Contacts Directory

Community organisations

Koolin Balit Babaneek Booboop Early Years Project

Promotes the health and developmental outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 0-8. Provides support for children to engage in Playgroups, Kindergarten and School. Supports children in attending local Maternal and Child Health checks, immunisation and Paediatric assessments. Provides antenatal support to pregnant mothers. Links children and families to other support services.

Contact: Charry on 8746 1100

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Nurses at Djerriwarrh Health

Support with Close the Gap Health Checks, chronic disease, referrals to other health and community services.

Contact: Gill Thatcher and Jenny Cope on 8746 1124

Kirrip Aboriginal Community House - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community programs:

26 Exford Road, Melton South

• Men's cultural group
• Youth cultural group
• Women's group
• Homework group
• Supported Playgroup
• Carers Group
• Elders/Seniors Group
• Drivers Education Program
• Family Therapist

For more information, visit Kirrip Aboriginal Corporation

Please direct all Kirrip Aboriginal Community House enquiries to:

Kirrip Aboriginal Corporation
Email: yaama@kirripaboriginalcorporation.org 
Phone: 03 8088 0764
Website: Kirrip Aboriginal Corporation

Chairperson
Email: kirrip.chairperson@outlook.com

Local Aboriginal Networks (LANS)

Community network group which meets in Melton every 2 months.

Deborah Evans
Phone: 03 9665 9507
Email: deborah.evans@dpc.vic.gov.au

Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA)

The Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency is a state-wide Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation servicing children, young people, families, and community members.  

43 Bakery Square, Melton
Monday to Friday: 9am - 5pm
Ph: 8746 2776

Section 19 of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Charter protects cultural rights, and section 19(2) focuses on Aboriginal cultural rights, which are the right for Aboriginal people to:

• Enjoy their identity and culture,
• Maintain and use their language,
• Maintain their kinship ties, and
• Maintain their distinct spiritual, material and economic relationship with the land and waters and other resources with which they have a connection under traditional laws and customs.

Under the Charter, all public authorities must consider the cultural rights of Aboriginal people in their work. Aboriginal people can assert these rights if they are concerned they are not being considered.  Sometimes, these rights can be limited, as long as the limits are lawful, reasonable and proportionate.

Please see the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Resources Commission website for more information.

A Welcome to Country is a cultural practice a traditional owner may conduct when someone visits their country.  The visitor may be there for business or recreation. The ceremony is intended to communicate the agreed behaviours while that person is visiting, and to make visitors feel welcome and included. The agreed behaviour you will be asked to accept are always about respect for five essential components of Aboriginal communities, land, culture, community as a group, other people and yourself. Only traditional owners can perform a Welcome to Country. 

If you are the recipient of a Welcome to Country at an event, it is good custom and practice to thank the speaker, acknowledge the Welcome and agree to abide by the expected behaviours. 

If there is no Welcome to Country being performed, any person can acknowledge Country before a meeting or when they arrive for a holiday, as a demonstration of respect to the Aboriginal community of that area.  

There are a number of sites of cultural significance in the City of Melton, and throughout the west metropolitan area of Melbourne. Within Melton, there is Mt Cottrell, considered to be the site of a massacre. There is also the Sunbury Rings and the You Yangs, both of which have cultural sites you can visit.

Cultural Heritage work undertaken by Aboriginal Victoria focuses on protecting areas of cultural significance to Aboriginal communities. To become involved in cultural heritage management, traditional owner groups can apply to Aboriginal Victoria to be recognised as the Registered Aboriginal Party for that area. If established as a Registered Aboriginal Party, the group must be consulted on any work that is performed on that land, for example, building roads, bridges or houses.

Once contacted, a Cultural Heritage Officer will undertake a Cultural Heritage Assessment, and if the site has significant evidence of an historical Aboriginal community presence, a cultural heritage management plan may need to be developed. There are a number of Registered Aboriginal Parties and traditional owner groups for the City of Melton.

If you need information on the appropriate steps to take to consult on a cultural heritage matter, please visit the Aboriginal Victoria website.