7 Seasons of the Kulin People
(Wurundjeri Seasons)
Our Bush Kinder site is deep into the Kinglake National Parklands. 2KM away from houses or roads, on Wurundjeri Country, you can see, smell, hear, taste and feel the seasons change as Country tells us what's ahead.
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We use the 7 Seasons of the Eastern Kulin Nations as a marker for changing procedures and practices in our everyday. Children learn how to identify these changes in the environment as they too, learn to 'read Country' For example:
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"When Muyan (silverwattle) flowers, that means the hot weather is coming and dhandah (snake) will come out"
"When its wattle season (Guling) we can't walk in front of the teachers anymore because there might be a dhandah (snake)"
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"In tadpole season (poornet), the currawongs make their call like 'whoop-whoop-whop-wop-wu-dup". They get very cheeky and might eat your lunchbox"
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"In biderap seaons, there are lots of balam balam (butterlies). The ground is dry and crunchy. There could be a bushfire if its very hot"
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Here's our display of the 7 seasons. Click the links to learn more or hear the children tell you about it.
Biderap, Dry Season (Jan-Feb ish)
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Hot, dry weather. High temperatures and low rainfall.
Days are long, nights are shorter.
The ground is dry and crunchy.
Bushfire weather.
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Female Common Brown balam balam (butterflies) are flying.
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We find loads of bugs and beetles in our kinder grounds: scarab beetles, invasive Argentian beetles and sometimes, (if we're lucky) green and gold shiny Christmas Beetles.
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Bowat (tussock-grass) is long and dry.
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The Southern Cross is high in the south at sunrise.
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The black cockatoos often come into KRCC to feast on the Banksia Cones near our sandpit, making a huge mess when they spit out the unwanted hard bark of the seed pods.
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Iuk, Eel Season (March ish)
When the hot winds stop blowing and the temperatures cool, the manna gums flower, and the days and nights become equal in length, it is Iuk Season.
In March, the Yarra River becomes muddier and the short-finned eels migrate downstream towards the sea.
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In Kinglake, Gaan, the White Cuckatoo flys back to roost in the flowering gums. They give a raucous at dawn and dusk as they wake up in the morning, and roost in the evening.
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We notice lots of narriyt (long nosed grasshoppers) in the grass at Jehossphat Gully at this time of the year. Debera (bogon moths) are beginning to fly back to NSW/QLD for their overwintering.
You can smell the change in the seasons virtually overnight at this altitude – the air cools and smells of Autum – that’s when Gaan begins to arrive.
Waring, Wombat Season (April-Julyish)
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From April to June, when morning mists cover the land, nights become longer, and wombats emerge from their burrows it comes into Waring Season.
Migrating birds arrive from Tasmania and male bulen-bulen, lyrebirds, begin to display their mounds, their spectacular tail feathers, and their songs to attract a mate.
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We hear Bulen Bulen calling every time we visit our bush kinder site at this time of the year, as his voice rings out through the valley, echoing the songs of all the birds of the forests....and sometimes a car that wont start...or a chainsaw, or a car alarm!
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We often have close up encounters with Bulen Bulen at this time of the year or see evidence of their scratching for bugs along the sides of the walking tracks.
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This is when we need to swap sun hats for beanies, coats and warm pants as Warriin season is COLD!
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We watch as Muyan (Silverwattle) starts to form buds...but doesn't quite flower yet.
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Guling Orchid / Wattle Season (sometime from July-October ish)
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When the bright yellow pom poms of Myuan (Silverwattle) burst into colour, we know we're in Guling. This is a key time of the year for us as it signals a CHANGE IN PROCEDURES for bush kinder.
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"When muyan flowers, it means the weather is going to get warmer and dhandah can come out"
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Snake safety is revisited
Children no longer walk in front of the teacher on our exploration walks as we're beginning to monitor for snakes.
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This is a time we read 'Snakes Awake' to the children and talk about how to stay safe while bush walking.
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​Critically, when muyan flowers early (July) we know we're in for a long hot summer ahead. For us in Kinglake, that means bushfire weather.
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If Muyan is not flowering until September/October, that's a great sign we should book a flight to QLD as we're due for a cool wet summer in Kinglake!
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Sometimes we can hear Gorbil (Koala) roaring at this time of the year. Our Gorbil numbers are slowly climbing again.
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Poorneet, Tadpole Season (Sept-Octish)
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Temperatures are rising but the rain continues. Currawong are calling day and night with a “whoop, whoop, whoop-woop-wudup” sound. We hear the Currawongs all around Bush kinder. But watch out! They get very cheeky at this time of the year and will help themselves to your lunchbox if you're not careful!
Muyrnong (Yam daisy) is flowering indicating the tubers are ready for eating.
Buln Buln (Lyrebird) stops calling and sits on eggs.
Days and nights are of equal length.
Tadpoles are hatching from frog swan.
Flax lilly begin to bud but don’t flower just yet…
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Buarth Gurru, Grass Flowering Season (Nov-ish)
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When the flax lilly flowers, that’s a clear sign that Buarth Gurru is upon us!
The weather continues to warm and the rain comes in fits and bursts! That nutty Victorian weather is here!
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Correnderk (Victorian Chrismas Bush) begins to flower...If it flowers late, (Jan) that's another sign of a cool summer. Flowering in November or early December can be a sign of a hot summer ahead.
Grasses are flowering and the pollen is giving those with Asthma a heck of a time! This is the time of the year when we get more 'Asthma thunderstorm' warnings.
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Kookaburra are calling at dawn and dusk.
Billiyong (microbats) are catching insects in flight. Common brown male butterfly are flying.
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You can be guaranteed you’re gonna have some WET bush kinder days at this time so grab out the overalls and get ready to hit the mud slide!
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Garrawang, Kangaroo-Apple Season (Dec ish)
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Changeable, thundery weather.
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Dhuling (Goannas) are active.
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Buliyong (bats) are catching insects in flight.
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Days are long and nights are short.
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We often see black cuckatoos around Kinder at this time.
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Bundjil (Wedge-tailed Eagles) are breeding.
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The Kangaroo Apple fruit bushes purple flowers begin to turn into fruit.
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