Smoking dish and gathering area design: Greenshoot in collaboration with Aunty Joy Murphy
Seating etching: Lewis Wandin-Bursill
Smoking ceremonies are a deeply rooted cultural practice performed by First Peoples to cleanse, purify, and promote well-being. The smoke, created by burning native plants such as eucalyptus leaves, is believed to cleanse people, spaces, and objects, fostering connection and harmony.
Traditionally performed at the start of significant events or gatherings, smoking ceremonies connect individuals with their land, heritage, and community. They are a powerful expression of identity and belonging, passing on cultural knowledge, sustaining the resilience of First Peoples communities and supporting connection between all participants.
As you experience this place, take a moment to reflect on the importance of these traditions. Smoking ceremonies continue to foster cultural continuity and strengthen the bond between people and Country, offering an enduring connection to this land.
City Square Smoking Dish and Gathering Area
You are on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people. The area on which Melbourne has been built has always been a place of gathering for local Traditional Owners.
The hand-crafted bronze smoking dish at City Square has been created in collaboration with Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elders and features designs inspired by the manna gum, a culturally significant tree.
The manna gum is central to Wurundjeri identity and is reflected in their name, with “wurun” meaning manna gum and “djeri” referring to a grub that lives in these trees. For Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people, the manna gum symbolises life, belonging and connection, making it an important cultural symbol.
Surrounding the dish is Woi-wurrung language explaining the importance of Smoking Ceremonies, which translates to:
“Fire with dampened eucalypt leaves creates smoke for cleansing the land for a new beginning.”
The surrounding granite seat features a diamond motif by artist Lewis Wandin-Bursill, inspired by the carvings of his direct ancestor, William Barak, a Wurundjeri Ngurungaeta (leader) and artist at the time of colonisation.
Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elders and representatives from the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation have contributed to the development of this Connection to Country opportunity as part of the Metro Tunnel Project.