Barengi Gadjin Land Council (BGLC) today launched the new Dalki Garinga branding for the Wail Nursery during this year’s NAIDOC Week, which has the theme ‘always was always will be’. Dalki Garinga, meaning "Good Growing" in Wergai language heralds a new era for the historic Wail Nursery.
BGLC purchased the Wail Nursery site in 2017 as a key action towards economic sustainability and job creation for the Traditional Owners of the Wotjobaluk Nations and have been working to develop a new long term strategy to operate Dalki Garringa to a prosperous future.
In keeping with the aspirations of Traditional Owners, the nursery will have a focus, not only native species but also on native food species. The redevelopment of the nursery will als
o assist in the protection of cultural intellectual property and the stories attached to each species.
‘The new branding marks the beginning of a new era at the nursery, where we can start to focus on growing the plants that are important to Traditional Owners and to the region,’ explains Acting CEO Tim McCartney, ‘and while we respect the history of the nursery, what we want to develop at Wail is a modern approach to some of our traditions along with a new economic development opportunity for our people.’
Dalki Garringa is being launched in NAIDOC Week this year and is the first of several new economic development initiatives that Barengi Gadjn is working on.
A new Economic Development Strategy for the Traditional Owner group provides a direction for developing several opportunities in the region including new tourism product, the native nursery, bush food and hospitality opportunities. The development of these opportunities is supported by the PriceWaterhouse Coopers Indigenous Consulting Report, which has indicated that there is a social economic return of $4.41 for every dollar invested.
While the Dalki Garringa Nursery is not yet open to the public, the nursery has a new website and be active on social media through Facebook and Instagram. Initially there will be opportunities to purchase some special limited edition bushfood plant packages online.
The nursery is also working on providing plants for larger scale plantings projects for organisations including the Mallee CMA, Dja Dja Wurrung, the Hindmarsh Landcare Network and Greening Australia. While there will be a strong focus on growing species that are endemic to the region, the nursery will also be looking to the future to grow species that will be suitable for a changing climate and for bushfire revegetation projects across the state. Consequently, there will be a significant focus on plants that provide value for environmental management and improving biodiversity.
‘We believe that the nursery, which has historically played an important role in providing plants for revegetation projects in the region as well as being a retail outlet for home gardeners, will have an important role in providing plants, not only for revegetation projects and home gardens, but also for innovative bushfood and produce plantings as an emerging new horticultural enterprise in the region,’ Says Tim McCartney, ‘and launching this is NAIDOC Week is recognition of an important milestone in there redevelopment of the nursery.’
More information on the Dalki Garringa Nursery is available at www.dalkigarringa.com.au and on social media @dalkigarringa on Facebook and Instagram