SAM Traditional smoking ceremony

Members statement – The diversity of my electorate of Shepparton is well known, and I was proud to recently attend events that highlighted just a few of the many cultures represented in our region. Last month it was my pleasant duty to be present at a smoking ceremony performed by representatives of the Yorta Yorta to celebrate the start of construction of the Shepparton Art Museum. The traditional cleansing of the land took place at the construction site, and it was a significant cultural event in its own right. This $50 million project will be an outstanding addition to our region, nestled beside picturesque Victoria Park Lake. I look forward to watching the physical works as they progress. The Shepparton Art Museum, or SAM, as we locals affectionately like to call it, is a joint project of all levels of government—local, state and federal—and we look forward to the economic, artistic and cultural impact it will have on our region.

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