Picture: Supplied
A NEW education facility nestled within the Mornington Peninsula’s very own rainforest will help students learn about the natural environment and the area’s cultural heritage.
The Nearkey Biik Education and Environment Centre was formally opened at Endeavour Fern Gully, a 28-hectare National Trust property that is the peninsula’s original rainforest featuring the area’s last remaining sections of indigenous bushland south of Red Hill.
The National Trust of Victoria celebrated the official opening on September 6, with the name Nearkey Biik meaning “Take Care of Country”, which was made in partnership with the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation. The name also reflected both the “cultural significance of the landscape and the National Trust’s commitment to protecting and sharing its rich history”. The centre will allow visiting students to learn about biodiversity, study ecosystems, and conservation. It will also be available for community hire and private functions.
In what initially began as a project to build a toilet for volunteers, the completion of the centre marks a huge feat thanks to a massive community effort and the tireless advocacy of former Member for Flinders Greg Hunt. Generous contributors included local philanthropists, the Mornington Peninsula Shire, and a $188,000 grant from the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions Fund. The Kimberly Foundation, the Lightfolk Foundation, Margaret Ross, the late Gordon Moffitt, and the Red Hill Lions Club were also among the many donors.
Speaking at the opening, the National Trust of Victoria’s Foundation president Kristen Stegley said, “it’s a wonderful story of how when generous people come together and join with well-directed public funding, you make extraordinary things happen”.
Member for Flinders Zoe McKenzie (pictured) was also at the opening, saying “the facility “will provide invaluable education on preserving our beautiful natural sites on the Mornington Peninsula like the Endeavour Fern Gully”.
First published in the Mornington News – 24 September 2024
