Melbourne – There is still time to see the current exhibition at Heritage Hill’s Benga House, exploring the important role trees have played in the history of Greater Dandenong.
Now extended to the end of September, Trees: A Canopy Extraordinaire celebrates, reflects and recognises the significance of trees in the local landscape.
The free exhibition highlights the cultural significance of trees to the traditional custodians of this land, the Bunurong people, the impact of European settlement on trees and the emergence of the local timber industry as an economic driver in the Dandenong region.
It offers insight into how we can sustain the tree canopy for future generations and comes at a time when Greater Dandenong City Council celebrates the work done by Council and community to increase our local tree canopy to reduce the impacts of climate change.
A recent review showed our canopy cover has increased from 9 per cent in 2018 to 14 per cent, which puts us on track to reach our target of 15 per cent by 2028.
The exhibition showcases items from Council’s Civic and Cultural Heritage Collection, alongside local historical society collections and items from the National Resources Conservation League (NRCL) archives.
The NRCL has also provided native plants for visitors to take home while stocks last.