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Australian Aborigines - Melbourne's Wurundjeri People

Australian aborigines differ around Australia. Australia is comprised of many Aboriginal "nations". The Wurundjeri people lived in the Birrarung Valley (now named the Yarra) which includes Melbourne. The Wurundjeri territory extended from north of the Great Dividing Range, east to Mount Baw Baw, south to Mordialloc Creek and West to the Werribee River. Their lands were bordered by the Gunai people in the east of Victoria, the Bunurong people to the south on the Mornington Peninsula and the Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurong people to the north.

Before European settlement of Melbourne, the Wurundjeri people lived sustainably on the land for up to 40,000 years, mainly as hunters and gatherers.

Language

Wurundjeri people speak the Woiwurrung language. The word "Wurundjeri" comes from the Manna Gum tree which is common along the Yarra.

Flag

The Australian Aboriginal flag (on right) was originally designed as a protest flag for the land rights movement and it has become an important symbol for Australian aborigines. The flag is a yellow circle on black and red horizontal strips. It was designed by Harold Thomas in 1971.

Many public buildings now fly both the Aboriginal and Australian flags.

Traditional Names

Wurundjeri traditionally have names representing places and animals. For example, "Wonga" means pigeon, "Bullum Bullum" means butterfly, and "Murrindindi" means mountain home.

Aboriginal Australias from south-eastern Australia, including Melbourne, call themselves "Koorie" originating from the Eora term for 'man'.

Spiritual beliefs

Like many other Aboriginal nations, Wurundjeri beliefs are based on a creation story known as the Dreamtime when the creator ancestors, known as the First Peoples, travelled across the land, creating and naming. Australian Aborigines have an oral tradiition and they revere the land. The Dreaming is both the ancient time of creation and also the present day reality of Dreaming. The major symbolic spirits of the Wurundjeri are Bunjil the Eaglehawk, Bunbeal the rainbow spirit aand Waang the Crow.

Bunjil is the supreme creator spirit, who taught the Wurundjeri people all the important life skills.

Significant places in Melbourne

Burial sites and meeting sites are considered significant by aboriginal Australians. Some important sites in Melbourne include:

Kings Domain Resting Place - burial site

Queen Victoria Market - burial site

Jolimont - gathering site

Fitzroy Gardens - scarred tree (picture on left). The scar was created when Aboriginal people removed bark to make canoes, shields, food and water containers, string, baby carriers and other items.

Birrarung - now known as the Yarra River, it was a major food source and meeting place.

Please respect these sites. It is important to the Wurundjeri people as traditional custodians of the land and is part of the heritage of all Australians. All Aboriginal cultural sites are protected by law.

Wurundjeri now

There are now 31,000 Victorians who identify themselves as Koorie.

Sadly, most Victorians do not know much about the Aboriginal history of Melbourne, and it is still not given the attention that Melbourne's European settlement received.

While you are in Melbourne, be sure to include a visit to the Koorie Heritage Trust Cultural Centre at 295 King Street, Melbourne (corner Little Lonsdale Street). The Cultural Centre includes galleries featuring Koorie artists and a history of Koorie people, including guided cultural tours. They also have a gift shop featuring Koorie artworks and products. For more information, visit their website.