Overview
Aboriginal culture continues to adapt and evolve, 60,000 years after it began.
While Victoria is home to ancient rock art and the world's oldest aquaculture system at Budj Bim, Melbourne's urban environment has a culture just as strong. Australia's First Peoples have many stories to tell, and continue to share their culture in the heart of the city.
Experiences in Melbourne
Victorian Aboriginal culture is diverse. In Melbourne, you can learn about traditional cultural concepts and ways, and dive deeper to uncover some of the city's most revered places of significance, while engaging with locals who carry tradition into modern lives and cultural practice.
Modern story-telling practices illuminate a contemporary understanding of Aboriginal life, including the impact of colonisation, survival and land rights, and continue the oral histories of previous generations.
Take a tour
Learn more about the stories of Victorian Aboriginal peoples through Melbourne's urban Aboriginal experiences. Tours with the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Melbourne Museum and the Koorie Heritage Trust are great places to start, as is the Royal Botanic Gardens Aboriginal Heritage Walk. Download the Yalinguth First Nations augmented audio app for a guided walking tour experience.
A taste of culture
Enrich your experience at Melbourne's art galleries and institutions – including The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia – which play an important role in showcasing Aboriginal art, both traditional and contemporary.
Get a taste of traditional Indigenous ingredients at Torres Strait Islander–owned and run Big Esso by Mabu Mabu at Federation Square. Under chef Nornie Bero, Mabu Mabu specialises in using native Australian ingredients and gives these flavours the starring role they deserve.
South of the Yarra River in Windsor, pop in to Aboriginal-owned and operated bar Interlude. Take your pick of inventive plates and cocktails made with native ingredients sourced from First Nations suppliers.
