Council wins Award for Excellence
Published on 12 June 2025
The “Truth Telling, Healing and Creating for Community on Djaara Country” project has been awarded the 2025 LGPro Award for Excellence in the First Nations Community Partnership category.
The Central Goldfields Shire Council and DJAARA partnership took the prize out from other very worthy nominees, Greater Bendigo City Council and Ballarat City Council at an awards ceremony in Melbourne on Thursday 5 June.
The Award acknowledges the significant partnership between Central Goldfields Shire Council and DJAARA for their collaborative work on the Indigenous Interpretive Garden garingalang gatjin wii at the Central Goldfields Art Gallery and the Welcome Stranger Digital Animation at the Central Goldfields Visitor Centre.
Central Goldfields Shire Mayor Councillor Grace La Vella said she was feeling extremely proud.
“It’s an honour for Council to be acknowledged as an award winner in the Victorian local government's premier awards.
“This Award comes as the finale to National Reconciliation Week and recognises the strong partnership that has been built over the past three years between Council and DJAARA. We are very proud to work closely with our First Nations partners and delighted to share with the community and visitors such valuable cultural assets as a result of these collaborative projects. The Award just tops it off.”
The Welcome Stranger digital animation film has been recognised as an outstanding example of truth telling, revealing the devastation to Country as a result of the gold rush, while also sharing the famous story of the discovery of the Welcome Stranger gold nugget in our Shire. The Indigenous Interpretive Garden garingalang gatjin wii brings a healing presence to the middle of town, right opposite the newly redeveloped Maryborough Hospital.
The Welcome Stranger Digital Animation Film is activated automatically as visitors enter a theatrette in the historic Maryborough Railway Station. The film is free to enjoy and is a permanent installation at the Visitor Centre.
It traces the origin and discovery of gold, the economic boom in the region and how it impacted the lives, culture and Country of the Traditional Owners of our area, the Dja Dja Wurrung people. It also shares the positive message of how the people of the Central Goldfields are working together with the Traditional Owners the Dja Dja Wurrung to restore Country and to recognise and celebrate the value of Djaara culture and knowledge.
garingilang gatjin wii means water and fire garden in Dja Dja Wurrung language and is a public garden space next to the Central Goldfields Art Gallery inviting the whole community to come together to understand and celebrate Dja Dja Wurrung Culture. The garden design was led by Dja Dja Wurrung Elders and artists to share their knowledge and story.
The Garden features culturally significant elements, including rock wells and grinding grooves traditionally used for ochre, axe and spear head grinding. The design and artwork were developed through a “Wartaka” (“coming together”) process with DJAARA members.
The garden and animation were jointly funded developments in partnership with Central Goldfields Shire Council and the Victorian Government over the past two years.