The Story of our Country

Australian Government, Dept. of Environment Green Army Programme

Project Sponsors City of Gold Coast Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens Curator; Dr Liz Caddick Project Service Provider Conservation Volunteers Australia Green Army Supervisor Aimee Clark Green Army Team Pera, Hayley, Joe, Daniel, Trent, Steven, Zac & Peter, Project Inspiration Yugambeh Museum ; Rory O’Connor Project Design Horticulture Consultant Kate Heffernan Project Support Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens Wendy Lamp & Horticulture Team Friends of Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens Volunteer Gardeners & Community Planting Day with Gold Coast community volunteers.

Official Opening at the Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens 29 June 2015 Brochure produc on - text & graphics Kate Heffernan

TStory of our Country

Gaureima gulli jagun

The Yugambeh have a long and special connection to the land, a spiritual,

physical, social and cultural relationship. The landscape of Story of our Country

is an opportunity to share and learn about this relationship to the land which

sustained indigenous people for many thousands of years while simultaneously

sustaining the land.

The short journey through Story of our Country focuses on some of the plants

that were used by the Yugambeh for food, shelter, medicine, utensils and

weapons. A deep knowledge and understanding of plants and the seasonal

association of plants with animals and fish meant the Yugambeh enjoyed a

healthy lifestyle in this botanically and geographically diverse region.

Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens Precinct 019 Zone 001 Beds 01,02,03 and 04

This young landscape will evolve over time, changing with the seasons and as trees shrubs and grasses grow and mature, flowe

go. This journey of the Yugambeh language groups starts in the open grasslands and scattered eucalypts representing the drie

tracks leading through grassland to Il Bogan lagoon, an ephemeral waterhole, and behind the simulated creek to meet the main

merge with sub-tropical rainforest plants as the path passes volcanic rock mounds symbolising a montane landscape and the rising

soon crown the opening through the mountain. The journey reaches the coast via plantings of littoral rainforest, blending int

species planted among basalt columns suggesting Jellurgal, where ocean meets land at Tallebudgera. The story will be enhanced

gatherings in the Bora Ring. Telling the story through this landscape will help protect, and conserve some of the Indigenou

welcome to the ….. Jingeri The intent of this Green Army Project is to protect and conserve Australia’s

natural, historic and Indigenous heritage. The inspiration for Story of our Country

was the journey travelled by Aboriginals for tens of thousands of years from

Beaudesert to the coast via Tamborine Mountain. The Story of our Country

depicts this journey through landscape elements and a palette of over one

hundred plant species representing the regions that make up Yugambeh Country.

The project involved eight Green Army participants between 17—24 years of age,

with little to no background in horticulture and landscape. Knowledge, skills and

ability were acquired during the project and through the words of some of the

participants “….it’s good to give back to the people the land belongs to as well as

to the Gardens” …. “….feels goods watching something go from nothing to some-

thing and watch the community walk by, ask questions and make comments” …

“…..I feel good connected to this landscape”.

This young landscape will evolve over time, changing with the seasons and as trees shrubs and grasses grow and mature, flower and fruit , and as ephemeral plants come and

go. This journey of the Yugambeh language groups starts in the open grasslands and scattered eucalypts representing the drier landscapes of Beaudesert. There are side

tracks leading through grassland to Il Bogan lagoon, an ephemeral waterhole, and behind the simulated creek to meet the main path at the Bora Ring. Transitional woodlands

tropical rainforest plants as the path passes volcanic rock mounds symbolising a montane landscape and the rising of the rivers. Twin dwarf Ficus obliqua will

soon crown the opening through the mountain. The journey reaches the coast via plantings of littoral rainforest, blending into coastal wet heathland, dune and headland

species planted among basalt columns suggesting Jellurgal, where ocean meets land at Tallebudgera. The story will be enhanced through interpretation and through

gatherings in the Bora Ring. Telling the story through this landscape will help protect, and conserve some of the Indigenous heritage of the City of Gold Coast.

….Story of our Country