Labyrinth opens

By Kath Gannaway
FOUR years of creative inspiration and hard work was celebrated on Saturday 19 March, with the official opening of the Healesville Community Labyrinth.
The opening was part of a festival weekend in Healesville which included the opening and Autumnfest at the railway precinct, and the Healesville Music Festival at Queen’s Park.
Thousands of community members and visitors made their way between the festivals in brilliant autumn weather.
The highlight was the opening of the Labyrinth designed by world-renown landscape architect, Healesville resident Jon Coe.
The idea was sparked in 2006 when Rivendell co-ordinator Merran Macs and Julie Peddie, an arts therapy student on placement at Rivendell explored the idea of a labyrinth to aid community wellbeing.
Ms Peddie spoke with emotion as she traced the sometimes uncertain journey of the project.
“What started out as a “little’ mental health project that no-one took much notice of soon grew into a full-scale community health promotion project and public park development,” she said.
“Indeed, from little things, big things grow,” she said.
She said the first two years were spent entering the metaphorical labyrinth with twists and turns along the way.
“The project was all but abandoned when our worlds were thrown apart with the events of Black Saturday.”
“We asked the community what to do, and you said ‘Yes’. We still want it. We need it. We can and we will build it”.
The project has been a collaboration between Eastern Access Community Health (EACH), Yarra Ranges Council, numerous funding partners and hundreds of local community members.
Councillor Jeanette McRae said it would enhance the social, recreational, spiritual and cultural life of the region.
“Driven and owned by community, it is accessible to all and inclusive,” she said.
EACH CEO Peter Ruzyla congratulated the Healesville community and all involved saying Jon Coe had demonstrated unbelievable commitment and stubbornness to design an inspirational work which would be available for generations to come.
He congratulated the contractors Excell, Gray, Bruni, the steering committee and Yarra Ranges Council on their vision and execution of the project.
The celebration was beautiful, mystical, joyous and memorable.
A smoking ceremony by Shane Charles, children bursting onto the labyrinth with coloured scarfs flying in the breeze, a magician to bring out the child in young and old, choirs, dancing, games all celebrating a shared sense of achievement and hope.
More than 100 people – men, women and children – returned for the candlelit walk at 9pm.
See more Autumnfest and Labyrinth photos on page 5.
The Healesville Music Festival was also a spectacular success and the Mail will have a report and photos on that event next week.