Aboriginal Darebin

The area now known as the City of Darebin has traditionally been a significant area for Wurundjeri people. Traditionally, summer months may have been spent on the banks of the Yarra River and the Merri and Darebin creeks. The proximity to both creeks may have been important as they were reliable water sources despite the lack of rainfall during summer months. These water sources may have also been important sources of food as they were well inhabited by platypus, water rats and fish. Silcrete outcrops at the site now popularly known as Mount Cooper (now part of the Bundoora Park area) may have been utilised as a source of materials for making stone tools. The name Bundoora is also significant. It is thought that the suburb of Bundoora is shortened from Keelbundoora, which was the name of a young boy who was present at the “signing” of the Batman “Treaty”.

Presland G. First people: the Eastern Kulin of Melbourne, Port Phillip & Central Victoria. Melbourne: Museum Victoria; 2010.

City of Darebin. Heritage Study volume 1 Draft thematic environmental history. 2008 [cited 2017 Oct 12]; report no. 1182. Brunswick: Context Pty Ltd. Available from: http://www.darebin.vic.gov.au/Building-and-Business/Planning-anddevelopment/Heritage

City of Darebin (2018) The Story of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Darebin, Preston

Seven seasons of the Kulin people [internet]. Melbourne: Museums Victoria; c2018 [cited 2018 Mar 13]. Available from: https://museumsvictoria.com.au/forest/climate/dry.html

City of Whittlesea [internet] Local Aboriginal history; Wurundjeri Willum people. Melbourne: City of Whittlesea; c2018 [cited 2018 Mar 13]. Available from: https://www.whittlesea.vic.gov.au/about-us/our-city/local-aboriginal-historywurundjeri-willum-people/