This week, join Council in celebrating NAIDOC Week 2020 by getting to know the Traditional Owners of Golden Plains Shire.
At the 2016 census, 204 members of the Golden Plains Shire community identified as being Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Golden Plains Shire is home to two Traditional Owner groups, who have lived within the region for more than 25,000 years.
The majority of what is now Golden Plains Shire is situated in Wadawurrung (Wathaurong) Country. The Wadawurrung are a recognised tribe (community) which consisted of some 25 clans (or family groups) that forms part of the Kulin Nation of Aboriginal people. The traditional boundaries of the Wadawurrung people span the coastline from the Werribee River to Lorne peninsula and traverse inland in a north westerly direction to Ballarat.
WADAWURRUNG TRADITIONAL OWNERS CORPORATION
WATHAURONG ABORIGINAL CO-OPERATIVE
While most of Golden Plains Shire is situated within Wadawurrung Country, parts of the Shire’s centre south-east of Rokewood belongs to the Eastern Marr people. The Eastern Maar are Traditional Owners of south-western Victoria and their land extends as far north as Ararat and encompasses the Warrnambool, Port Fairy and Great Ocean Road areas.
The Eastern Maar name has been adopted by the people who identify as Maar, Eastern Gunditjmara, Tjap Wurrung, Peek Whurrong, Kirrae Whurrung, Kuurn Kopan Noot and/or Yarro waetch (Tooram Tribe) amongst others.
EASTERN MAAR ABORIGINAL CORPORATION
NAIDOC Week 2020 runs until Sunday 15 November. To learn more about NAIDOC Week, click here.
