General News
21 June, 2025
ICONIC LEAF DROP
By CHRIS EARL Djaara town plan has blue eucy out, Mallee fowl in INGLEWOOD’S blue eucy town branding will be ditched for the Mallee fowl. Aboriginal-inspired streetscape draft designs were released online by Loddon Shire Council last Friday. The...
By CHRIS EARL
Djaara town plan has blue eucy out,Mallee fowl in
INGLEWOOD’S blue eucy town branding will be ditched for the Mallee fowl.
Aboriginal-inspired streetscape draft designs were released online by Loddon Shire Council last Friday.
The Brooke Street-Verdon Street intersection will have feature paving creating a blurred serpentine.
Djaara and non-Djaara artists will be asked contribute to the region’s story of reconciliation and shared history through an arts trail through the main street.
“The story of the serpent is continued through the streetscape with paving and a series of small garden beds,” according to council.
“They represent the meandering journey and showcase drought tolerant, native plants. Regular seating nodes support the community to rest and catch up with neighbours.”
Loddon Shire engaged Bendigo-based Djaara’a DJANDAK to design plans for the project estimated to cost almost $7 million.
Plans have the Mallee fowl on a major town entrance sign set among granite boulders.
The sculptural feature has been developed in a co-design workshop with Djaara members, according to project information.
“We have located the major sign on the bend in Brooke Street/Calder Highway in the 40 kmh zone.
“This location is on significant viewlines and will help drivers identify that they are entering the town centre and to adjust to the conditions.”
Nhill and Patchewallock are among Mallee and northern Victorian towns to already use the Mallee fowl on town signage.
Inglewood’s signature blue eucy gum leaf is proposed to be incorporated into rubbish bin covers in the main street.
The Verdon Street mural is listed for upgrading and new wall art is planned for the Inglewood and Districts Community Bank facade, bowling club fence and the IGA supermarket’s Storm Lane frontage.
DJANDAK wants to see a plaza developed in Storm Lane to link the town hall and Brooke Street shops.
The design statement says Inglewood is known for its history as a gold mining town, the eucalyptus oil distillery and a good range of antique and vintage ware shops.
“Inglewood is celebrated for its heritage character with a mix of shops, and domestic buildings in the main street.
“In contrast, the town itself feels nestled in the bushland setting, with several areas of Inglewood Bushland Reserve on its fringes and Kooyoora (The Mountain of Light) not too far away.
“This project aims to complement this impressive reputation and acknowledge the shared history and pre-colonisation history. A key part of the project brief was to explore the idea of Inglewood as ‘the gateway to Kooyoora’.
“Kooyoora (sometimes known as Melville Caves) is under 20 minutes’ drive from the town centre.
“The landscape is awe inspiring, and rich in cultural heritage – both tangible objects and intangible stories.
“Visitors are dwarfed by granite boulders and rocky outcrops, while being immersed in the Box Ironbark forest.
“It is an important place for Djaara, who have a continuous living cultural connection going back at least 40,000 years. That’s about 1500 generations, but Djaara call it time immemorial.
“In Djaara stories, Kooyoora is known to be one of the homes of the great serpent who is the enforcer of cultural law. There are also important stories about the Mallee fowl. While the Mallee fowl are not currently known in the landscape, we hope that by healing country they will return.”
A park at the former petrol co-op site “has been designed as a visitors’ rest stop highlighting the town’s connection to Kooyoora.
“The park features a Djaara shelter, gathering circle, planted earthen mound, drought tolerant native grass lawn, interpretive signs, toilet block, and carparking for standard, long and DDA (wheelchair accessible) vehicles as well as bicycles.
Projected artwork is proposed to create night-time activation of this space. “The planted mound represents Kooyoora and provides a buffer between park users and the busy road.”
Council consultation is through its website or at the shire offices in Wedderburn. It says arrangements are being made to display plans in Inglewood.