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Before 1800: Traditional Wurundjeri Life

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Before 1800: Traditional Wurundjeri Life

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For thousands of years, the Wurundjeri people lived along the Yarra River in the area we now call Warrandyte. They used the river for drinking water, fishing, and transportation. The land provided them with native plants for food and medicine, and they had special ceremonies and meeting places here. The Wurundjeri people were skilled at caring for the land through controlled burning and sustainable practices.

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Charles Grimes and his survey party became the first Europeans to explore the Yarra River area, including what would become Warrandyte. They were mapping the area for the colonial government, but they had no idea of the rich Aboriginal culture that had existed here for thousands of years.

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John Batman made a controversial 'treaty' with some Aboriginal groups near Melbourne, claiming to buy vast areas of land including the Warrandyte area. However, this treaty was not recognised by the British government and many Aboriginal people did not understand what they were agreeing to. This marked the beginning of major changes for the Wurundjeri people.

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The first European settlers began arriving in the Warrandyte area. They cleared land for farming and built the first houses and farms. This had a big impact on the environment as native trees were cut down and the landscape began to change. The Wurundjeri people found it harder to live their traditional way of life.

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Gold was discovered in Victoria, starting the famous Gold Rush! This discovery would soon change Warrandyte forever. Thousands of people from around the world came to Victoria hoping to find gold and become rich. Little did they know that Warrandyte would become one of the most important gold mining areas.

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Gold was discovered in Warrandyte, making it one of the first places in Victoria where gold was found! Suddenly, the quiet farming area became very busy with miners digging everywhere. The population grew quickly as people rushed to find gold. This was very exciting but also caused many problems for the environment and local Aboriginal people.

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During the gold rush, Warrandyte was transformed! Hundreds of miners worked along the Yarra River, digging shafts and using water to wash gold from the dirt. The landscape was completely changed - trees were cut down, the riverbanks were dug up, and the water became muddy. New towns, shops, and hotels were built to serve the miners.

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The gold mining had a huge impact on the environment around Warrandyte. The Yarra River became polluted with mud and mining waste. Many native animals lost their homes when trees were cut down. The traditional food sources that the Wurundjeri people had relied on for thousands of years were destroyed or became hard to find.

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1870s-1880s: Impact on Wurundjeri People

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1870s-1880s: Impact on Wurundjeri People

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The Wurundjeri people faced enormous challenges during this time. Their traditional lands were taken over by miners and settlers. Many were forced to move to missions or reserves far from their ancestral home. Their cultural sites were destroyed, and they could no longer hunt, fish, or gather food in their traditional ways. This was a very sad and difficult time for Aboriginal families.

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As the easily found gold ran out, many miners left Warrandyte. The area began to change again, with some people starting farms and orchards. However, the landscape had been permanently changed by mining. Slowly, some native plants began to grow back, but it would take many years for the environment to recover from the damage.

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In more recent times, people have begun to understand and recognise the important history of the Wurundjeri people in Warrandyte. There are now efforts to protect what remains of the natural environment and to tell the true story of what happened. Parks have been created to help native plants and animals recover, and we are learning more about traditional Aboriginal culture.

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Today, Warrandyte is a beautiful place where people live and visit to enjoy nature. We now understand that we need to respect and care for the environment and remember the traditional owners of the land. By learning about this history, we can make better choices about how to look after our community and environment for the future.