The Victorian government agreed to put a stop to the destruction of culturally significant trees in western Victoria after the Supreme Court agreed to hear an injunction from the traditional owners
A number of trees, including at least one considered culturally significant, were felled on Monday near Buangor, about 180 km west of Melbourne, as part of a $ 157 million project aiming to duplicate the western highway
They included a violin known as the « tree of directions », considered culturally important by the Djab Wurrungs and which had been the center of the Djab Wurrung heritage protection embassy, a protest camp established two years ago to protect trees
Police arrested 50 people at the site on Tuesday, fining people who had traveled from Melbourne containment to protest the destruction of trees in the amount of $ 5,000 Protesters reported that a person using a locking device had a broken arm
A spokesperson for Victoria Police said police have evicted protesters from the area « to ensure the safety of all » and specialized units have been called in to help drive the protesters away, » without any injury being reported ” Ambulance Victoria said it was called to the site but did not treat or transport anyone
The Supreme Court later agreed to hear an injunction application brought by Marjorie Thorpe, a Gunnai and Marr woman.The Victorian government pledged no further work on this section of the highway until » that the injunction request be heard on 1030h Thursday, and also not to take any further steps to approve a cultural heritage management plan for the site
The Indigenous people of the Victorian era criticized the decision to start cutting down trees as people living in Melbourne were still locked up and unable to legally visit the site
Sissy Eileen Austin, a Djab Wurrung and one of the leaders in tree protection efforts, has announced that she will resign from the First People’s Congress over the issue
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service called for urgent review of police credentials following alleged treatment of protesters and refusal to allow legal observers
“We received reports that the police blocked road access to the sacred trees of Djab Wurrung early [Tuesday] morning and denied access to lawyers, claiming they were non-workers. essential, ”said the Executive Director of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service Nerita Waight
« There is growing evidence of racial discrimination on the part of the Covid-19 Police Department in Victoria, and now at least 50 activists protecting this sacred cultural site have been arrested, and many have been inflicted on them $ 5,000 Covid-19 fines An urgent investigation must be opened into Victoria police’s use of Covid-19 powers during the pandemic «
A spokesperson for Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) said the road had gone through a « long and rigorous approval process » and was subject to a cultural heritage plan approved by the registered indigenous party, the Eastern Marr Aboriginal Corporation
Eastern Marr Aboriginal Corporation negotiated in May 2019 to protect 15 significant trees, including two identified as trees at birth – trees with hollows that women would give birth in. They include trees that are said to be 800 years old
“The tree that has been identified in media reports today, commonly referred to as the ‘violin tree’ has been involved in multiple cultural surveys and inspections by traditional owners, who represent Djab Wurrung, and has not been assessed as having tangible heritage values, ”said the spokesperson
« The five big trees near the Warrayatkin Road camp, considered by some to be of cultural significance, will not be removed, including the birth tree »
« Despite its age and majesty, extensive re-evaluations have not revealed any features consistent with cultural modification, » the company said. « It does not appear to have been modified by our peoples for use in our cultural traditions. Independent arborists have indicated that the tree in question was « highly unlikely » before European occupation «
However, an archaeological investigation funded by MPRV in December 2018 found that the violin cut on Monday had been identified as a branch tree or marker tree by the traditional owners because it had a small circular scar and a blade fragment of quartz had been identified nearby This was one of 10 indigenous sites identified outside of two areas of interest centered around two culturally modified trees
The initial cultural tree study was conducted by Dr Heather Bluith, invited by the Djab Wurrung community as an expert on culturally modified trees Bluith also conducted cultural surveys in the sacred rock shelters of Juukan Gorge in Western Australia which was destroyed by Rio Tinto in May, and worked with the Gunditjamara to map the now World Heritage-listed Budj Bim eel traps in southwest Victoria
Djab wurrung, Lidia Thorpe, Australian aborigines, Victoria state government
World news – UA – Djab Wurrung trees: destruction suspended as Supreme Court of Victoria agrees to hear the case
