This headline blares back at me in bold letters as I pick up the newspaper. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve attempted to read the news, with all my mental energy thrown into finishing a group assignment for Uni on time; handed in an hour before the deadline, but submitted finally.

So now, when I eventually have time to catch up on current affairs, I find myself re-reading the title again,  trying to piece together what I’ve missed. By the looks of the picture accompanying the article of a large, angry group of protesters, it’s clear I’ve missed something big.

Further reading leads me to some insights on the topic of the current threat to sacred aboriginal trees near the Ararat Region, including  an 800 year old birthing tree, all scheduled for removal to make way for a new four lane highway cutting around three minutes off travel time (Reference) Two hundred and sixty Djap Wurrung trees stand in the way of the Victorian Government's solution to streamlining trips between Melbourne and Adelaide (Reference)

Hundreds of people of people lined Victoria's Parliament House to protest the expansion of the highway, with many others gathering at the make-shift embassy at the trees base in Djab Wurrung country.

The scene feels familiar to me and memories of a cultural walk hosted by my University just last month quickly surface, of travelling along the Yarra with our guide, sharing the hidden history of Melbourne.