Our outdoor education programs are being held on the lands of the Yorta Yorta people, and I wish to acknowledge them as Traditional Custodians of the land.

I would also like to pay my respects to their Elders, past and present, and Aboriginal Elders of other communities who may be here today.

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About the Yorta Yorta People:

The Yorta Yorta people, local Aboriginal custodians whose hunter-gatherer ancestors have lived in the region for 40,000 years. In 1841, it is estimated that around 1,800 Aboriginal people inhabited the forest, though this number was likely significantly lower due to smallpox epidemics in 1788 and 1830. The Barmah Forest recently has had problems with hay and wild horses with these problems damaging local flora and fauna it has become a sensitive topic amongst the Yorta Yorta people and government officials in the area.