Koorie Heritage Trust Annual Report 2016 – 2017 Contents www.koorieheritagetrust.com Page 2 Wominjeka/Welcome: Vision and Purpose

ABN 72 534 020 156 Page 4 Chairperson’s Report The Koorie Heritage Trust acknowledges and pays respect to the Traditional Custodians of Page 6 Report of the Chief Executive Officer on whose lands we are located.

Warning: Aboriginal and are Page 10 Our Programs advised that this document may contain the names Koorie Family History Service and/or images of people who have passed away. Cultural Education Terminology: The word Koorie is commonly used to describe Aboriginal people of South East ; Retail and Venue Hire however, we recognise the diversity of Aboriginal Curatorial Activities people living throughout including Koories and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) Exhibitions people from around Australia. We have used the terms Aboriginal and Koorie in parts of the report to include all people of ATSI descent. Page 32 Activities: Advocacy and Research

Cover Image: Greg Muir (Yorta Yorta) Page33 Donors and Supporters Travelling Our Ancestor’s Land 2016 acrylic on canvas. Private Collection Design: Darren Sylvester Page 36 Governance Editor: Virginia Fraser Publication Co-ordinator: Michael Kane Page 38 Staff Text: Koorie Heritage Trust staff Page 40 Farewell Uncle Len Tregonning Page 42 Financial Report Wominjeka/Welcome: Vision and Purpose

Our Vision To live in a society where Aboriginal culture and history are a fundamental part of Victorian life.

Our Purpose To promote, support and celebrate the continuing journey of the Aboriginal people of South Eastern Australia.

Our Motto Gnokan Danna Murra Kor-ki Give me your hand my friend.

Our Values Respect, honesty, reciprocity, curiosity.

Our Centre Provides a unique environment, rich in culture, heritage and history, which welcomes and encourages Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people to come together in the spirit of learning and reconciliation.

Our Governance We are a not-for-profit Incorporated Association governed by the Trust’s Rules of Association and by a Board of Management.

STRATEGIC GOALS STRENGTHEN our relationships with Victorian Aboriginal Communities PROMOTE and celebrate our continuing living Victorian Aboriginal culture EXTEND OUR REACH AND ENHANCE our visitors’ experience DEVELOP our people and capabilities

Entrance wall to the new Koorie Heritage Trust on Level 1, Yarra Building. Photo: James Murcia, 2015

