FIRE Carriers

The OLA Parish and Primary School are on the traditional lands of the Boon Wurrung (or Bunurong) people of the Kulin Nation.   

They are the First People of the Bays (Port Phillip and Westernport) and South East Victoria.  This land includes the coast from the Werribee River in the north-west right down to Wilson’s Promontory in the south-east.  It also includes the Old Carrum swamp, Kooweerup swamp, Tarwin River and Westernport Bay, Mornington Peninsula, French Island and Phillip Island. 

The Boon Wurrung people have lived in this area for over 40, 000 years, sustainably and respecting the land and animals.  They also used bark canoes to travel to the islands. The sea, foreshores and creeks allowed them to fish and hunt for seafood, plants and animals.  

The Boon Wurrung people called February and March “weegabilnye-weeny”.  This means the “Old Man Sun” season when the days were getting cooler as the sun “ngamaee” was getting tired.  It was known as the eel “iilk” season and they would roast the eel and preserve some by drying them.  

Resources used: 

https://www.bunuronglc.org/ Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation 

https://www.boonwurrung.org/ Boon Wurrung Foundation 

https://cv.vic.gov.au/stories/aboriginal-culture/nyernila/boon-wurrung-the-journey-of-the-iilk-iilkyawa/ Culture Victoria, Boon Wurrung: The Journey of the Iilk – Iilkyawa 

By Connor W