Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners

An Acknowledgement is different to a Welcome to Country. Find out which is appropriate.

What is an Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners?

An Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners, sometimes called an Acknowledgement of Country, is a way of paying respects to the Aboriginal Traditional Owners of the land on which a meeting or event is being held.

Anyone can give an Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners.

When is an Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners appropriate?

An Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners should be given at formal events, forums and functions. For example:

Government and Local Government meeting
conferences
school assemblies
concerts
board meetings
official openings.

The first speaker at an event (following a Welcome or in the absence of a Welcome) should give the Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners.

Subsequent speakers may also give an Acknowledgement.

Example wording for an Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners

In an area with formally recognised the Traditional Owners

Our meeting/conference/workshop is being held on the lands of the [Traditional Owner's name] people and I wish to acknowledge them as Traditional Owners.

I would also like to pay my respects to their Elders, past and present, and Aboriginal Elders of other communities who may be here today.

In an area where no Traditional Owners has been formally recognised

I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we are meeting. I pay my respects to their Elders, past and present, and the Aboriginal Elders of other communities who may be here today.

Are Traditional Owner corporations the same as Traditional Owner groups?

No. Traditional Owner corporations represent the group of Traditional Owners for that land.

There are currently 12 Formally Recognised Traditional Owner corporations covering approximately 77.5% of Victoria.

Traditional Owners group name should be acknowledged, not the name of the corporation.

Formally Recognised Traditional Owner corporations and Traditional Owner names

Formally Recognised Traditional Owner corporation	Traditional Owner name for Acknowledgements
Barengi Gadjin Land Council Aboriginal Corporation	Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagalk Nations
Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation	Bunurong People
Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation	Dja Dja Wurrung people
Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation	Eastern Maar People
First People of the Millewa-Mallee Aboriginal Corporation	First People of the Millewa-Mallee, being Latji Latji and Ngintait Traditional Owners
Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation	Gunaikurnai People
Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation	Gunditjmara People
Taungurung Land and Waters Council Aboriginal Corporation	Taungurung People
Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation	Wadawurrung People
Wamba Wemba Aboriginal Corporation(opens in a new window)	Wamba Wemba People
Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation	Wurundjeri People
Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation	Yorta Yorta People

How can I find out who are the formally recognised Traditional Owners?

The easiest way to find out is to consult the interactive map. In the map you can search for an area, a postcode or an address to find the formally recognised Traditional Owners.

Map of formally recognised Traditional Owners

Once you find the name of the Formally Recognised Traditional Owner corporation on the map, cross check it with the table below to find the Traditional Owner name.

Acknowledgements in plaques, signs, and email signatures

The Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners on plaques, signs, and email signatures are no different.

You should cross-check the location of the plaque, sign, or building in the map above to see if there is a formally recognised Traditional Owner corporation for that place.

Updated 2 June 2026