wonguim wilam (Warrandyte River Reserve)

We celebrated Warrandyte's newest community park and playspace in style on 18 September, where hundreds of locals turned out for the official opening of wonguim wilam.

With tunes from our local musicians setting the mood, the Lions Club fired up the new barbecue facilities to host a sausage sizzle.

Now and Not Yet café kept the grown-ups topped up with coffee and donuts, while the kids did their best to reach the top of the tower in the incredible new playspace.

Our Mayor, Cr Michelle Kleinert officially opened wonguim wilam, saying that the occasion (on Sunday 18 September) was a fantastic way to celebrate the culmination of a journey that began five years ago.

“I’m pleased that we have created this beautiful, inviting, accessible and safe space for everyone to use,” Cr Kleinert said.

“The park has Indigenous vegetation, animal habitats, community art and shade. There’s space for people to walk away from the road, sit down, enjoy the outdoors, come together or have a barbecue. There’s equipment for people to get fit and an incredible playground for children. There are also signs to inform us of this place’s past, to remind us of its heritage,” the Mayor added.

The Woi-wurrung name, wonguim wilam (pronounced won-goom-wil-lum), translates to ‘boomerang place’.

The playspace upgrade was made possible through a $300,000 grant from the Victorian Government Parks Revitalisation Grants Program and a $45,000 contribution towards the exercise station from the Warrandyte Lions Club (co-funded by Manningham Council).

Cr Kleinert thanked the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Corporation for its support and guidance throughout the naming process, and members of the project reference group for their time and leadership.

“The Lions Club also showed their willingness to be community leaders by supporting the park’s name change. Thank you for taking up this important opportunity in reconciliation and for your contributions to the park over the last 40 years.”

We received the ‘Excellence in Place Naming’ award for naming wonguim wilam at the Asia Pacific Spatial Excellence Awards earlier this year.

Check out the park in person, at 225 Yarra St, Warrandyte.

We welcome you to come and visit wonguim wilam playpsace.

This newly upgraded playspace includes a range of play opportunities to discover and try out. It is suitable for all ages and offers some components for all abilities.

Features include:

• Canopy climb – tall tube slide, a variety of climbing and rope connections and large cubbies
• Junior canopy climb – slide, rope connection and cubby
• Swings – baby seat, all abilities basket seat, regular seat
• Spinner – inclusive style, suitable for wheelchairs
• Dancing snake swing – suitable for group play
• Trampolines – 2 small round ones
• Musical piece – rainwheel, accessible element
• Nature and sensory play – logs, rocks, plants, log picnic table,
• Water play – accessible pump, includes gates and community art pebbles that are fixed.
• Sound post – relocated from previous playspace
• Mixture of surfaces with softfall mulch and rubber
• New picnic shelter which includes 2 x picnic tables, 2 x benches, BBQ with two burners and drinking fountain.
• Furniture in the playspace includes a large banquet table, timber deck seat and 3 x seats.
• Open space grass area

The playspace access is via gravel paths from the carpark which are at an accessible grade. The nearest public toilet is behind the nearby bakery (50m away).

Dogs are prohibited in the playspace area. Dogs are to be on lead in the surrounding area of wonguim wilam.

Note: previous name Warrandyte Federation Playspace is no longer in use. All future references please refer to the new name wonguim wilam playpsace

Warrandyte's newest community park and playspace is complete!

We're hosting an opening event to celebrate the official opening of wonguim wilam, and we'd love to see you there. Join us for a BBQ, coffee and cakes, speeches and live music.

📅 Sunday 18 September
🕚 11.00am to 1.00pm
📍 wonguim wilam (near the shelter at the bridge)

This is a free event, and no tickets or registration is required. For more information, visit our website or Facebook page.

[Click heading link to see full article with photos]

The small ceramic tiles were a great part of the previous space, and we had hoped to reinstate them. We spoke to the artist who led the community artwork, and they let us know that over 1,000 children were involved! But, unfortunately, they were too fragile to be removed and reinstalled.

The larger ceramic tiles were able to be salvaged, and we've offered these to the Warrandyte Historical Society.

The new play space will have a water play area, where we're installing the community art mosaic pebbles created at this year's Warrandyte Pottery Expo. We also plan to reinstate the ceramic drinking fountains within the new design.

We've kept both the artist and our community reference group for the project informed during this process.

Artwork that was unable to be successfully removed from the old play space.

Larger mosaic tiles from the old play space.

Ceramic hand-made pebbles.

Manningham Council has been honoured for acknowledging traditional owner language, preserving culture, and inclusive engagement at the Asia Pacific Spatial Excellence Awards.

Council received the ‘Excellence in place naming’ award for naming wonguim wilam* (pronounced won-goom-wil-lum) in Warrandyte. The award recognises the process taken to engage the community and respect the First Nations cultural heritage of the area, acknowledging traditional owner language.

In accepting the award on behalf of Council, Mayor Cr. Michelle Kleinert said

“This award is for everyone involved in the naming process – it has been a community effort.”

