In 2013, in central Victoria, the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans secured a historic victory for Indigenous rights and self-determination, signing a Recognition and Settlement Agreement with the Victorian Government on behalf of the Dja Dja Wurrung People. This achievement set the stage for what would become a landmark moment in Victorian Indigenous affairs. It was the first comprehensive settlement reached under Victoria’s Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010. The agreement area extends across central Victoria, covering parts of the catchments of the Richardson, Avon, Avoca, Loddon, and Campaspe Rivers, including land within the City of Greater Bendigo and surrounding regions.
The results of this settlement and what it has delivered have been considerable, especially in relation to how conservation is now approached and the opportunities for the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans and other people living on the land today.
This matters because the agreement represented something deeper: official acknowledgement of Dja Dja Wurrung as the Traditional Owners of their ancestral lands. These lands hold deep cultural significance for Dja Dja Wurrung people, representing a return to Country after generations of displacement. As part of the process, six national parks and reserves were transferred to DJAARA as Aboriginal title land, with management rights returned to the State under a joint arrangement through the Dhelkunya Dja Land Management Board. In addition, two culturally significant properties at Franklinford and Carisbrook were transferred to be held in trust by DJAARA for the benefit of the traditional owner group.
Central to the project is the Dhelkunya Dja | Healing Country Plan. This report, which can be downloaded from their website, is a treasure trove of information and wisdom. The Our Country section tells an ancient story of the land, sets out principles and a vision, and outlines nine goals:
GOAL 1: Djaara (Our People) — GOAL 2: Gurang gungang (Being and doing) — GOAL 3: Malamiya (Cultural Heritage) — GOAL 4: Dhelk djakitj (Nourish food) — GOAL 5: Gatjin (Water) — GOAL 6: Djandak (Dja Dja Wurrung Country) — GOAL 7: Gungilangurrak (Our doing) — GOAL 8: Murrunayangu (We all live, thrive) — GOAL 9: Djaa mutjang dhelkayang (Holding Country good way)
Each and every one of these goals is part of a bigger, beautiful story of caring for the land and each other, with its own unique framing.
“Across current and future Aboriginal Title land, our long-term goal is to become primary managers of these areas. Legislative reform and governance structures need to involve real sharing and devolving of power and responsibility, based on mutual trust and the valuing of shared approaches. Across all land and gatjin (water) of our Djandak, we will work with other land managers to see our visions, aspirations, and expectations for managing Djandak realised.”
https://djadjawurrung.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Dhelkunya-Dja-Refresh-2025_Digital.pdf
The document is an inspiring read, clearly written by those with deep knowledge, humanity, experience, and insight. The way that contemporary conservation practices and ancient wisdom and traditions are fused together into a single seamless vision really stands out. The principles outlined in the report are critically important to Djaara, as they collectively define their philosophy for how Djandak (Country) should be healed and its natural resources used and managed. They inform the way Djaara engages with others who share the Country, and they are the foundation of their partnerships with government and non-government agencies, industry, and community.
For those interested in the history of the agreement, how it came about, and its consequences for the land and its management, there are numerous detailed reports and plans, all equally interesting in their own way and highlighting the amount of work that went into making this happen. https://djadjawurrung.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Recognition-and-Settlement-Agreement.pdf
What’s most exciting to see is the living, breathing aspect of the project that is bringing new livelihoods to both First Nations people and others working alongside them and their culture. Within the organisation, they are running a number of separate projects:
DJANDAK
This project delivers expert environmental, design, and land management services centred on Dja Dja Wurrung traditional knowledge. DJANDAK specialises in embedding Djaara values and aspirations into the environment, policy, and infrastructure. They have built a highly skilled, professional team with a broad range of disciplines and experiences that work collaboratively on a diverse range of projects in partnership with government bodies, local industries, and the broader community.
Through their enterprise, DJANDAK, traditional owners are securing employment as rangers and conservation workers. Tasked with fulfilling the goals of the Dhelkunya Dja (Healing Country) plan, these dedicated workers combine thousands of years of Traditional Ecological Knowledge with modern scientific land management practices. Their daily responsibilities span critical natural resource management, revegetation, weed control, and vital cultural surveying, such as locating ancient scar trees and cooking ovens. Programs like Balak Kalik Manya (“Walking Together”) allow these rangers to lead collaborative conservation efforts across central Victoria alongside partner agencies. By stepping into these employment pathways, Djaara community members are not only advancing their careers in land management, but are also directly exercising self-determination and fulfilling their generational duty to care for, protect, and heal their ancestral Country.
DUMAWUL
This project is focused on culture and creativity. People are invited to explore the richness of Djaara culture through engaging walking tours, educational programs, and local art. Participants gain valuable insights into Djaara history, language, and connection to Djandak (Country), as their knowledge shines through the stories and cultural practices that have been passed down by generations over tens of thousands of years.
DUMAWUL means “thank you” between two people—the giver and receiver of culture – in good murrup (spirit).
DJAKITJ
DJAKITJ is a new bush foods business being developed by DJAARA (Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation). They are currently developing and growing traditional native ingredients that have cultural importance to Djaara people of central Victoria, Australia. Their purpose is to produce traditional foods locally, using Djaara cultural knowledge. By applying Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) together with modern technology, they aim to offer an exciting new range of food products for the marketplace.
They goal is to “restock the pantry, the Djaara way”.
MAYAM MAYAM
Mayam Mayam means ‘housing’ in Djali (Dja Dja Wurrung language). This is another profoundly important project in a time of insecurity and cost-of-living pressures. “DJAARA is committed to providing secure, quality, affordable, and culturally safe homes and services which protect and support Djaara.” The importance of providing a safety net for those in need is very much in line with the whole philosophy of the project. “Mayam Mayam was developed through a deep understanding of the culture, needs, experiences, and aspirations of Djaara. We recognise that our mob need support in different ways to secure a home. These needs will change over people’s lifetimes. We are driven by a desire not just to provide homes wherever they are needed, but also to build communal and family wealth for future generations.”
www.djadjawurrung.com.au/projects/mayam-mayam/
Along with these major initiatives, there are a number of smaller ones you can find on the website, such as DJAARA Timbers. https://djadjawurrung.com.au/projects/introducing-djaara-timbers/
This is an incredible project that shows what can happen when the land is returned to traditional owners and they are given the means and the opportunity to shape their own destiny. What is being created here is very special.
Visit their website to read a ton more about this project and perhaps put a visit to lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung People on your bucket list.
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