- Published:
- Friday 5 August 2016
Victorians are being asked to contribute to community consultation about a potential name change to both Mt Eccles National Park and the peak of Mt Eccles in the state’s south west.
Mt Eccles National Park is rich in stories, with a fascinating cultural history and quality landscape which protects and supports diverse flora and fauna.
The park forms part of the Budj Bim National Heritage Landscape area, which is currently being prepared for world heritage nomination, which will recognise its significant Aboriginal cultural values.
Parks Victoria’s recent south west planning process showed strong community support for changing the name of the national park to Budj Bim National Park, and the Budj Bim Council recommended the peak be re-named Budj Bim.
Parks Victoria has a co-management agreement for the national park with the Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners through the Budj Bim Council, which consists of Gunditj Mirring, Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and Parks Victoria.
Parks Victoria will lead the community consultation, in partnership with the Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners.
People are invited to comments on the proposal to rename Mount Eccles to Budj Bim, and also to rename Mount Eccles National Park to Budj Bim National Park.
Comments can be submitted until 5 September 2016, online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/BudjBim or by emailing parkplan@parks.vic.gov.au.
Quotes attributable to Minister to for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio
“This is a tremendous opportunity to continue to enhance understanding of this important cultural heritage area.”
“It’s also a fantastic opportunity for the broader community to contribute to the potential for economic benefit, increased tourism and visitor spending to the region.”
Quotes attributable to Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation Chairperson Denise Lovett
“As Gunditjmara, our story is intimately related to the volcanic eruption of Mount Eccles around 30,000 years ago, when an ancestral creation-being revealed himself in the landscape to the Gunditjmara people.”
“Budj Bim (meaning high head) is part of the ancestral creation-being’s body; his forehead is the mountain and the stones are his teeth.”
“In addition to stories of the landscape, this area contains significant cultural heritage artefacts including weirs, eel traps and stone dwellings.”