Hidden Waters of the Birrarung: Gum Walks
Guided gum walks with Petrichor Collaborative
Join us for a guided walk led by Petrichor Collaborative to explore the life of gum trees as living connections of the deeper landscape, the river's Country. As part of the Potter Museum's exhibition Ngarn Wa'ngal: Art of the gum tree, this program encourages participants to take a close look at the presence of eucalypts around the Parkville campus.
Gum trees remember where water moves along the Birrarung. Through a walk, collective workshop and visioning session, we'll explore how urban infrastructure, seasonal flooding, and forgotten wetlands remain part of the Birrarung's living memory, and how future restoration efforts can support the river's rights to heal and flow. Participants are invited into deeper discussion, on how we value and connect with the Birrarung and its Country today.
Your guides are University of Melbourne Plant Science student and cultural storyteller Jakobi Ili-Jakobi (Djab Wurrung and Dhauwurd Wurrung), landscape architect Harrison Baxter and creative practitioner Maria Bulmaga.
Sessions:
Thursday 3 September, 10:30am–12:30pm
Saturday 12 September, 10:30am–12:30pm
Thursday 17 September, 10:30am–12:30pm
This guided walk starts and finishes at Potter Museum of Art, Parkville. Please wear shoes and clothes suitable for walking. The walking part of the event will last approximately one hour and may include uneven terrain.
This is a joint program between MPavilion Parkville and the Potter Museum of Art.
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MPavilion Parkville is the University of Melbourne’s open-air space for art, ideas and experimentation. Learn more.
Ngarn Wa'ngal: Art of the gum tree is the latest exhibition at the Potter Museum of Art. Learn more.
Petrichor Collaborative
Petrichor Collaborative are a landscape architecture and research practice focused on driving and promoting opportunities for First Nations-led processes, intrinsically tied to place and ecosystems.
About the guides
Jakobi Ili-Jakobi | Producer, Guide
Jakobi, a Djab Wurrung and Dhauwurd Wurrung man, holds the position of Aboriginal Learning Officer at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and is pursuing a degree in Plant Science (B-SCIEXTD) at the University of Melbourne. As a cultural ranger and storyteller, he has worked alongside Victorian Traditional Owners and First Peoples focusing on cultural education and tourism. His enthusiasm for cultural knowledge is grounded in storytelling and a strong connection to Country, which he draws from to connect his audience with the natural landscapes and waterways of the past and present.
Maria Bulmaga | Producer, Facilitator
Maria is an Architectural Designer Graduate with a focus on landscape-driven projects. Her research with the University of Melbourne’s Urban Ecology and Design Lab (UEDLAB) has focused on the Darebin and Merri tributaries, exploring water-sensitive urban design, biodiversity and habitat support. These projects delve into the material and political legacies of site and its interconnections with the larger living river system, advocating for changes that support ethics of landscape practice on sensitive ecosystems.
Harrison Baxter | Producer, Guide
Harrison is a Landscape architect who is passionate about the role of ecological design working alongside Traditional Owners in developing the urban fabric of the future. He was awarded the Australian Institute of Landscape Architect’s (AILA) Future Leader in 2025 for his thesis and work on the profession’s role in civic stewardship, which has informed ongoing public-facing advocacy. He is a member of the AILA Victoria’s Environment Committee and is enthusiastic about site specificity and endemic species to drive decision-making and design.
Gina Dahl | Producer
Gina is a MNAL-registered architect (National Association of Norwegian Architects) whose work focuses on public space strategy, urban ecology, and climate adaptation. She has worked with UEDLAB, Public Realm Lab, and Bower Studio at the University of Melbourne, engaging in community-led and culturally informed design to create equitable and responsive urban environments. She is committed to culturally and ecologically sensitive approaches that foster meaningful, sustainable outcomes.
Content warnings
This event will include discussion of climate catastrophe.
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