While our time in Australia was cut short, the two weeks we were lucky enough to spend there were full of amazing lectures, people, and experiences. We learned so much about the First Nation People of Australia’s heritage and culture, as well as being able to get a better understanding of the diverse ecosystems of Australia. Our first week in Australia, we stayed mainly in the Melbourne area, seeing a much more urban side of the country. But at the start of our second week, we drove down the coast to Cape Otways, where we definitely got our fix of the Australian bush, and oh man was it incredible. While in the Otways, we went to Pt. Lookout for an educational nature walk with a man named Richard Collopy, who showed us the importance of the land, and the relationships that the people of that area have cultivated with it for thousands of years. We learned more from him in one morning walk than we ever could have on our own.
Richard knew the land well, he grew up in the area and had an incredible understanding and connection with it. We started our little hike up on a hill overlooking the water, where Richard didn’t just tell us about the edible plants that were there, but showed us where we could find them and let us try them. It was really interesting to see how so many unassuming plants have many different uses for us, far beyond simply aesthetics and creating a beautiful landscape to wander through. We slowly made our way down to the beach where our little feast continued. He showed us that if we dug down into the sand deep enough in the right places there would be fresh drinking water, if we overturned the right rocks there were little sea creatures that, although we had heard from other sources didn’t taste too great, were perfectly edible, and if we looked back towards the hill, some of the plants near the base were edible as well. We truly were surrounded by a small feast without even knowing it.
Our time in Cape Otways was such a beautiful and informative time, and when I look back at the Australian portion of our trip, it definitely comes back as a highlight for me. We were able to experience things we never had before, while being surrounded by some of the most stunning views. Being able to learn about how First Nation People in the Otways lived for thousands of years was incredible, and not something I will soon forget. Our morning with Richard made me think about how much I really don’t know about the Native American People that lived and continue to live in my area, the Ojibwe, and how much there is to learn about their culture and about the land around me. There is so much to see if you know where to look and are willing to take the time to, and Richard was really able to show that to us. Even though our trip may have been cut short, our exploration of the world around us doesn’t need to end, it is something we can pick right back up again in our own backyards.
-Alex