Cultural events and places

We recognise key Aboriginal events to celebrate culture and recognise cultural places of significance at a number of locations across the City.

We recognise key Aboriginal events to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and improve understanding and awareness of Aboriginal needs. We also celebrate cultural places of significance at a number of locations across the City.

We host Aboriginal key events such as Sorry Day, NAIDOC Week and Reconciliation Week which are all aligned to the national calendar of Aboriginal events. We also celebrate a local event, Wurundjeri Week, which recognises the Traditional Owners of Darebin the Wurundjeri people. Wurundjeri Week is a relatively new celebration and is aligned to the local Melbourne Aboriginal schedule of events.

Celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture through specific festivals contribute to our commitment to improve understanding and awareness of Aboriginal needs, both for staff and for the community. It contributes specifically to the understanding that issues of importance to the Aboriginal community, including culture and heritage are to be respected recognised and commemorated. It also provides non-indigenous people an opportunity to participate in indigenous activities.

Aboriginal Art collection

Council's Darebin Art Collection features an exciting collection of artwork from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists in Darebin.

The Aboriginal Art Collection catalogue features a selection of the many powerful Aboriginal artworks held in the Darebin Art Collection.

Go to the Darebin Arts website to view the collection.

Spiritual Healing Trail at Darebin Parklands

The spiritual healing Trail is located at the Darebin Parklands in Alphington. The trail was a gift from the Aboriginal community as a gesture of Reconciliation. The Spiritual Healing trail aims to promote good health and wellbeing by providing a sense of connection to the land. The trail was established by Aboriginal Elder, the late Uncle Reg Blow in partnership with us. See Spiritual Healing Trail Map(PDF, 124KB).

Stolen Generation Marker

The Stolen Generation Marker is a project initiated by the Aboriginal Advisory Committee. It gives recognition to members of the Aboriginal community whose lives have been affected by the assimilationist policies of previous governments when Aboriginal children were taken away from their families and fostered to White Australian families. The impact of such policies has been devastating and still felt down the generations of today. The importance of this Marker is very significant and was launched on Sorry Day 2015.

Cultural events