Merrimu - Bacchus Marsh

Bacchus Marsh: Merrimu — Place of Many Birds

Region and Language Group

Merrimu, located near Bacchus Marsh in central Victoria, sits on the eastern edge of Wadawurrung Country, bordering Woiwurrung (Wurundjeri) territory. Both belong to the broader Kulin Nation, whose lands extend across much of central and southern Victoria (Clark 1990).
The name Merrimu is understood to mean “place of many birds,” reflecting the abundance of avian life that gathered around the wetlands, creeks, and floodplains of the Lerderderg and Werribee Rivers (Wadawurrung Traditional Owners 2023).

Merrimu

Long before the township of Bacchus Marsh emerged, the fertile river valleys of Merrimu were home to Wadawurrung and Woiwurrung clans who lived within a thriving mosaic of wetlands, red gums, and volcanic plains. The area formed part of a vital cultural corridor connecting the upper reaches of the Werribee River (Wirribi Yaluk) with the Lerderderg River (Lar-durak) and beyond to the Djilang coast (Clark & Heydon 2002).

The name Merrimu captures the living essence of this landscape: a place filled with the sound of birds — swans, brolgas, ducks, and herons — and the seasonal abundance they signified.

Country and Ecology

Before colonisation, Merrimu’s wetlands were sustained by the annual flooding of the Werribee and Lerderderg rivers. These waterways created fertile plains rich in reeds, fish, and nesting grounds. Black swans (marrin), pelicans (boorong), ibis, and ducks gathered here in large numbers, providing food, feathers, and spiritual connection (Howitt 1904).

Hunting and gathering followed seasonal law: when the birds bred, hunting was restricted; when they migrated, groups harvested fish, roots, and reeds. Each wetland pool and river bend carried stories linking water to creation. These stories reinforced balance — knowing when to take and when to leave — a principle central to Wadawurrung ecological knowledge (Atkinson 2002; Pascoe 2014).

Cultural and Ceremonial Life

Merrimu was more than a hunting ground — it was a meeting and ceremonial site. The joining of the Werribee and Lerderderg rivers marked a significant boundary where clans met to exchange goods, stories, and marriage partners (Clark 1990).
Ceremonies involving song, dance, and initiation took place along the higher river terraces, often accompanied by gatherings that followed bird migrations.
The area’s abundant bird life was spiritually significant: brolgas were linked to dance and fertility, while black swans represented unity and the continuity of kinship lines.

Contact and Early Colonisation

European occupation of the Merrimu-Bacchus Marsh district began in the late 1830s. The rich soils and reliable water made it one of the earliest farming zones beyond Melbourne. Captain William Bacchus, after whom the township is named, established a pastoral station along the Werribee River in 1838 (Boyce 2011).
The settlement disrupted Wadawurrung life almost immediately. Land clearing destroyed bird nesting areas, while overgrazing and water diversion altered the wetlands’ natural flow. Historical records suggest violent encounters occurred between settlers and Wadawurrung families resisting encroachment, including those displaced from Werribee (Wirribi Yaluk) and Balliang Plains (Clark 1995).

Nearby, the Batman brothers — John and Henry — had already been involved in early conflicts on Wadawurrung Country, including near Werribee in 1836–1838 (Cahir 2012). These acts of dispossession and reprisal echoed across the plains, forcing surviving families toward the upper rivers and forested gorges of the Lerderderg.

Water, Law, and Balance

Water remained sacred in the Merrimu area. The Werribee and Lerderderg Rivers were considered living ancestors — their bends and pools marked by spiritual presence. The Wadawurrung taught that when the waters ran clear and birds returned, the balance of Country was right. When the rivers grew silent or muddy, it meant something in the law had been broken (Wadawurrung Traditional Owners 2023).

This ecological-spiritual framework shows an early understanding of environmental feedback systems, much like what modern ecology calls “bio-indicators.” The return of birds like the brolga or pelican was both a spiritual sign and a measure of ecosystem health.

Modern Restoration and Cultural Renewal

The Merrimu Reservoir now occupies part of the traditional wetland area, supplying water to Bacchus Marsh and Melbourne’s western suburbs. Yet, efforts are underway to restore Wadawurrung connections to the landscape through cultural mapping, interpretive signage, and environmental care projects.

The Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation partners with the Melton City Council and Melbourne Water to reintroduce native vegetation, protect scarred trees, and revitalise the bird habitats that once gave Merrimu its name. These initiatives also involve education programs that reconnect local communities to the ancient meaning of the site — the “place of many birds.”

Conclusion

Merrimu, the “place of many birds,” remains a living symbol of harmony between people, water, and sky. Though colonisation reshaped its wetlands, the rivers still hold the memory of flocks rising at dawn, the songs of ceremony, and the law of balance that guided life on Country.
To understand Merrimu is to listen — not only to history, but to the returning sound of wings over water, and the enduring story of the Wadawurrung people.

References

·       Atkinson, J. (2002) Trauma Trails: Recreating Songlines – The Transgenerational Effects of Trauma in Indigenous Australia. Spinifex Press.

·       Barwick, D. (1984) ‘Mapping the Past: An Atlas of Victorian Aboriginal Clans’, Aboriginal History Journal, 8(1), pp. 100–131.

·       Boyce, J. (2011) 1835: The Founding of Melbourne and the Conquest of Australia. Black Inc.

·       Cahir, F. (2012) Black Gold: Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850–1870. ANU Press.

·       Clark, I. D. (1990) Aboriginal Languages and Clans: An Historical Atlas of Western and Central Victoria, 1800–1900. Monash Publications.

·       Clark, I. D. (1995) Scars in the Landscape: A Register of Massacre Sites in Western Victoria 1803–1859. Aboriginal Studies Press.

·       Clark, I. D. and Heydon, T. (2002) The Confluence of the Werribee and the Lerderderg: An Environmental and Historical Study. Heritage Council of Victoria.

·       Howitt, A. W. (1904) The Native Tribes of South-East Australia. Macmillan.

·       Pascoe, B. (2014) Dark Emu: Aboriginal Australia and the Birth of Agriculture. Magabala Books.

·       Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (2023) Caring for Merrimu: Country, Culture and Community. Geelong.

Written, Researched and Directed by James Vegter (22 September 2025)

MLA

Sharing the truth of Indigenous and colonial history through film, education, land, and community.
www.magiclandsalliance.org

Copyright MLA – 2025

Magic Lands Alliance acknowledges the Traditional Owners, Custodians, and First Nations communities across Australia and internationally. We honour their enduring connection to the sky, land, waters, language, and culture. We pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging, and to all First Peoples’ communities and language groups. This article draws only on publicly available information; many cultural practices remain the intellectual property of their respective communities.