedfloor pavingmaterial

• Bar desktopoutdoorkitchento enhancecommunication

Fig.2

• OutdoorkitchencabinetsprovideFire Wood

• Workingtablefacingwideview oflandscape

Fig.3

• Potted plants(canbe bushfoodplantspots)areaddedto the outdoor kitchen

ConceptFramework.

Inspired from Joost’s Future Food System, I built the model framework of Outdoor Kitchen, in which food, water andenergycanbe recycledandreused.

ConceptDrawings.

VisitorscanpickBushfoodandexperience traditionalcookingmethodshere.

Visitorsalsocaneatandchatwith friendsby the fire and sharethe joy ofbeingconnectedto the landandnature.

DesignBrief

From the sustainable lifestyle experiment at the beginning of the semester, I tried sustainable diet. I have found that the sustainability of food style is reflected in the preference for vegetarian options, eat less with better food sources, and the choice of local food sources. According to Joost (2020), the way we grow, harvest, transport, sell, and eat food is the most destructive human activity on Earth - 58% of the world's carbon emissions are generated by our current food systems. In The Gums Campground design, I will develop my design thesis with sustainable eating as a startingpoint.

Bush tucker, or bush food, is any food native to Australia. Aboriginal people have lived in Australia for at least 60,000 years. They have a symbiotic relationship with the land, living on local flora and fauna for generations. My campground design will use the knowledge of Aboriginal ancestors to create a low-carbon, zero-waste campground, starting with bushfood and an outdoor kitchen.

My plan can be broken down into three phases: The first phase will see the construction of the outdoor kitchen and bushfood garden, which will serve as the core and foundation of the future campground bushfood experience. In addition, carpentry workshops will be established at this stage to process local trees into wood for the subsequent stages of construction. Additionally, wind trees will be placed to supply energy for the timber drying equipment in order tohastenthe dryingofthe wood.

The second phase will begin 1 year after the first phase finished, and it will use the prefabricated wood from the first phase to construct boardwalks, wooden bridges, and a bushfoodgalley.

It will take at least five year to move on to the third phase, where more wood will accumulate. The timber will build visitorcentre andtree houses.

When Phase 3 ends, the campground offers the whole bushfood experience: visitors will depart from the visitor center andcome to BushfoodGalley with aguide to admire the Aboriginal style bushfood paintings. Then head to Bushfood Garden to learn about the local bushfood varieties. Then study and experience indigenous cooking in Outdoor Kitchen. Finally, take a walking tour in the bushfood trial.

Through the campground design, I wish to encourage active participation in Indigenous culture, foster a sense of belonging and strengthen our ties to the land. We are actually healing our future generations by first healing the country,thenthe land,thenourselves.

Reference: Joost, B. (2020). Future Food System. https://www.futurefoodsystem.com/about

MasterPlan

AerialView

SustainableModel

● My sustainable model will take outdoor kitchen as the center, including the sustainable use and recyclingoffood,water, materials, andenergy.

WindTrees/Shrubs/Grasses

LocalMaterialAdaptation

Eucalyptusobliqua (Messmate)

-It canwork,glueandbend easily.

-Usedfor houseconstruction: framingaboveground(when protected),internalflooringand furniture

Eucalyptusradiata (Narrow-leaved)

-If cutter anglesare reduced,it canbe workedfairly easily.

-Usedfor outdoortables & chairs,tent platforms

Eucalyptusviminalis (Manna)

-It haveseasoningproblems

-Usedfor naturetree trunkplay & tree trunkfencing

CampingOptions

The site will provide individual or group tent camping, RV camping and tree houses. The aim is to house a diverse number of groups of tourists or workers who can campfor different lengths oftime.

CampingOptions

Apart from tree house, the rest of the camp will be completed in phase1. The construction of the Tree house will be completedinphase3, becauseit takes time to accumulateanddrythe timbers.

The outdoor kitchen uses local eucalyptus wood and recycled bricks to provide a brick oven and kitchen bench. In section1, it can be seen that the wind shrubs power the pump and UV to supply cleaning water. Visitors can use the small pit to experience the traditional cookingmethodsofearth oven.

To the east of the Outdoor kitchen is the bushfood garden. The eight bushfood species mentioned before will be planted here. They can providebushfoodsourcesforoutdoorkitchen.

Bush food gallery also uses local timber for construction. Because of its sites in tall eucalypts woodland, the gallery's roof will be made of glass to provide nature light. In addition, wind grass provides lighting powerfor the exhibition.