Mount Elephant has hosted a visit by around 100 students, parents and staff from Buninyong Primary School and Derrinallum College for a culture day.
Students walked into the crater of Mount Elephant and learnt about the history and management of the dormant volcano from Mount Elephant Community Management group president Lesley Brown.
Lismore Landcare coordinator Karen O’Keefe spoke to the students about rabbits, weeds, erosion, native plants, animals and revegetation. The areas of geology and water were presented by locals Chris and Val Lang, while Paul Wright covered the interesting topics of indigenous culture, respect and the dreaming.
Opportunity was given for students to participate in indigenous activities including ‘marngrook’, possum skin football; spear throwing, bamboo spears and boomerang throwing; face painting using ochre mixed with water, and to play ‘luka pul pul’ a clapping stick game.
The grade 4 students from Buninyong Primary School will now write songs and develop a school play about the story of Mount elephant and Mount Buninyong.
PS. Mount Elephant (located on the Hamilton Highway, Derrinallum Vic) is open to the public on the fist Sunday of each month, for enquiries phone: 03 5597 0243 Web: www.mountelephant.com.au