Smart Gardens for a Dry Climate
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Waterwise gardening in a changing climate ABORIGINAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We respectfully acknowledge We also acknowledge the Contents Aboriginal and Torres Strait broader Aboriginal and Torres Islander peoples as the Strait Islander community and Traditional Owners and their connections with lands Introduction 04 custodians of the land and and waters, and recognise water on which all Australians and value their inherent rely. responsibility to care for and Traditional lands 05 protect them for thousands We pay our respects to Barapa of generations. Barapa, Dja Dja Wurrung, Region focus 09 Taungurung, Yorta Yorta, their We acknowledge Aboriginal Elders past, present and Victorians as Traditional Design vision 15 future, as Traditional Owners Owners and, in the spirit of and the custodians of the reconciliation, we remain Planning your ideal garden 27 land and water on which we committed to working in rely and operate. partnership with Traditional Owners to ensure meaningful, From the ground up 35 We acknowledge and respect ongoing contributions to the the continued cultural, social future of land and water and spiritual connections of Mulch and reap the benefits 39 management. all Aboriginal Victorians. Water: liquid gold 43 Creating a healthy garden 51 Planting 55 Contributors Plant guide 59 Learn more 76 The Smart Gardens initiative This edition of the booklet has Contributors to 2020 Edition: started in 1999 as a partnership been expanded to include advice Text: Mary Trigger, Coliban Water, between Coliban Water, City of and information for the whole City of Greater Bendigo, Greater Bendigo and the former Coliban Water region. The City of Dja Dja Wurrung Enterprises Department of Primary Industries. Greater Bendigo continues to trading as Djandak. support the development of this The Smart Gardens for a Dry Climate © Copyright Coliban Water and Disclaimer booklet and has provided funding Graphic design and 'Design booklet was first published in 2003 City of Greater Bendigo for this edition. Vision' illustrations: The information contained in this publication is of a general nature only. in collaboration with Coliban Water Billington Prideaux Partnership First published 2003 and the City of Greater Bendigo Coliban Water acknowledges and This publication is not intended to provide a definitive analysis or Revised edition 2007 and focused on the Greater thanks the City of Greater Bendigo Photographs: Coliban Water, discussion on each issue canvassed. Second revision 2008 Bendigo region. for its past contributions and Anthony Sheean, Pam Sheean, Third revision 2012 While Coliban Water and City of Greater Bendigo believe the information continued support in the Harley Douglas, SmartApproved Fourth revision 2014 contained herein is correct, it does not accept any liability whatsoever/ production of this booklet. Watermark, City of Greater Bendigo, Fifth revision 2020 howsoever arising from reliance on this publication. Therefore, every Mount Alexander Shire Council. reader should make their own enquiries, and conduct their own ISBN 978-0-646-82519-9 investigations, concerning every issue canvassed herein. Printed on 100% recycled paper SMART GARDENS FOR A DRY CLIMATE 03 Introduction Gardening is about creating a beautiful and interesting space we can enjoy with our family and friends. It’s good for our physical health, mental wellbeing and social connection. Traditional lands A large part of our region lies within the lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung. Land that provided for its people. The land provided everything The Land was, at times, that was needed to sustain prosperous and gave The Coliban Water region gardens for longer periods of possible, and plan towards people for thousands of years. abundant harvests to our covers 16,500 square hotter and drier weather. future-proofing our gardens. Harley Douglas, Dhelkunya people. But, at times, the kilometres and the climate Dja Project Officer at Land was unforgiving; with Using water efficiently is Smart Gardens for a Dry varies significantly from Dja Dja Wurrung Enterprises long periods of drought and everyone’s responsibility, to Climate aims to provide Trentham in the south to trading as Djandak, writes even extreme cooling events help secure our water inspiration, guidance, advice Cohuna in the north. about the local plants used that later became known as supplies and maintain and further resources to help Historically, our region has by Djaara people for food, Ice Ages. greener and more liveable you get started. had a dry climate that has fibre and medicine. communities now and into Through all of this, our challenged gardeners. Gardening will always be the future. Dja Dja Wurrung people (or people have learned how to about creating a beautiful Great soft-rush Through our Strategy 2030 Djaara) have continuously thrive from our surroundings We need to be smart about and interesting space, we we are planning for a future thrived for thousands of by harvesting plants and the plants we select for our just need to adapt to the with less