Mogullumbidj: First People of Mount Buffalo, Victorian Historical Journal, Volume 91, Number 1, June 2020.

From the editors: ‘The second article, ‘Mogullumbidj: First People of Mount Buffalo’, by Jacqui Durrant, is a fascinating exploration of the identity of this little-known Aboriginal group, first referred to in European sources as the bringers of the ‘gaiggip’ ceremony to Melbourne in 1843–44. In trying to discover who the Mogullumbidj were and what happened to them, this article suggests they played a key role in the process of cultural diffusion for the Kulin nation, bringing with them from the alpine regions new and sacred forms of song and dance to deal with the unprecedented social turmoil and upheaval caused by European invasion and occupation.’

Fire on the Plateau — A History of Fire and Its Management in Stanley, by Jacqui Durrant, 2019, published by Friends of the Stanley Athenaeum, Stanley. 110 pages. RRP. $25.00.

From Aboriginal people’s burning practices through to the catastrophic bushfires of 2003 and 2009, Fire on the Plateau brings to vivid life the history of bushfire on the forested plateau of Stanley in Victoria’s north east. Jacqui Durrant’s examination culminates with how the community of Stanley adjusts as their surrounding environment transitions from being historically bushfire-free to becoming one of extreme bushfire risk.

To purchase this book, please contact the Friends of the Stanley Athenaeum, or visit the Stanley Athenaeum, Myrtelford Road, Stanley, Victoria (opens Friday 10am-12midday):
Phone: 0458 606 922 or 0357 286 702 Email: stanleyathenaeum@gmail.com
Books are also on sale at the Stanley Post Office and the Beechworth Information Centre, Ford Street, Beechworth.