by Emma Ballingall

Indigenous artworks and artefacts uncovered in Baw Baw Shire's collection will be returned to their ancestral home on Mornington Island.

Councillors voted to release and repatriate the 37 cultural items from its municipal civic art collection at Wednesday's council meeting.
The items, donated by West Gippsland Arts Centre patrons Colin and Elizabeth Goldberg in about 1995, were created by the Lardil people.
They include boomerangs, spears, wood carvings, bark paintings, rock tools, headdresses, necklaces, bark vase and shells.
An officer report detailed how Colin and Elizabeth lived on Mornington Island, located in the Gulf of Carpentaria, from 1974 to 1976. Working closely with the Lardil people, they were gifted or purchased items when they left.
The couple moved to Warragul in 1982, with Colin spending much of his free time at the arts centre to assist local theatre companies with set design and construction. When they left the district in about 1995, the indigenous artworks and artefacts were gifted to the arts centre and shire.
The report said the 37 items, along with a five-page letter from Elizabeth outlining their history, were discovered in council storage in 2023.
Colin and Elizabeth have both died and, after several unsuccessful attempts, the family was contacted last month.
Councillors were presented with supporting letters from the Goldberg family and indigenous groups from both West Gippsland and Mornington Island who all agreed the act of repatriation was a vital means of reconciliation, healing and truth-telling.
In her letter, the couple's eldest daughter Kay McAuliffe said the items were treasured by her parents as "true gems of history, culture, respect and friendship."
"Mornington Island and the people who lived there always held a particularly special place in mum and dad's hearts," she said. "Our parents knew when they made their donation that, for some people, it would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the items and learn from them, and that this was so very, very important."
However, Ms McAuliffe acknowledged the items held deep significance for the Lardil people and "we are thrilled to see them being returned home."
Mornington Island Art general manager John Armstrong said they did not endorse pubic exhibition of the items elsewhere.
"These items embody the spirit, knowledge, and traditions of our ancestors, and their return is essential to preserving our cultural heritage and supporting cultural continuity for future generations," Mr Armstrong said.
He also confirmed federal government grants were available to cover associated shipping costs.
Despite the couple having a strong personal connection to the Lardil people, local elder Cheryl Drayton of the Kurnai Aboriginal Corporation said they did not endorse public exhibition on their land and strongly supported their safe return.
In a letter from the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, Emma Mildenhall shared the position of the Kurnai people.
"Your endorsement can play a key role in advancing healing and supporting the continuation of one of the world's oldest continuous cultures," Ms Mildenhall said.
Cr Suzanne Allen said repatriating the items would offer opportunities for healing, education and cultural revitalisation.
"The respectful and right thing to do is to release them from the Baw Baw municipal civic art collection and return them to Mornington Island.
"Returning these artifacts provides the opportunity for healing and understanding," Cr Allen said.
Cr Paul Pratt praised council officers who discovered the items and tracked down the original owners.
"This is a great story for council," he said.
Cr Ben Lucas said repatriation would not impost or cost council.
"However, if we do keep it - which I think would be highly insensitive - it would come at a cost," Cr Lucas said.
Cr Danny Goss said he had personally offered to take the items back at no cost to council.
"It's rare that councils would do this, it's rare that this has been done," Cr Goss said. "I'm not saying it's a first, but it must be close."
"Since confirming the true owners of these items, Council has been determined to follow through the safe return of these and advocate for the Indigenous Repatriation process,"
Although unsure when repatriation would occur, he said it would be "in the short-term.