23 March 2017

The GLaWAC NRM team will travel to Mount Buffalo on Monday 27 March for a cultural exchange with neighbouring clan -Taungurung. This meeting, between the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Council (GLaWAC) and the Taungurung Clans Aboriginal Corporation (TCAC) is a significant step towards understanding the environment from a cultural perspective and sharing knowledge. Six Natural Resource Management team members from GLaWAC will be attending the knowledge exchange.
GLaWAC Acting CEO, Ms Joanne Brunt said ”This is a fantastic opportunity for knowledge and skill exchange for the neighbouring clans of Gunaikurnai and Taungurung. We hope that this event will just be the beginning of many more to come”. Mount Buffalo, represents part of a highly fragmented ecological communities across the Great Divide. An important community is the Alpine Sphagnum Bogs and Associated Fens (also known as Alpine Peatlands), which can only grow in a niche environment under a unique set of conditions with the right soil type, position in the landscape, climate and water supply. Taungurung CEO, Mr Marcus Stewart “The Taungurung staff are looking forward to sharing their knowledge of the unique peatland environment with the Gunaikurnai team. Through caring for country we will continue to develop our partnership and knowledge”. Mount Baw Baw in Gunaikurnai country, is also home to a community of Alpine Peatlands.
The Peatlands at Mount Baw Baw are significant to the Gunaikurnai as it is one of the few environments of its type in Gunaikurnai country.  The peatlands in the Mt Baw Baw Alpine region are in better condition than most others and are home to a rich and diverse range of species including the Alpine Tree Frog, Baw Baw Frog, Alpine Water Skink and Alpine Bog Skink.
Organisations involved in the project include GLaWAC, TCAC, East Gippsland-Catchment Management Authority (CMA), West Gippsland (CMA), North East (CMA) and Parks Victoria.
This project is supported by the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority, East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority and North East Catchment Management Authority through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme.