Aboriginal Victoria
Aboriginal Victoria
Christopher Jakobi At the Royal Botanic Gardens, Jakobi leads visitors through a part of Melbourne that continues to have a significant cultural value to its Traditional Owners. Nearly every day at 11am, guests at the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne gather to join the Aboriginal Heritage Walk, an exploration of the thriving culture and rich history of the First Nations Peoples. Jakobi is the Aboriginal Programs Facilitator and often leads the tours, bringing visitors into a world they may not know a lot about. “Not many people are aware that the Birrarung (Yarra River) once carved its way through the gardens,” he says. “This was before the river was straightened and widened to prevent natural seasonal flooding in the early twentieth century.” Long before sport was played nearby on the MCG or varying landscapes were created in the Royal Botanic Gardens, this was a significant place for people of the Woiwurrung and Boonwurrung nations.
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