Franklinford Aboriginal Protectorate: GDTA Member & Public Walks

Saturday 12 Nov & Sunday 13 Nov 2022

GDTA Members, Sat 12 Nov, 11km: Walk Registration www.gdt.org.au/nov-walk-rego

PUBLIC Walk: Sun 13 Nov, 6km: Walk Registration www.gdt.org.au/nov13-walk-rego

Both are loop walks:

• led by Barry Golding
• with a 9.30am start, starting & ending at Franklinford Streamside Reserve
• including six kilometers of minor roadside walking around Franklinford township
• feature interpretation of several historic sites, many associated with the former Aboriginal Protectorate (1841-1849) & Mount Franklin Aboriginal Station (1850s-1863).

Both walks include the Franklinford Streamside Reserve on Larnibarramul Yaluk, Franklin Ford, the Protectorate era Franklinford Cemetery, Thomas’ Spring, monument to Edward Parker on the main town intersection, views over Larnibarramul Lagoon and towards Mount Franklin, and the original main Protectorate site, later the site of the Aboriginal School. The Sunday route is mapped as ‘Walk 11’ in the GDTA ‘Walk & Ride Circuits’ guide (page 35).

The shorter (6.2km) walk on Sunday is for the general public.

The longer (11km) GDTA Member’s walk on Saturday includes an extra five kilometer loop, including walking (with generous, one off permission) along the creek across Eric and Joy Sartori’s private property, ‘Truro’, past an historic weir west of the Franklinford Cemetery.

Essential Registration Information

• Pre-registration is essential, numbers are limited. Registrations close Wed 9 November. See registration links, above.

• Non-GDTA members will register as ‘Visitors’ and bring $5 cash on the day to cover GDTA visitor insurance.Welcome others to join you for this one-off public walk.
• ALL walkers participating in the Sunday walk also need to bring $10 cash to cover the cost of a ‘Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony’ at 9.30am before the start of the walk, led by Dja Dja Wurrung Elder, Uncle Ricky Nelson.

• Meet and park by 9.30am at Franklinford Streamside Reserve, approx. 15 minutes north of Daylesford. Drive to the end of bitumen Clarke’s Road, heading SW from the main intersection in the Franklinford township, becoming all weather gravel towards the end.
• Dress for the predicted weather including appropriate off road footwear.
• Bring water & morning tea (also bring lunch for the Saturday walk) & own first aid kit.

Extra interpretive information for walkers & and historical evidence base: see Barry Golding’s ‘Loddon Aboriginal Protectorate Legacy’ notes: https://barrygoanna.com/2022/10/24/loddon-aboriginal-protectorate-legacy/