The Mayor thanked Aunty Doreen Garvey-Wandin, Aunty Gail Smith, Aunty Julieanne Axford, and the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Corporation for their support and guidance throughout the process.

“This historic moment is the start of many more naming opportunities” said Cr. Kleinert.

She also thanked Geographic Names Victoria for nominating Council and their advice and expertise in the naming process.

This wouldn’t have been possible without the participation and support of local organisations including The Lion’s Club of Warrandyte, the Warrandyte Historical Society, and the Warrandyte Community Association.

The naming of wonguim wilam involved several Council departments, who collaborated to actively consult, engage, and educate the community throughout the process.

A playground refurbishment is underway, and an official park opening will be held once completed.

* wonguim wilam is written in all lowercase

Stage two of construction of the play space at wonguim wilam, Warrandyte, will begin on Tuesday, 15 March.

“Stage one created new open space parklands, picnic spaces, an exercise station and a renewed car park. This next stage is even more exciting. This is all for the children! They will love the new play space, and the artwork will add even more colour and vibrance to this beautiful area,” said Mayor Cr Michelle Kleinert.

The upgrade will include:

• a new play space
• a new shelter, drinking fountain, BBQ and picnic area
• new art, including community pottery pieces created at the Warrandyte Pottery Expo.

“Warrandyte is a passionate community with great appreciation and respect for its heritage. The new play space is designed to connect children with nature and offer play opportunities for children of all ages and abilities,” said Cr Kleinert.

The pathway through the play space will be closed during the construction, which is expected to take around three months, depending on potential weather delays.

The Victorian Government supports this project through the Local Parks Revitalisation Program contributing $300,000 to the project, with Council allocating $700,000 in its annual capital works budget.

Our latest photo exhibition at Tuffy Hut is now open. Make sure you check out these spectacular images next time you're there.

More photos in our gallery.

We're excited to announce the name wonguim wilam has been officially gazetted (page 31).

This is a proud achievement in reconciliation for Manningham. The name was endorsed at the September Council Meeting and was submitted to the Geographic Names Office for approval.

Check out the video for its history, the story behind the name and how to pronounce it correctly.

In the coming months, we will be installing interpretive signages on site to tell the story and history of the name, First Nations people, Warrandyte Bridge, former tennis courts and recognise the Warrandyte Lions Club's contribution.

Stage two of the upgrade with the new playspace, BBQ shelter and artwork is progressing with works to commence on site in February 2022.

The upgraded park along the Yarra River in Warrandyte, locally known as Lions Park, will finally be given an official Woi-wurrung name to reflect the language, culture and heritage of the local Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people.

The name wonguim wilam was officially endorsed at Council Meeting last month and will be submitted to the Geographic Names Victoria for endorsement.

Driven by our commitment to reconciliation, we have consulted with key stakeholders including the Lions Club of Warrandyte, Masterplan Community Reference Group and the Wurundjer iWoi-Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.

We thank the Lions Club of Warrandyte for not only maintain the park and tennis courts over the 40-plus years, but for their willingness to lead our community in supporting this name change.

Check out our full media release and frequently asked questions on this page.

The upgraded park and land along the Yarra River in Warrandyte, locally known as Lions Park, will be given an official Woi-wurrung name to reflect the language, culture and heritage of the local Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people.

Following earlier consultation with key stakeholders, last week Manningham Council met with the Warrandyte Lions Club and Masterplan Community Reference Group, who showed support to adopt a Woi-wurrung name for the park.

Manningham Mayor Cr Andrew Conlon said Council’s commitment to reconciliation is underpinned by respect for the rich and complex nature of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung culture and heritage and thanked the Warrandyte Lions Club for taking up this important opportunity in reconciliation.

“While Council has committed to creating equity, equality and building relationships, and is close to finalising our Reconciliation Action Plan, reconciliation requires a commitment from the whole community,” he said.

“The Lions Club have shown their willingness to be a community leader by supporting this name change.”

In the coming weeks the precinct will be given a Woi-wurrung name approved by the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, honouring the original owners of the land.

“We would like to thank past and present members of the Warrandyte Lions Club of the last 40-plus years for maintaining the park and the tennis courts, as well as contributing $45,000 towards the latest exercise equipment,” Cr Conlon said.

Warrandyte Lions Club President David Englefield said it was an honour to look after the park and provide a much loved gathering space for the community over the last four decades.

“The Lions Club has always been looking to make a difference and improve the lives of the Warrandyte people and others in our community,” he said.

“Reconciliation is important and this is an incredible opportunity for us to work with Council and with due consultation, provide leadership in honouring First Nations communities.”

Works on the playspace upgrade are anticipated to begin early next year and completed by mid-2022.

The completed upgrade of the park will feature significant signage taking visitors on a journey through its history and the involvement of the Warrandyte Lions Club.

Manningham will continue to work with the Warrandyte Lions Club on recognising their contributions on a plaque and interpretive signage.

Manningham will continue to work with the Warrandyte Lions Club, Warrandyte Historical Society and the Warrandyte Community Association on the maintenance of the park to ensure it honours its past and present custodians.