Wominjeka to Willum Warrain!
Aboriginal Gathering Place, Hastings
The local community came together to officially say ‘Wominjeka’ or ‘welcome’ to the
Willum Warrain Aboriginal Gathering Place when it was officially launched last week by
Georgie Crozier, Parliamentary Secretary for Health.
The gathering place - Willum Warrain (a Boon Wurrung term for ‘home by the sea’) is
located at Pound Road Hastings, and provides a connection to community and place.
The gathering place is the vision of Willum Warrain Aboriginal Association – reflecting the
aspirations and hard work of the Aboriginal community on the Mornington Peninsula.
Managed by a community-led board – the Willum Warrain Aboriginal Association - the
gathering place will be an important community hub that will provide information, support
and referral services, health and wellbeing programs, art and culture programs, and links
between the Aboriginal community and the broader local community.
President of Willum Warrain, Peter Aldenhoven, said: “We’re so proud to launch Willum
Warrain today after 20 years of hoping and waiting. It will provide a real home for us, a
welcoming and culturally safe space to gather. We are both saddened and exhilarated by the
opening. Saddened because some elders who dreamed of this place have passed on or moved
away. Exhilarated for them too, and for all of us Aboriginal people in the community, for our kin,
our supporters and friends. It is a wonderful moment.”
Willum Warrain Aboriginal Gathering Place was established by the Willum Warrain
Aboriginal Association with support from the community, Mornington Peninsula Shire and
the Victorian Government Department of Health through the Closing the Gap program.
Mornington Peninsula Shire Mayor Antonella Celi said the opening of Willum Warrain
Gathering Place has been something the local community has been looking forward to for a
long time.
“Today, a dream has been realised. The Shire’s support of Willum Warrain is an example of our
commitment to strengthening capacity within our local Aboriginal community.
“The gathering place will provide an opportunity for local Aboriginal community members to
reach their best potential, and improve the health and wellbeing outcomes of individuals and the
Indigenous community as a whole,” she said.
The location of the gathering place provides improved access to local health and community
services and the proposed conservation
area within the Warringine Precinct.
Significantly, this provides direct
connection with the Hastings
Community Health Centre and the
Bunjilwarra Healing Centre, as well as
the nearby Western Port Secondary
College and Warringine Reserve
corridor.
“I extend my heartfelt thanks to the
many, many people of the Mornington
Peninsula who have worked to facilitate
the development of the gathering
place. The Willum Warrain Aboriginal
Association board members and our
local aboriginal community have worked
tirelessly, and with support from local
volunteers, organisations and businesses
who have donated time, supplies and
energy, the Willum Warrain Aboriginal
Gathering Place has come to life.
“I thank you all for coming together to
help our community realise its dream of
creating this very special cultural place,”
she said.
Contact Deb Mellett, Willum Warrain
Project Manager, on: 1300 850 600.
APRIL 2014 (30)
read online www.mpmag.com.au
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