water for more generations within the area animals for food, fibre, and gardens and ensure we apply reality of our dry and people. Climate change of Central Victoria. medicine. water as efficiently as changing climate. means we are adapting our 04 SMART GARDENS FOR A DRY CLIMATE TRADITIONAL LANDS 05 FOOD Meat such as kangaroo, wallaby and fish were just a PLANT NAMES IN THE small part of our diet. The DJA DJA WURRUNG remainder consisted of plant LANGUAGE material. Bakap Grass Tree (Xanthorrhoea australis) The roots of some plants provided potato-like tubers Buwatj Kangaroo Grass (Themada triandra) that are incredibly healthy and Dhurrungmil wawitj Sweet Apple-berry filling. Murnong, or Yam Daisy, Chocolate Lily tubers Spiny Headed Mat-rush (Billardiera cymosa) is prized for its tubers, as well as orchids, cumbungi and Dhurrung wurrkuk Black-anther Flax-lily lilies, to name a few. Murnong (Dianella revoluta) is prepared by roasting the not limited to, watercourses. CURRENT Djaa wawitj Inland Pigface (Carpobrotus modestus) tuber in hot ashes. These plants are traditionally harvested by women who PROJECTS Girrkitj Ruby Saltbush (Enchylaena tomentosa) Seeds from wattle trees such masterfully craft them into The Wanyarram Dhelk (Good as Wai Wai (Golden Wattle) Gitjawil matom Chocolate Lily (Arthropodium various objects. Waterhole) project is a and Ngarri (Sheoaks) can be strictum) and Vanilla Lily (Arthropodium milleflorum) partnership between Djandak eaten raw while young, while Djaara did not have different (Dja Dja Wurrung Enterprises) Mayn-mayn durrung Sticky Hop Bush other seeds like Bawatj names for each of the species and the North Central (Dodonaea viscosa) (Kangaroo Grass and Wallaby of fibre plants but referred to Catchment Management Grass) are ground into flour them collectively as witji. Murnong Yam Daisy (Microseris lanceolata) Authority (CMA) that is for cooking into damper. MEDICINE funded by the Aboriginal Mutjang Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) Berries from plants like Water Unit and the Victorian Ngarri Drooping Sheoak (Allocasuarina verticillata) Girrkitj (Ruby Saltbush) and There are many plants that Government. Dhurrungmil wawitj (Apple- were used as medicines for Wai-wai Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha) Additional funding for berry) were consumed general ailments such as discrete work packages have Wararak Silver Wattle (Acacia dealbata) straight from the plant or Dirik (Old Man Weed) for a also been provided by other collected in large amounts by cold or fever and, for more Werp yulanyuk Spreading Wattle stakeholders in Bendigo shaking the branches of the difficult-to-treat illnesses (Acacia genistifolia) Creek, including the City of plant and catching the falling like arthritis, Ngarri Greater Bendigo and Coliban Witji Spiny Headed Mat-rush (Lomandra longifolia) berries in a Coolamon (a (Drooping Sheoak) was used. Water. Examples include vessel with curved sides), Witji Tall Sedge (Carex appressa) Many of the plants and instream and riverbank saving them for later to add methods used traditionally for works at Long Gully. The City Wurrak Silver Banksia (Banksia marginata) to meat for seasoning. medicine have unfortunately of Greater Bendigo also been lost due to heavy supported willow removal in FIBRE colonisation of Dja Dja Sheepwash Creek. Fibre refers to the plants that Wurrung Country. The project's achievements are used for creating baskets, Both the plants and the include more than two bags, mats, traps for fish, eel, knowledge passing away hectares of treated storm bird and duck, and for with our Elders before they water across two sites, seven sewing animal skins together. were able to pass it on to the terrestrial frog ponds, six Swamp Wattle; Yam Daisy; For more information on the plants mentioned in These plants are typically next generation. instream frog ponds and Drooping Sheoak this article see our Plant Guide on page 59. hardy sedges found near, but 10 hectares revegetated with 30,000 plants. 06 SMART GARDENS FOR A DRY CLIMATE TRADITIONAL LANDS 07 OUR REGION Coliban Water Service Region Region focus There are many beautiful and diverse parts of the Coliban Water region with varying soil types and climate. OUR REGION The Coliban Water region covers 16,500 square kilometres of North-Central Victoria across nine local council areas, from Gannawarra Shire in the north to Macedon Ranges Shire in the south. Kyneton Climate and soil types can Cohuna vary across our region, and there are different green waste and garden initiatives run by local councils. 08 SMART GARDENS FOR A DRY CLIMATE REGION FOCUS 09 CITY OF GREATER Castlemaine Botanical Gardens BENDIGO The city of Bendigo is sticky and waterlogged when surrounded by a greenbelt of wet. To grow produce in clay forest, including Box-Ironbark soil you need to improve and Mallee Eucalypts. The your topsoil. area produces premium wines, including Shiraz, from a Council initiatives growing viticulture industry. • Food Organics Garden Bendigo provides services to Organics is a convenient a large agricultural and and environmentally grazing area on the Murray friendly way to dispose of Plains to its north.