Skip to main content

Welcome to the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations

We’re the state-wide body fighting for the rights and interests of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations while progressing wider social, economic, environmental and cultural objectives.

About

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 with Country. The Federation’s policy, advocacy and government relations work helps restore Traditional Owners’ authority in frameworks for managing of Country.

View our work for Country

Community

Community wellbeing means strong culture.

The Federation’s work recognises Traditional Owner Corporations as authoritative and representative decision-makers with rights, power, and responsibilities. Our advocacy and services support Traditional Owners to care for Country, culture and community.

View our work for community

Economy

Strong and independent economies sustain Traditional Owner communities and enable self-determination.

The Federation’s research, grant administration, knowledge-sharing and advocacy promote rights-based economic development for Traditional Owner Corporations.

View our work for economy

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 rights, 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 Traditional Owners’ economic development considered as more than just small business grants.

See our impact

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.

Founded in 2013 by Traditional Owner Corporations who recognised they could be stronger together, we are by and for Traditional Owners: their policy and advocacy body, helping to enhance their authority on behalf of their communities.

Our strategy

Resources

Discussion papers
Read more
Information sheets
Read more
Publications
Read more

Connect with us on social media

FacebookInstagramLinkedIn
Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
Does the Federation’s membership model best suit our sector’s needs? We’re looking for a governance consultant to find out.

The successful consultant will lead an independent review of the Federations membership model, Board composition, and modes of engagement with Traditional Owner Corporations. Itll include consultation with all 12 formally recognised Traditional Owner Corporations, with no questions off the table.

🗓️ September 2026 to February 2027
✍🏽 options paper, draft governance model, recommendations
⌛ proposals due 18 September
🔗 full request for tender at bit.ly/4gzQMYZ

Does the Federation’s membership model best suit our sector’s needs? We’re looking for a governance consultant to find out.

The successful consultant will lead an independent review of the Federation's membership model, Board composition, and modes of engagement with Traditional Owner Corporations. It'll include consultation with all 12 formally recognised Traditional Owner Corporations, with no questions off the table.

🗓️ September 2026 to February 2027
✍🏽 options paper, draft governance model, recommendations
⌛ proposals due 18 September
🔗 full request for tender at bit.ly/4gzQMYZ
... See MoreSee Less

Were recruiting!

Theres a rare governance opportunity on the board of our for-profit investment company, Federation Enterprises, with sitting fees paid for around six annual meetings.

Founded in 2013, Federation Enterprises makes careful investments in First Nations-led enterprises that support self-determination and economic outcomes for Aboriginal people and communities.

The Federations ownership of Federation Enterprises enables our advocacy and policy work for Traditional Owners, and its investments contribute to Aboriginal economic development more broadly.

Were actively seeking additional Federation Enterprises Board Directors, appointed for two-year terms.

Learn more 👉🏾 https://bit.ly/4gG0kjX

We're recruiting!

There's a rare governance opportunity on the board of our for-profit investment company, Federation Enterprises, with sitting fees paid for around six annual meetings.

Founded in 2013, Federation Enterprises makes careful investments in First Nations-led enterprises that support self-determination and economic outcomes for Aboriginal people and communities.

The Federation's ownership of Federation Enterprises enables our advocacy and policy work for Traditional Owners, and its investments contribute to Aboriginal economic development more broadly.

We're actively seeking additional Federation Enterprises Board Directors, appointed for two-year terms.

Learn more 👉🏾
... See MoreSee Less

Our August newsletter just hit inboxes.

Grants, jobs, consultations, resources Traditional Owner news, and more – message to join the list next month.

Our August newsletter just hit inboxes.

Grants, jobs, consultations, resources Traditional Owner news, and more – message to join the list next month.
... See MoreSee Less

Free legal workshops for Traditional Owner Corporations 🌿

When our friends at Environmental Justice Australia told us they wanted to run free legal workshops for Traditional Owners, pitching in was a no-brainer: we love connecting the dots between Traditional Owners and the expertise they need to do their work. 

Today was the first of two days totalling four workshops, on topics including the legal rights of nature, consultation and engagement requirements in regulatory frameworks, and opportunities for input over sea Country.

We loved welcoming Traditional Owner Corporations in-person and online, and are looking forward to another day of sharing knowledge tomorrow.

Free legal workshops for Traditional Owner Corporations 🌿

When our friends at Environmental Justice Australia told us they wanted to run free legal workshops for Traditional Owners, pitching in was a no-brainer: we love connecting the dots between Traditional Owners and the expertise they need to do their work.

Today was the first of two days totalling four workshops, on topics including the legal rights of nature, consultation and engagement requirements in regulatory frameworks, and opportunities for input over sea Country.

We loved welcoming Traditional Owner Corporations in-person and online, and are looking forward to another day of sharing knowledge tomorrow.
... See MoreSee Less

Load more