1. Dr Wayne Atkinson, Yorta Yorta Elder
Senior Fellow
School of Social & Political Science
University of Melbourne
KAKADU VISIT, MAY, 2016 ‘Oncountry Learning Program’ University of Melbourne

2. Oncountry Learning Course: Yorta Yorta Nation Country

3. Subject Structure:
The Indigenous Studies Oncountry Learning course is a community based education program taught by Yorta Yorta people in their ancestral lands on the Murray River (Dhungala) in February each year.
The subject is fully accredited towards a BA Degree within the School of Social and Political Science and Arts Faculty of the University of Melbourne.

4. Course Outline
The Oncountry course gives students a deeper understanding of Yorta Yorta connections with the ancestral lands and their ongoing struggle to achieve land justice and the protection of their cultural heritage.
Once a timeline of Yorta Yorta occupation is established, students are then introduced to the diversity of programs and service delivery organisations that operate in the region.
Students gain a deeper  insight into the roles and functions of community based organisations and the diversity of programs that they deliver and the difficulties that organisations face in maintaining these programs in regional Australia.

5. Focus of Course
Course focuses on range of relevant Indigenous political and historic themes covering:
Indigenous Occupation past and present.
colonisation & reserve history
government policies & administration
land, & cultural heritage protection
Yorta Yorta struggle for land justice & self determination.

6. Course Content & Teaching Style
The course is unique in  its teaching style-pedagogy . It draws on the rich repository of oral knowledge  and storylines of Yorta Yorta  History and Culture.
This is supplemented by the disciplines of Archaeology, History, Politics, Legal studies and Natural Resource Management. 
Subjects  taught are Indigenous rights based issues, focusing on land, water, cultural heritage, natural resource management,  and the environmental issues.

7. Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this subject, students are expected to:
Understand the nature and extent of Indigenous occupation and connections with the ancestral lands -past and present.
Demonstrate an ability to work more effectively with Indigenous communities.
Be able to articulate a more informed view of Indigenous history culture in regional Australia

8. Quality of Teaching Results, 2013-2015,

9. Feedback From Students
‘This is a most outstanding learning experience’
‘There should be more field based courses in Indigenous studies like this’
‘It is a more tangible form of learning being Oncountry and learning from the people’
‘I would highly recommend this subject’ ‘Our Indigenous teachers and mentors provided stimulating and engaging discussion’
‘This subject was well structured and all components were interesting’
‘This subject changed my life’
‘This is the best subject that I have done’
‘The course is stimulating; challenging and is truly multidisciplinary, spanning history, politics, health, and ecology from an Indigenous viewpoint.
‘Our teachers were great, always incredibly engaging and very happy to discuss all of our questions and queries’

10. Yorta Yorta Occupation
Timeline & Evidence of prior occupation

12. Images of Oncountry Learning

13. Ramsar Convention & China, Japan Migratory Bird Agreements (Ramsar comes under UNESCO which is a specialised agency of the UN System
Barmah Moira Lakes, protected under Ramsar Convention (The signing of the Convention took place in 1971 in the small Iranian town of Ramsar (since then, it has taken the common name of the Ramsar Convention).
China & Japan Migratory Birds Agreement: (CAMBA,1986 & JAMBA,1974,) Agreement on international cooperation for the conservation of migratory species & for the protection of specific habitats. Great Egret & White-bellied Sea-eagle (two birds BM listed).
Other birds are Rainbow Bee-eater, Cattle Egret, Greenshank, Glossy Ibis, White-throated Needletail, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Latham's Snipe, Red-necked Stint, Fork-tailed Swift and Caspian Tern (DCE 1992).
White Breasted Sea Eagle
Great Egret
Japan, 2008

14. Cultural Heritage Values: Scarred Trees

15. Mound Sites: Barmah State Park
Lagoon& Natural Food Storage System, Barmah Forest

16. Traditional Fish Trap System
Midden

17. Cultural Continuity in the Yorta Yorta way
Yanagai Yanagai
Play, 2006
Andrea James
Cultural Continuity in the Yorta Yorta way
Wally & Sony Cooper: Yorta Yorta Dance Group
Lin Onus, Jimmy’s Billabong
Barmah Lake, Yorta Yorta country
Yorta Yorta artist Lin Onus ( ) spent much of his life bridging the gap between urban and traditional, art forms. He had a deep social conscience & his work has inspired a new generation of young Indigenous artists from south-eastern Australia.
Lou Bennet & Tiddas
Debra Cheetam
Pecan Summer Opera
Jimmy Little

18. Day of Mourning Protest, 1938 led to The Cummera Walk-Off, 1939

19. Yorta Yorta v State of Victoria & Ors, Trial (1994-2002)
Barriers to achieving land justice under Anglo legal system & way Mabo principles are being applied by the Courts, perverted the course of justice in the Yorta Yorta case.
Back to ‘Base Camp Politics’ - YY Agreement & BM Campaign.

20. Campaign for National Park & Joint Management

21. ‘Keeping it for the Future’
Old Dhungala: Keep Her Flowin
Keep the River Reds Dharnya Growin
Maranooka & Thank you for your support for Yorta Yorta struggle
Lunch at Morning Glory and on Bus at 1pm for Site Visits & Story Lines

22. Subject Guide & Video http://waynera.wordpress.com/