Home - Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations

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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Animals

Climate

Closing the Gap

Cultural Landscapes

Fire

Heritage

Plants

Water

Workforce Development Strategy

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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Aboriginal Culture and Healing Flood Recovery Grant Program

Closing the Gap

Country-based planning services

First Principles Review

Nation Building Knowledge Sharing Day

Nation-building

Rights

Treaty

Workforce Development Strategy

Economy

Economic development supports community wellbeing and is critical to enabling self-determination.

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Aboriginal-owned joint ventures

Closing the Gap

Economic Development Roadmap

Indigenous preferential procurement

Local government

Native foods and botanicals business grants

Native foods and botanicals strategy

Renewable energy

Victorian Aboriginal economic development

Workforce Development Strategy

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.

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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10 Year Anniversary

Contact Us

Federation Enterprises

Memberships

Our Partners

Strategic Documents

Welcome to Country

Resources

Discussion papers

Information sheets

Publications

Connect with us on social media

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Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations

2 days ago

Do you talk about Treaty in your work? Heres training to build your confidence, land key messages, and debunk disinformation!

Were hosting a free, one-hour training workshop for Traditional Owner organisation spokespeople and communications staff talking about Treaty – drawing on research into what everyday Victorians think about Treaty, and how to communicate in ways that build confidence and support.

🗯️ learn how to use tested frames and messages that resonate with persuadable Victorians
🗯️ communicate in ways that engage supporters while ensuring everyday Victorians feel comfortable with Treaty
🗯️ apply strategies to inoculate against misinformation and respond effectively to opposition narratives.

Theres online and in-person options over the next two weeks for the training, which will be offered multiple times on different days and at different times, for flexibility.

RSVP now to secure your spot 👉🏾 bit.ly/3HYSuV9

Do you talk about Treaty in your work? Here's training to build your confidence, land key messages, and debunk disinformation!

We're hosting a free, one-hour training workshop for Traditional Owner organisation spokespeople and communications staff talking about Treaty – drawing on research into what everyday Victorians think about Treaty, and how to communicate in ways that build confidence and support.

🗯️ learn how to use tested frames and messages that resonate with persuadable Victorians
🗯️ communicate in ways that engage supporters while ensuring everyday Victorians feel comfortable with Treaty
🗯️ apply strategies to inoculate against misinformation and respond effectively to opposition narratives.

There's online and in-person options over the next two weeks for the training, which will be offered multiple times on different days and at different times, for flexibility.

RSVP now to secure your spot 👉🏾 bit.ly/3HYSuV9 ... See MoreSee Less

Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations

2 days ago

What’s our team working on this week? 💡

Here’s a glimpse into a working week for some of the Federation’s team.

Gabby’s leading the charge on our final report for the Aboriginal Culture and Healing Flood Recovery Grant program, distilling rich information about the impact of the 16 Aboriginal community-led projects in an easy-to-read way.

Kurt’s working with Lisa – our new senior advisor in natural resources management – on the agenda, policy papers and calendar invitation for the 25 attendees of the next Cultural Fire Leadership Group meeting in October.

Reece is working with the economists scoping out a piece of work that would figure out the core funding needed to sustainably operate as a Victorian Traditional Owner corporation.

Ken’s working with our new accountants on our payments schedule and bringing in armloads of homegrown lemons to the office.

Daniel and Steph are getting stuck into actions from Monday’s TOC Caucus meeting, progressing an approach to benefit-sharing in critical minerals mining and some work on water policy – and Steph’s resting her hands after diligently minuting eight hours of Caucus meeting!

And Jill’s just back from two weeks’ leave in north-west Victoria – we’re happy to have her and her photos (like this beautiful shot of Direl at sunrise) home!

What’s our team working on this week? 💡

Here’s a glimpse into a working week for some of the Federation’s team.

Gabby’s leading the charge on our final report for the Aboriginal Culture and Healing Flood Recovery Grant program, distilling rich information about the impact of the 16 Aboriginal community-led projects in an easy-to-read way.

Kurt’s working with Lisa – our new senior advisor in natural resources management – on the agenda, policy papers and calendar invitation for the 25 attendees of the next Cultural Fire Leadership Group meeting in October.

Reece is working with the economists scoping out a piece of work that would figure out the core funding needed to sustainably operate as a Victorian Traditional Owner corporation.

Ken’s working with our new accountants on our payments schedule and bringing in armloads of homegrown lemons to the office.

Daniel and Steph are getting stuck into actions from Monday’s TOC Caucus meeting, progressing an approach to benefit-sharing in critical minerals mining and some work on water policy – and Steph’s resting her hands after diligently minuting eight hours of Caucus meeting!

And Jill’s just back from two weeks’ leave in north-west Victoria – we’re happy to have her and her photos (like this beautiful shot of Direl at sunrise) home! ... See MoreSee Less

Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations

4 days ago

Grant alert! 🌱

If youre raising native plants and want to contribute to the Victorian Governments efforts to reforest 200,000 hectares of land across the state, good new: theres $3 million over three years for the successfully funded projects that will increase supply of Victorian woody native seeds and seedlings for BushBank reforestation.

Applications close 1 September.

Learn more 👉🏾 https://www.environment.vic.gov.au/grants/bushbank-seed-sector-grant

Grant alert! 🌱

If you're raising native plants and want to contribute to the Victorian Government's efforts to reforest 200,000 hectares of land across the state, good new: there's $3 million over three years for the successfully funded projects that will increase supply of Victorian woody native seeds and seedlings for BushBank reforestation.

Applications close 1 September.

Learn more 👉🏾 https://environment.vic.gov.au/grants/… ... See MoreSee Less

Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations

5 days ago

Goodbye for now (not forever!) to our lovely Tanya 🥲

Today was Tanyas last day at the Federation after more than four years dedicated to Traditional Owner-led care for Country.

Tanya was our principal advisor in natural resources management, and was integral in so much significant work: implementing and evaluating the Cultural Landscapes Strategy, overseeing the Traditional Owner Game Management Strategy, contributing visionary policy thinking on biodiversity, wildlife, conservation, and Indigenous Protected Areas, and persistently, stubbornly advocating for Traditional Owner groups to be resourced and respected to heal and manage Country, every day.

Where Traditional Owner worldviews guiding land management decision-making was a novel idea for governments five years ago, its now a perspective respected in land and waterway management. Tanyas played a part in that.

And shes been a wonderfully warm, supportive and fiercely feminist colleague, whose company well miss.

Tanya leaves the Federation to dedicate herself totally to her business, and well miss her – but suspect this might be a case of see you later, not goodbye for good.

Thank you, Tanya! 🤍

Goodbye for now (not forever!) to our lovely Tanya 🥲

Today was Tanya's last day at the Federation after more than four years dedicated to Traditional Owner-led care for Country.

Tanya was our principal advisor in natural resources management, and was integral in so much significant work: implementing and evaluating the Cultural Landscapes Strategy, overseeing the Traditional Owner Game Management Strategy, contributing visionary policy thinking on biodiversity, wildlife, conservation, and Indigenous Protected Areas, and persistently, stubbornly advocating for Traditional Owner groups to be resourced and respected to heal and manage Country, every day.

Where Traditional Owner worldviews guiding land management decision-making was a novel idea for governments five years ago, it's now a perspective respected in land and waterway management. Tanya's played a part in that.

And she's been a wonderfully warm, supportive and fiercely feminist colleague, whose company we'll miss.

Tanya leaves the Federation to dedicate herself totally to her business, and we'll miss her – but suspect this might be a case of see you later, not goodbye for good.

Thank you, Tanya! 🤍 ... See MoreSee Less

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