Echuca has been home to great Australian stories for over 40,000 years. Few places can stir such vivid imagery in the mind of Victorians.
When you think of Echuca, you might first conjure images of paddle steamers and cargo moving up and down the river, and the hustle and bustle of the late 1800s. But Echuca's history stretches back far beyond the river trade and European settlement.
According to Yorta Yorta Traditional Owners, it stretches back to the beginning. Back when the Rainbow Serpent carved Dhungala, the Murray River, on its way to the ocean.
This creation story is now central to the refurbished Port of Echuca Discovery Centre, thanks to a beautiful mural by Yorta Yorta artist Stuart Hearn.
‘The mural is based on a creation story that I was told as a kid,’ said Stuart.
It features images of the story’s key figures, including Biami, the All-Father and Gane, the Rainbow Serpent.
As creation stories can only be told by elders, the mural also features an audio recording of the story being told by Yorta Yorta Elder, Uncle Des Morgan.
The mural is part of a $600,000 refurbishment funded by the Victorian Government's Regional Tourism Investment Fund.
Other works include the refurbishment of physical and digital exhibits, including at the log slip and steam garage, updates to interpretive signage and the installation of digital recordings for various exhibitions.
Critically, the refurbishment has helped to bring Yorta Yorta voices and stories to the forefront.
‘Coming here is a wonderful opportunity to share the culture that has been here since the start. It's the oldest living culture on the planet,’ said Stuart.
‘So, if you actually want to learn more, feel more, experience more of our culture, this is where you can come to hear this particular story,’ he added.
For Port of Echuca Discovery Centre Tour Guide Joel Pearce, the exhibits and activations need to reflect the rich variety of stories from Echuca's past.
‘As time goes on, we learn more about our own history. So, being able to tell parts of the Yorta Yorta story is important,’ he said.
‘We have so many stories to tell, we can't keep it contained to just one. And being able to change that up makes it better for everyone,’ he added.
For more information, visit Regional Tourism Investment Fund.
