Place of welcome and healing gets green edge at CSU

5 SEPTEMBER 2018

A place for welcome and strengthening community relations will further grow on Friday 7 September when students from Trinity Anglican College at Thurgoona work at Charles Sturt University (CSU) to plant native shrubs and bush tucker plants around the Wongamaa Gathering Area.Located on the Thurgooona site of CSU in Albury-Wodonga, the Wongamaa Gathering Area is a collaborative project between the local Wiradjuri elders and community, CSU staff and students, the Woolshed Thurgoona Landcare Group and the broader Thurgoona community.When fully developed, the area will be an important site where the Wiradjuri community can welcome visitors and new residents, and CSU students and lecturers can experience Wiradjuri Culture. In addition, CSU will also strengthen its relationships with the Wiradjuri and broader Aboriginal community.Starting at 1pm, Trinity students will plant native plants around the site supervised by Wiradjuri woman, Leonie McIntosh, CSU ground staff and members of the Woolshed Thurgoona Landcare Group.Aunty Denise McGrath, Wiradjuri elder and daughter of Wongamaa (the late Pastor Ces Grant), will also be on hand during the planting.In the previous month, the school students, CSU staff and students and Landcare volunteers prepared the site and removed encroaching weeds.Appropriate plant species and planting techniques are guided by representatives of the Wiradjuri community and Woolshed Thurgoona Landcare Group.While planting will commence in September this year, it is expected that plantings will continue until the official opening ceremony due in December 2019.

Media Note:

Contact CSU Media to arrange interviews with Aunty Denise McGrath, the Woolshed Thurgoona Landcare Group, and CSU representative in the project Dr John Rafferty.

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Albury-Wodonga