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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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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 weโ€™re administering for the Victorian Governmentโ€™s First Peoples โ€“ 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 groupsโ€™ 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 couldnโ€™t make it this time!). We havenโ€™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 weโ€™re administering for the Victorian Governmentโ€™s First Peoples โ€“ 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 groupsโ€™ 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 couldnโ€™t make it this time!). We havenโ€™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 ๐Ÿ‘‰๐Ÿพ 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 ๐Ÿ‘‰๐Ÿพ bit.ly/44zLuXU
... See MoreSee Less

Were thrilled to publicly announce the Aboriginal organisations receiving funding under Round 2 of the Aboriginal Culture and Healing Flood Recovery Grant Program. โœŠ๐Ÿพ

Ten diverse projects will support Aboriginal community-led healing and recovery โ€“ meeting flood-affected communitiesโ€™ psychological and wellbeing needs, mapping and restoring damaged Country, reconnecting with Country through workshops and cultural storytelling, and action planning to mitigate future flood impacts.

The Federation administers this program on behalf of Emergency Recovery Victoria, and were grateful to partner on such important work. 

Congratulations to:

Aboriginal Community Elder Service
Albury Wodonga Aboriginal Health Service
Bangerang Aboriginal Corporation
DJAARA
Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation
First People of the Millewa-Mallee Aboriginal Corporation 
Oonah Health & Community Services Aboriginal Corporation
Tati Tati Kaiejin
Wayapa Wuurrk
Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation

๐Ÿ‘‰๐Ÿพ Read more about the funded projects: bit.ly/4d4T2CW

We're thrilled to publicly announce the Aboriginal organisations receiving funding under Round 2 of the Aboriginal Culture and Healing Flood Recovery Grant Program. โœŠ๐Ÿพ

Ten diverse projects will support Aboriginal community-led healing and recovery โ€“ meeting flood-affected communitiesโ€™ psychological and wellbeing needs, mapping and restoring damaged Country, reconnecting with Country through workshops and cultural storytelling, and action planning to mitigate future flood impacts.

The Federation administers this program on behalf of Emergency Recovery Victoria, and we're grateful to partner on such important work.

Congratulations to:

Aboriginal Community Elder Service
Albury Wodonga Aboriginal Health Service
Bangerang Aboriginal Corporation
DJAARA
Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation
First People of the Millewa-Mallee Aboriginal Corporation
Oonah Health & Community Services Aboriginal Corporation
Tati Tati Kaiejin
Wayapa Wuurrk
Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation

๐Ÿ‘‰๐Ÿพ Read more about the funded projects: bit.ly/4d4T2CW
... See MoreSee Less

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