Allan Murray Snr

Uncle Allan Murray Senior was born in Mooroopna in 1956. He is a proud descendant of the Duduroa/Yorta Yorta through his mother and is of Wamba Wamba descent through his father’s ancestry. His mother Merle was born in Echuca, Victoria, and his father Reg Murray in Moulamein, New South Wales. Uncle Allan is the third youngest of 7 siblings. He is the proud husband of Jenny, father of 4 children Derek, Allan Jnr, Matt and Leela, and grandfather of 12. 

When Uncle Allan was a child, his family lived in Mooroopna at Dashers Paddock for a short period. They then moved around to Swan Hill, Nyah and Tooleybuc to follow seasonal work. His family also assisted in keeping local kids safe from the authorities who were stealing children under the Aborigines Protection Act. This would later be known as the Stolen Generations. According to Uncle Allan, the message stick was used very strongly in those days. When his parents heard about the authorities, they moved on to Balranald, New South Wales, where they lived on the river in a big army tent. After years of living on the riverbank, they were offered a house.   

Uncle Allan attended Balranald Central School until he completed school at 15 years old. He also did seasonal work with his parents and soon moved to Melbourne at the age of 17 to do an apprenticeship in furniture making. He was then offered a labouring job back home in Balranald, where he worked with Elders at Balranald Shire Council for a short time before moving on to the sawmill to work as a sleeper cutter.  

Uncle Allan moved to Albury with his wife Jenny and 1-year old son Derek in 1981 where he worked in civil construction with his older brother for several years. Albury is where Uncle Allan began to connect more deeply to his culture. Uncle Allan completed a Certificate IV in Aboriginal Site Conservation at Riverina Environment Centre in Thurgoona, New South Wales.  

Uncle Allan has resided on his ancestral Duduroa lands in the Wodonga region since 2003. Since returning to Country, he has experienced a renewed sense of purpose, dedicating himself to enhancing his cultural knowledge and skills to foster a safer environment for his people. His goal is to educate the broader community, encouraging understanding and better connections with Aboriginal communities.

Uncle Allan has been leading and advancing Aboriginal affairs in the Wodonga region for over 30 years. He has been instrumental in the revival of cultural practices and knowledge in the north-east of Victoria. His knowledge is retained in many short films that connect with and educate the community. As a result, he is highly regarded for his passion to educate others. 

Uncle Allan was the first Duduroa man to reintroduce cultural fire practice to his traditional land. He contributed his knowledge and understanding of environmental management to help educate people on how to manage land for a better biodiverse environment. He has also informed water authorities on better management of water and understanding of cultural flows. This has been a source of pride to him and his family.  

Uncle Allan has been a strong advocate for justice, health, education and employment due to some of the unfortunate events he has witnessed. With his wisdom, passion and leadership he has empowered his family and wider community to challenge themselves on their connection to Country and their understanding of Aboriginal affairs.  

Uncle Allan has served on many voluntary advisory committees and leadership groups, challenging them on their participation in promoting justice and self-determination for Aboriginal people. Examples of his work include working with the Department of Education and Training in Victoria, Wodonga Council, North East Water and being a founding member of Burraja Indigenous Cultural and Environmental Discovery Centre.  

Uncle Allan takes great pride in his identity and cultural heritage. He has exerted relentless effort to secure a better and more prosperous life for both his immediate and extended family. Through his work with Burraja, he has established a foundation that empowers not only his own children and grandchildren, but the whole local community. 

He has championed and continues to play an integral role in the north-east region’s cultural heritage due to his knowledge and expertise. He is highly regarded across all jurisdictions from state and Federal MPs to members of the local council, senior people within government departments, principals, universities, TAFEs, schools and sporting clubs.  

Uncle Allan’s genuine passion to further educate the wider society is an inspiration. His legacy is a testament to his tireless work to help create culturally safe spaces for his community.