The Kyneton Community Park is part of the town's gorgeous Botanic Gardens, which dates back to the 1850s.
Featuring bluestone garden walls and a gorgeous wrought iron gate, the gardens are filled with commemorative monuments, specimen trees, a beautifully restored gardener's cottage, and a scenic riverside walk.
Greetings to Taungurung Country
The following text is displayed on a beautifully presented information sign at the Kyneton Community Park:
Gabi mele Taungurung (Dhaagung Wurrung) Biik
(Greetings to Taungurung Country!)
Taungurung are the first people of the rivers and mountains. They lived harmoniously according to the natural cycles of the land. Today some Taungurung people still live on Country and are very active in the protection and preservation of their language, culture and land. Our history is largely an oral history and our traditions have been passed down through the generations.
Taungurung people occupied much of central Victoria. The vast area of our country extended to the Campaspe River in the west, Mt Buffalo in the east, almost to Benalla in the north and south to the top of the Great Dividing Range. Our forebears associated with their neighbouring language groups through ceremonies, language and kinship ties. Taungurung and adjoining language groups formed an alliance called the Kulin Nation which shared stories, language and customs.
The people of the Naterrak-bulok clan once occupied the area around the Kyneton region. They were on of nine Taungurung clans and each clan belonged to either Bundjil (Wedge-tailed Eagle) or Waang (Crow) moieties. The moieties were used in a structure to control marriage eligibility, ceremonial practices and clan unity. The moiety affiliation of the Naterrak-bulok clan was Waang (Crow)
The Kyneton region provided an abundance of food for the Naterrak-bulok clan. Women collected and gathered mirnong (yam daisies), balim gumbada (bracken fern), garrawang (apple berries) and buliyt (native cherry tree). The women also gathered dulim (tussock grass) that was used for weaving binak (baskets), all the while foraging for small animals. The men crafted kulamon from trees to carry food and used bark from trees to erect yilam (shelters).
Taungurung people practiced land management to nurture native root plants, which require lots of sun to flourish. They would burn the crop to keep the taller plants from dominating, fertilizing the ground at the same time. To our people, the land is the history book.
"We ask that you treat the land with respect and the land in turn will look after you".
Waang the Crow
All Kulin ate their food raw and was always sick during the winter. There were seven women who never complained about the cold and beautiful smells came from their camp. Waang the white crow watched these women and noticed that their digging sticks were glowing red.
The women loved honey ants but were afraid of snakes. Waang put some baby snakes inside a hollow long and sealed it. He told the women there were honey ants inside and that they should use the digging sticks to break it open. All the snakes came out and the women started hitting the ground to keep the snakes away from them, their sticks broke off and Waang took off with them.
The womenn were calling Waang a thief and abusing him. All this noise attracted the attention of Bundjil and the women told Bundjil that Waang had stolen the secret of fire. Bundjil asked his two nephews to chase after Waang and get the sticks back. Waang flew so fast that one of the sticks caught fire and he dropped it. Waang flew even faster and all the sticks caught fire and burning Waang and turning him black.
That's how the crow became black.
Text: Taungurung Clans Aboriginal Corporation
BBQ
Kyneton
