Text by Aunty Doreen Garvey-Wandin (Wurundjeri-Wandoon Senior Elder)
You are standing next to the merri baan (rocky creek).
iuk (Short-finned eel)
iuk (Short finned eel)
Eel traps were made so the smaller eels (iuk) can swim through, and we never took all the iuk (eel) just because it was there - we lived by only taking what you need! This ensures there will be plenty in future years and for future generations.
The seven seasons of our seasonal calendar are closely connected to the influence and intensity of the sun at different times of the year. We know iuk (eel)are fattest and ready for us to harvest when the temperature starts to cool, wurun (manna gum) is in flower and the time of light and darkness is roughly the same.
wurun (Manna Gum)
wurun, the Manna gum tree, was named for the sugary white sap that forms on its twigs. Eventually this sap drops to the ground where it collected. The long thin leaves of the manna gum were laid on fires and the smoke was believed to reduce fever. The wood was used for shields and the hollowed-out burls on the trunk as tarnuks (water vessels).
Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Traditional Owners
Volcanoes of northern Melbourne
Future Plans for marram baba Parklands - Suburban Parks Program overview