Since before I was born this was my place.
I'm not the owner, I'm not the buyer, I'm not the stealer or the deceiver.
My story started as a child of four, dreaming of a place I had never seen. Night after night the same dream. Week after week, years would pass and the dream would return.
I've walked it all from childhood to adulthood year after year. I love this place, I love it so much I crave it, it consoles me.
Then I discovered its where I'm from.
I'm not a native owner, just a decendant from a poor peaceful family who for some time resided near this beautiful land. A place referred to as sleeping lady, or pregnant lady by those around me.
Is it named so because of the suilloette? Prehaps in refference to the fertile land? Or to honor of all the native women and children who lost their lives just because they lived in a sort after fertile land?!
As I stated previously I have spent time at this beautiful place, year after year, only to be heartbroken to discover increasing development.
To discover fences and structures slowly blocking access to natural springs.... was heartbreaking. I felt powerless, as I'm sure the native land owners before me felt when they were slaughtered in their masses for this fertile land.
We would be hard pressed to find any true ancestors of this land to defend against the destruction and development... the genocide of the native land owners here still impacts today.
So I draw your attention to this : http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/__data/assets ... k-Plan.pdf
there have been violations where land containing natural springs has been sold, fenced off and dams created.
And there are many locals who feel these lands are theirs. Theirs to desecrate and destroy, whether it be destroying vegetation for their camp fire and a little to
Take home.
hunting to feed their dogs ( because bullets/fuel/battery power and destruction of native habitat is so much more cost effective than any other alternative, or introducing prohibbited species to the habitat for their own personal gain!
Who will speak up to protect what little is left?