Culture, Creativity and Place II will start on September 23 with an indigenous land and water celebration at Hopkins Falls and continue the following day with a conference at Deakin University’s Warrnambool campus.

Fiona Clarke from one of the event organisers, Happy Events, said it would mean a lot to her to celebrate the Hopkins River and the stories shared by her father, Banjo.

“It is a celebration of our place,” Ms Clarke said.

The Hopkins Falls event on September 23 will allow local aboriginal elders to share experiences with both local people and overseas visitors.

The gathering will involve elders from the Cree Nation in Canada and Ms Clarke said it would be great to share ideas with them.

“We have similar wisdom, ideas and connections to water and land as the First Nations people of Canada,” Ms Clarke said.

Up to 250 people are expected to be part of the event that will honour the water, land and place and the wisdom of the Elders.

The conference at Deakin University will be headlined by Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Dr Russell Schnell from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Dr Schnell earned his shared Nobel Peace Prize by monitoring carbon levels at regional locations around the world.

Also speaking will be Professor Brian Martin from Deakin University’s Institute for Koorie Education, who will talk on the politics of representation. 

Retired Deakin researcher Dr John Sherwood will outline the local history of Moyjil, the aboriginal name for Point Ritchie at the mouth of the Hopkins River.

South-west raised Jason Mifsud, of Aboriginal Victoria in the Office of the Premier, will lead a Victorian Treaty development forum.

The event will also include sessions on Aboriginal visual literacies in cultural and spiritual place.

There will also be performances by acclaimed singer/songwriter Shane Howard, Aboriginal dancers and smoking ceremonies.