2070: Reimagining Birrarung

In 2017, from the efforts of Wurundjeri leaders and community activism, Birrarung (Yarra River) was legally recognised as a single living entity—from Mt Baw Baw to Port Phillip Bay—granting it the same rights as everyone.

This paddle offers a space to reimagine both Birrarung's potential as a thriving ecosystem and people's relationship to it. As you travel along its living waters, you will explore the river's journey through past, present, and future, guided by the vision of Burndap Birrarung Burndap Umarkoo - (Yarra Strategic Plan) - imagining a future where what's good for the river is good for everyone.

This experience invites deep reflection on how might one reimagine their relationship with Birrarung, especially within the built environment of Narrm (Melbourne)? What stories have shaped your personal and collective connections to this river? And how can a person begin to listen to and care for Birrarung as they would a loved one?

Let this be a moment to honour, imagine, and act—for the river, and for everyone.