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Welcome to the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations

The Federation is the Victorian state-wide body that convenes and advocates for the rights and interests of Traditional Owners while progressing wider social, economic, environmental and cultural objectives.

About Us

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land we work on as the First Peoples of this Country.

Country

Healthy Country means healthy communities. Our work recognises Traditional Owners’ rights and responsibilities to care and make decisions for Country.

Traditional Owner groups have knowledge, rights and responsibilities, stemming from 65,000 years of experience on Country. The Federation works in the following areas to embed Traditional Owner voices in management of Country.

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Community

Community wellbeing means strong culture, people and place.

The Federation’s work recognises Traditional Owner groups as authoritative decision-makers with rights and power. Our advocacy, programs and services enable Traditional Owners to get on with the business of caring for Country, culture and community.

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Impact

The Federation’s advocacy shapes the landscape in which Victorian Traditional Owner corporations do their important work.

We have put cultural fire and cultural water on the agenda for government, sought greater protections for Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property, fought for a fair place in the expanding native foods and botanicals industry, championed treaty and self-determination, supported a drastic reconsideration of how our cultural heritage is approached at both state and national levels, and worked to have economic development considered as more than just small business grants.

 

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About

The Federation is the Victorian state-wide body that convenes and advocates for the rights and interests of Traditional Owner groups while progressing wider social, economic, environmental and cultural objectives.

We support the progress of agreement-making and participation in decision-making to enhance the authority of Traditional Owner Corporations on behalf of their communities.

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Resources

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You can’t Close the Gap without centring Country.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have long understood health and wellbeing in a holistic, relational way – a way that understands a person’s physical, social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing is inextricably connected with Country’s.

If we’re serious about improving health outcomes for mob, we can’t overlook Country. And that means: we can’t overlook Traditional Owners.

The Federation is proud to contribute advice and expertise towards Victoria’s efforts to Close the Gap as an elected sector representative on Ngaweeyan Maar-oo (that’s the representative forum partnering with the Victorian Government on the design, implementation and oversight of Victoria’s Closing the Gap Implementation Plan). In this work, the Federation shares and uplifts the perspectives and priorities of Traditional Owner groups – who care for, and are deeply connected with, Country.

We’ve just finished a big round of detailed feedback on the draft Implementation Plan, and are firing up our role as economic development and employment sector representative as we start talking to Traditional Owner Corporations about strengthening the workforce on Country.

Learn more about this work 👉🏾 https://bit.ly/3HbegEc

You can’t Close the Gap without centring Country.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have long understood health and wellbeing in a holistic, relational way – a way that understands a person’s physical, social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing is inextricably connected with Country’s.

If we’re serious about improving health outcomes for mob, we can’t overlook Country. And that means: we can’t overlook Traditional Owners.

The Federation is proud to contribute advice and expertise towards Victoria’s efforts to Close the Gap as an elected sector representative on Ngaweeyan Maar-oo (that’s the representative forum partnering with the Victorian Government on the design, implementation and oversight of Victoria’s Closing the Gap Implementation Plan). In this work, the Federation shares and uplifts the perspectives and priorities of Traditional Owner groups – who care for, and are deeply connected with, Country.

We’ve just finished a big round of detailed feedback on the draft Implementation Plan, and are firing up our role as economic development and employment sector representative as we start talking to Traditional Owner Corporations about strengthening the workforce on Country.

Learn more about this work 👉🏾
... See MoreSee Less

All smiles on Dja Dja Wurrung Djandak to share the practical ways Traditional Owner groups are re-building strong, resilient Nations. 

Last week, we had the pleasure of bringing together representatives from six Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations to share insights, challenges, and successes from their projects under a grants program called the Nation Building Resource Pool, which we’re administering for the Victorian Government’s First Peoples – State Relations department. 

The Resource Pool funding recognises Traditional Owner groups are exploring and defining how their communities come together, to make decisions, activate rights, and achieve collective ambitions, and provides a pool of funding for this diverse, self-determined work. 

Our full-day Knowledge Sharing Day explored what this looks like for communities across Victoria. And we learnt so much! 

We heard how Traditional Owner communities are healing Country, exploring economic opportunities, strengthening language and culture, and revitalising community connections. We considered what resilient Nations look like in a Victorian context, and how the Federation can continue to work to embed Traditional Owner groups’ rights and authority in our work.

Our sincere thanks to DJAARA for hosting us on Djandak, and to the staff from Traditional Owner Corporations who joined the day (and those who couldn’t make it this time!). We haven’t lost our grins yet. 

Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation
DJAARA
Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation
Gunditj Mirring
GLaWAC
Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.

All smiles on Dja Dja Wurrung Djandak to share the practical ways Traditional Owner groups are re-building strong, resilient Nations.

Last week, we had the pleasure of bringing together representatives from six Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations to share insights, challenges, and successes from their projects under a grants program called the Nation Building Resource Pool, which we’re administering for the Victorian Government’s First Peoples – State Relations department.

The Resource Pool funding recognises Traditional Owner groups are exploring and defining how their communities come together, to make decisions, activate rights, and achieve collective ambitions, and provides a pool of funding for this diverse, self-determined work.

Our full-day Knowledge Sharing Day explored what this looks like for communities across Victoria. And we learnt so much!

We heard how Traditional Owner communities are healing Country, exploring economic opportunities, strengthening language and culture, and revitalising community connections. We considered what resilient Nations look like in a Victorian context, and how the Federation can continue to work to embed Traditional Owner groups’ rights and authority in our work.

Our sincere thanks to DJAARA for hosting us on Djandak, and to the staff from Traditional Owner Corporations who joined the day (and those who couldn’t make it this time!). We haven’t lost our grins yet.

Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation
DJAARA
Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation
Gunditj Mirring
GLaWAC
Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.
... See MoreSee Less

Public legs and community events have been announced for Yoorrook Justice Commissions Walk for Truth.

The walk starts on Sunday, 25 May, in Portland. You can join a public walk leg, alongside Commissioner Travis Lovett, or hear from local communities about their rich culture and history and the historic work of Yoorrook Justice Commission. 

A group of us from the Federation will be joining the walk, and were really looking forward to being part of such an important and powerful moment in Victorias history.

Learn more and register now to join us 👉🏾 bit.ly/44zLuXU

Public legs and community events have been announced for Yoorrook Justice Commission's Walk for Truth.

The walk starts on Sunday, 25 May, in Portland. You can join a public walk leg, alongside Commissioner Travis Lovett, or hear from local communities about their rich culture and history and the historic work of Yoorrook Justice Commission.

A group of us from the Federation will be joining the walk, and we're really looking forward to being part of such an important and powerful moment in Victoria's history.

Learn more and register now to join us 👉🏾 bit.ly/44zLuXU
... See MoreSee Less

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