Traditional Owners of Melbourne CBD

The Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council (VAHC) has put forward a proposal to formally recognise and draw boundaries between Traditional Owners of a largely disputed area of inner Melbourne spanning roughly between Melbourne CBD in the north and as far south as Frankston. Official speeches made in the area to date acknowledge the overarching Kulin Nation rather than a specific group.  

Traditional Owners have a strong relationship to Country which is influenced by its landscape and its catchments. VAHC, who has the statuary authority to vary the registered boundaries, has drawn these proposed boundaries using rivers and other landmarks as a way of delineation.

Under this proposal, the land north of Birrarung (Yarra River) will be seen as Traditional Country of the Wurundjeri People while the area south of the river will be recognized as Traditional Country of Bunurong People.   

*Update* New boundary has been accepted by both parties proposed by VAHC. Starting 1^st of July 2021, the new boundary takes effect and the city’s centre will now have both Wurundjeri Country to the north and Bunurong Country to the south. This concludes four years of close discussion.  

Read more: https://www.aboriginalheritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/boundary-variations-consideration-june-2021

Source: https://www.aboriginalheritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-06/Proposal%20to%20vary%20registration%20of%20Wurundjeri%20Woi%20Wurrung%20Cultural%20Heritage%20070621.pdf

Map of formally recognized Traditional Owners: https://achris.vic.gov.au/weave/wca.html

Information on Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation: https://www.aboriginalheritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/bunurong-land-council-aboriginal-corporation

Information on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation: https://www.aboriginalheritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/wurundjeri-land-and-compensation-cultural-heritage-council-aboriginal-corporation

ABC reporting on announcement of agreement:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-26/melbourne-aboriginal-traditional-owners-bunurong-wurundjeri/100236480