Don’t know the name of the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People’s Country you live, learn or work on?
Don’t worry you’re not alone.
Many Australians have been let down by our education system in the same way. That’s what this campaign is striving to fix for future generations.
In the meantime, use this guide to Know Your Country.
How to find the name of the First Nations Country you are on.
Also referred to as the Traditional Custodians / Owners of the land you are on. If you are unsure of the name of the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Country you are on, here are some easy research tips. Try to use a few different reference points to find a consensus. Always prioritise information from authentic First Nations-controlled websites/ organisations first.
Web search “your suburb or local council name” + “Traditional Owners”.
Your local government area’s website should prominently acknowledge the traditional owners of your area - if it doesn’t, ask them to fix that ASAP!
If you live in Victoria, here’s a map of formally recognised Traditional Owners. Here is a list of Victoria's current Registered Aboriginal Corporations.
If you live in NSW, here’s a map from the NSW Aboriginal Land Council
Contact a First Nations Languages Group in your local area.
Consult the AIATSIS Map (1994) which attempts to represent the language, social or nation groups of Aboriginal Australia.
Prioritise search results that source First Nations Organisation websites such as Aboriginal Land Councils. Here’s Creative Spirit’s list.
