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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 on Country. The Federation works in the following areas to embed Traditional Owner voices in management of Country.

View our work for Country

Community

Community wellbeing means strong culture, people and place.

The Federation’s work recognises Traditional Owner Corporations as authoritative and representative decision-makers with rights and power. Our advocacy and services support Traditional Owners to get on with the business of caring 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, 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 advocacy body, helping to enhance their authority on behalf of their communities.

Our strategy

Resources

Discussion papers
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Information sheets
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Publications
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Three days til registrations close! 🔔

We’ve just hit send on a speaker announcement and registration reminder email for the Traditional Owner Treaty Forum.

If you’re a Traditional Owner Corporation staff member working on Treaty and you haven’t seen your invitation – give us a message. 

We’ll close registrations on Monday, 16 March.

This two-day forum is a dedicated space for Traditional Owner Corporations’ frank and strategic conversation about the Treaty opportunity. We’re proud to be joining forces with First Nations Legal & Research Services and The Mabo Centre to co-convene this event, which is free to attend for Traditional Owner Corporation team members.

📍 Melbourne, VIC
📅 31 March and 1 April 2026
🤝🏽 Deep conversation, expert insights and peer learning and collaboration on Traditional Owner Treaty 

Well see you there.

Three days til registrations close! 🔔

We’ve just hit send on a speaker announcement and registration reminder email for the Traditional Owner Treaty Forum.

If you’re a Traditional Owner Corporation staff member working on Treaty and you haven’t seen your invitation – give us a message.

We’ll close registrations on Monday, 16 March.

This two-day forum is a dedicated space for Traditional Owner Corporations’ frank and strategic conversation about the Treaty opportunity. We’re proud to be joining forces with First Nations Legal & Research Services and The Mabo Centre to co-convene this event, which is free to attend for Traditional Owner Corporation team members.

📍 Melbourne, VIC
📅 31 March and 1 April 2026
🤝🏽 Deep conversation, expert insights and peer learning and collaboration on Traditional Owner Treaty

We'll see you there.
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What are your expectations for living entities law?

Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action wants to hear from Traditional Owners, and has $20k per group to cover consultation costs.

What are your expectations for living entities law?

Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action wants to hear from Traditional Owners, and has $20k per group to cover consultation costs.
... See MoreSee Less

Thanks for a great CEO Forum!

We were thrilled to host on Thursday the year’s first CEO Forum: a TOC-only space for frank, strategic and collaborative conversation, which we’ve run since conceptualising it in 2019.

On the agenda:

🟡 opportunities in truth-telling with the new Centre for Truth-telling and Dialogue and its director Travis Lovett (its our team on the last day of his Walk for Truth pictured below!)
🟡 a First Peoples Assembly of Victoria and Castan Centre presentation on the recently completed UNDRIP Analysis of the Traditional Owner Settlement Act
🟡 a round-the-grounds update and a whole lot of camaraderie from CEOs of all six TOCs present, with a very warm welcome to Barengi Gadjin Land Council’s Chris and GLaWAC’s Nick in their first meetings as CEO.

Thanks to everyone who joined, and we’re looking forward to seeing you next time!

Thanks for a great CEO Forum!

We were thrilled to host on Thursday the year’s first CEO Forum: a TOC-only space for frank, strategic and collaborative conversation, which we’ve run since conceptualising it in 2019.

On the agenda:

🟡 opportunities in truth-telling with the new Centre for Truth-telling and Dialogue and its director Travis Lovett (it's our team on the last day of his Walk for Truth pictured below!)
🟡 a First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria and Castan Centre presentation on the recently completed UNDRIP Analysis of the Traditional Owner Settlement Act
🟡 a round-the-grounds update and a whole lot of camaraderie from CEOs of all six TOCs present, with a very warm welcome to Barengi Gadjin Land Council’s Chris and GLaWAC’s Nick in their first meetings as CEO.

Thanks to everyone who joined, and we’re looking forward to seeing you next time!
... See MoreSee Less

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