The first full week of July (in 2017 it’s the 2-9 July) is NAIDOC (National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee) Week. NAIDOC Week is a time to recognise and celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The event itself originated from a protest letter written by Indigenous political activist William Cooper in preparation for the Day of Mourning in 1938, (an important milestone in the Indigenous rights movement). Although there are dozens of celebratory events going on around the country to celebrate NAIDOC Week, we think it is also the perfect opportunity to discover some of Victoria’s important Indigenous cultural and archaeological sites. This week, we look at three important Indigenous sites around Victoria where you can go to learn more about the long history and rich culture of Australia’s First Peoples.

Continue reading →

With varied landscapes encompassing mountain, bushland, desert and coastal regions, Victoria is home to a diverse range of birdlife ranging from the vibrant to the rare. This week, we thought we’d look at three very different birdwatching hotspots in Victoria, which offer something for hard-core twitchers and novice birdwatchers alike.

Continue reading →

‘Big cats’ are perhaps the most famous subject of Australian cryptozoology (the study of mythical creatures). Since the 19^th century, thousands of reports describing large, feline like creatures have given rise to legends including the Gippsland phantom cat, the Blue Mountains Panther, the Tantanoola Tiger, and the big cats of the Sunshine Coast. Victoria is a hot spot for big cat folklore with sightings reported all over the state (save the semi-arid north-west), but none are as well-known (or as studied) as the Grampians puma. For more than 60 years, the Grampians puma has been a beloved campfire tale and when you look out over the wild, rocky terrain of the Grampians, it’s not hard to imagine a secretive cat thriving in the thick bushland. This week, we take a closer look at this fascinating piece of Victorian folklore.

Continue reading →