Monday 1 June 2026
Heroes Lounge, St Kilda Army and Navy Club, St Kilda
Members attended an exclusive information session on the progress of the Society's research project to map cultural sites, waterways and biodiversity hotspots across the City of Port Phillip.
Led by local Boonwurrung Elder Professor N'arwee't Carolyn Briggs AM, with the ongoing involvement of the Society's past president Helen Halliday OAM, Reconnecting Place seeks to capture and share Indigenous knowledge embedded in public spaces throughout the municipality.
Researchers Dr Ana Lara Heyns and Alison Soutar presented their findings to date, discussing both the challenges and inspirations shaping the development of the interactive Indigenous digital StoryMap. The session also encouraged members to contribute historical maps, photographs and illustrations that may assist in documenting significant locations including Elwood Canal, St Kilda Main Drain, the piers, Port Phillip Bay, Point Ormond, the Town Halls and other public spaces across the municipality.
Speakers
Dr Ana Lara Heyns is a researcher and Senior Policy Officer, Urban Waterways, at the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA). Her work sits at the intersection of water policy, Indigenous knowledge, cultural heritage and urban environments, exploring how waterways shape cities and preserve the memories of First Nations peoples.
Alison Soutar is a community linguist with more than two decades of experience working with First Nations communities on language documentation and reclamation projects around the world. She specialises in reconstructing syntax in partnership with communities, with a particular focus on place-based, spatial and relational elements of language. She is currently working closely with Professor Carolyn Briggs on the reconstruction of the Boonwurrung language and is a PhD candidate at Monash University.
Reconnecting Place is supported by the City of Port Phillip through its Cultural Heritage Grants Program.
The Society runs numerous historical talks and walks throughout the year. Our events are free and open to Society members only. Members receive information about upcoming events through our newsletter. You can join the Society for just $25 per year.