by Gabriella Vukman
Situated beside the Kalorama fiveways in a grassy field overlooking the picturesque Silvan dam, a new RidgeWalk is in the works for visitors and locals to enjoy.
The extensive project stretching across 39 kilometres of existing, new and re-furbished walking track, accompanied by art and interpretive nodes, has been coming together over the last couple of years.
The next phase of the RidgeWalk project has been approved, with the RidgeWalk Land Art Tender given the go ahead by Yarra Ranges Council.
“There has been quite intensive consultation behind this and so there should be. It’s an expensive project. It’s $1.8 million but it involves quite a lot of infrastructure including a DDA-approved pathway down the slope,” Councillor Andrew Fullagar said.
“There will be zig-zags down the pathway to enable all people to reach this amazing art piece.
“The project also includes seating and a picnic area connecting to the rest of the RidgeWalk.”
From local history groups to the Wurundjeri indigenous project advisory network, there has been a wide range of consultants involved in this RidgeWalk project.
Last year, the project was re-named ngurrak barring – meaning ‘mountain paths’ in Woiwurrung. The name was provided by Senior Wurundjeri Elder and project Indigenous advisory member, Aunty Doreen Wandin-Garvey.
Cr Fullagar said, “The artwork itself is an interactive piece, allowing listening to harmonic sounds as you put your ear to it.”
“It’s going to be an amazing attraction for the area and it has taken three different art studios to come up with this project so there’s been a lot of work behind it.
“It will become a worthy feature and a destination point for visitors and our residents both and an important access point to the ngurrak barring which runs from Montrose all the way across the ridge line and Hills to Belgrave,” Crr Fullagar said.
Cr Jim Child pointed out his own historic ties to the land on which the RidgeWalk is to reside.
“That piece of land is very special to me and my family. I’m a fifth generation of the Child family, the original settlers along with the Jeeves family.”
“In that beautiful grassed area that you described my father and brothers grew potatoes and carrots on that block of land until Walter Jeeves actually sold it to the government to become what it is now.”
“Probably one of the best moves the Jeeves family ever made,” Cr Child said.
A map of the tracks can be found at shaping.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/ridgewalk/track-maps
“The current plan is to have all works complete and every part of ngurrak barring open for the community by the end of 2024 – with artwork and trail sections to be completed in stages before then,” Cr Johanna Skelton said.
“I hope this project will not only connect people to places and artists in our local area, but encourage visitors to stay overnight and see more of the Hills.”
