Traditional Owners of the Mid North West, North East and Far East Gippsland
Engagement had a focus on conversations with Victorian Traditional Owner groups that are not recognised under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006, Native Title Act 1993 or Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010, located in three key regions of the State: Mid North West, North East and Far East Gippsland (in black, Map 1).
This focus acknowledges the current lack of government support and history of poor government engagement with Traditional Owner groups for these regions.
Other Traditional Owners and Country
Engagement also sought to hear from the 11 Traditional Owner groups with formal recognition across Victoria (in red, Map 1), acknowledging that these groups have foundational support priorities, and may have interests in the three regions and other areas without formal recognition, identified in yellow in Map 1.
The Victorian Government acknowledges the need to improve engagement in the areas identified in yellow, as well as in the Mid North West, North East and Far East Gippsland. This engagement process has sought to understand this need through an open approach and willingness to speak with all groups asserting interests in these areas. The feedback from groups with formal recognition set out in this report provides some information on the engagement issues in these areas, but further conversations are required.
Map 1. Formal Recognition in Victoria
Updated