They come from as far away as Pakistan, or Colorado.
They come from as close to home as Bairnsdale Secondary College.
For decades the Krowathunkooloong Keeping Place at GEGAC has been both a famed tourist attraction and a beloved local place of education and reflection.
And its importance to the region as a home of Gunaikurnai culture and history continues to grow.
Hundreds of people visit the Keeping Place every month.
They include tourists and backpackers from far-flung nations, but also staff and students from schools, businesses and government agencies closer to home.
Last month the Governor-General of Australia, Her Excellency the Honourable Sam Mostyn AC, took a tour of the Keeping Place.
Joshua Tuiono, GEGAC’s executive director of culture and deputy chief executive officer, said everyone at GEGAC was proud of the role the Keeping Place plays in both preserving and protecting important Gunaikurnai cultural artefacts and pieces of history, but also in making sure that history is shared and remains alive.
“At the end of the day our goal is to help ensure the ongoing story of the Gunaikurnai people is seen and heard and understood, by as many people as possible,” he said.
“We don’t think of the Keeping Place as a museum, because our culture and our traditions are alive and thriving, our history and our stories are still being written.”
Local schools and workplaces often use a trip to the Keeping Place as part of their own cultural awareness training, to help staff and students better understand the culture and ways of doing of the original custodians of East Gippsland, the Gunaikurnai people.
GEGAC’s Alana Solomon, a member of the Cultural Team, said that as we celebrate NAIDOC Week, she hopes more schools and businesses make time to visit the Keeping Place.
“Whether you have Indigenous heritage or not, I think some people might wonder what NAIDOC means for them, what are they supposed to do this week,” she said.
“One very powerful thing everyone can do is visit the Keeping Place. Come with your hearts open and your minds open, and learn something that you didn’t know before about the GunaiKurnai people, because that story is your story too, the story of this country.”
Guided tours of the Keeping Place are available, and we are happy to host group tours from schools, workplaces or other organisations.
It’s easy to book. Just visit the GEGAC website.