2 Chairperson’s Report Ian Hamm

Wominjeka – Welcome

I am pleased to present the Koorie Heritage together in unity and to share their culture and I pay special tribute to my fellow Board Finally, a very big thank you to all members of the Trust’s Annual Report outlining our activities histories with the broader public. It is a place for members Shannon Faulkhead (Deputy Chair), Koorie and broader Indigenous communities in and operations in the twelve months from 1 July all to experience, learn, and connect with the Peter Nash (Treasurer), Genevieve Grieves, Victoria who visited the Trust or attended one of 2016 to 30 June 2017. First Nations people of this country. Tim Kanoa, Mick Harding and Lindy Blashki our many programs during the year. You are key and Tom Mosby our CEO and his staff for their stakeholders and crucial to our future success. At the Koorie Heritage Trust, we support, Our activities this year would not have been commitment, dedication and hard work in Gnokan Danna Murra Kor-ki, Give Me Your Hand promote and celebrate the diversity of possible without the help of the Victorian building on the success of our move from King My Friend, and let us celebrate together the Aboriginal Victorian peoples and communities. Government including the Honourable Martin Street to Federation Square. history, culture and peoples of Koorie Victoria. Our vision is to live in a society where Aboriginal Foley MP, Minister for Creative Industries, and culture and history are a fundamental part of the Honourable Natalie Hutchins MP, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. Original metal trees from the ground and first floor permanent exhibition space at 295 King Street integrated Victorian life and, through our values of Respect, into the foyer of the new Koorie Heritage Trust on Level 1, Yarra Building. Photo: James Murcia, 2015 Honesty, Reciprocity and Curiosity, we aim to provide a unique environment that encourages I particularly acknowledge the support of and welcomes all people to come together in Andrew Abbott, Deputy Secretary, Creative and the spirit of learning and reconciliation. Visitor Economies and Chief Executive, Creative Victoria his staff and executives including Jane We enter this year as a bold, adventurous Crawley, Director, Arts Investment, Creative twenty-first century organisation, as an inclusive Victoria and the funding provided through place for everyone, and as a space promoting Creative Victoria’s Organisational Investment and celebrating the continuing journey of Program. We also greatly appreciate the Aboriginal Victorian communities informed support of Aboriginal Victoria’s Executive by a 60,000-year-old collective history. In Director, Jason Mifsud and his staff and his delivering our programs and services, and in department’s Community Support Fund, which all the work we do, we aim to be the foremost financially backs our Koorie Family History Aboriginal owned and managed art and Service, Oral History Program and operational culture organisation in Australia, and to be activities. I gratefully acknowledge the Federal known for meaningful, authentic community Ministry for the Arts and its Indigenous Visual and stakeholder engagement that responds Arts Industry Support, Indigenous Culture to the needs and aspirations of our Victorian Support and Indigenous Languages and Arts Aboriginal communities. programs. We receive invaluable, on-going assistance from the City of Melbourne including We acknowledge that Aboriginal Victoria is through their Triennial Arts Grants Program, a dispersed population located all around which enables us to plan and deliver exhibitions the State, with our communities including in an innovative, long-term visual arts program. Australian Indigenous people from other parts of the country. Victoria has a net immigration, We are registered as a tax-deductible gift not emigration, of both Aboriginal and recipient and, as a not for profit organisation, Torres Strait Islander Australians. For the rely on our wide and committed network bulk of our population, our connection to of generous friends, donors and sponsors traditional identity, while physically removed, including our Moogji Club members. I thank is undiminished and an important part of our them all for their on-going contribution to contemporary life. The centre of identity for the important work we do on reconciliation, most of us may be our current place-based bridging the gap between Koories and the wider location, but the heart of our identity is the community. I especially acknowledge the bequest traditional/spiritual identity of the lands of our left to the Trust by the late Norma Gleeson. Her ancestors; however, many, if not most of us, do legacy is a lasting testament to her advocacy not live ‘on country’. At the Trust, we offer a of Aboriginal rights and her work helping space for our various communities to come Aboriginal organisations achieve their aims.

4 5 Report of the Chief Executive Officer Tom Mosby

Wominjeka – Welcome last twelve months, these included workshops standard handling procedures maximise Biganga, Gaiyimarr Biganga); and Eucalypt for kids – banner making with Arika Waulu, protection for the collection. Australia (Weaving the Waterways: Women and The first of July 2016 marked the one year and stamp making with the Pitcha Makin Fellas from Fishing). one day anniversary of our physical residency land in Ballarat and weaving with May 2017 marked the twentieth anniversary in the Yarra Building premises, and 19 July the Donna Blackall, plus school holiday programs of the 1997 Bringing Them Home Report, A well-functioning database is a key tool for one-year anniversary of the official launch of and sports events, ¬¬curator talks and a live which resulted from the National Inquiry into organisations such as ours and I thank the the Koorie Heritage Trust at Federation Square. 3CR broadcast hosted by Viv Malo in the Trust the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait R E Ross Trust whose grant in the last year As an organisation, we are certainly seeing the galleries, poetry readings, weaving workshops for Islander Children from their Families. Our Koorie supported on-going development of the client positive results of our move with continually adults with Bronwyn Razem, Donna Blackall, and Family History Service was established in 2001 relationship management database used in in all increasing visitor numbers and deeper Marilyne Nicholls, among many other events. as part of the Victorian State Government’s aspects of our business. engagement with our programs and services by response to the report. Managed by Jenny Bates, both the Aboriginal and broader communities In other partnerships, in October 2016 as part the Koorie Family History Service continued their We receive continuing and highly valued of the Victorian Seniors Festival, we presented invaluable work throughout the year, assisting support from the Norma Gleeson Bequest. This From the outset, I want to acknowledge the with the Department of Health and Human members of the Stolen Generations and the year, interest from the Bequest contributed to wonderful work of Trust staff and our Board Services recorded oral histories from . Victorian Koorie Community to trace their purchases of artworks for our Collection. In of Management who provided me with In August 2016, we contributed to Belonging family trees and family history. previous years, the Norma Gleeson Bequest outstanding support and guidance throughout and Place, an installation in Federation Square enabled us to rehouse, register and catalogue the last twelve months. telling the story of multicultural Victoria. This Our Education Team, under the management the Lisa Bellear collection of photographs, and public event was developed with the Office of of Rob Hyatt, again delivered outstanding this work contributed to our ability to present During the year, we presented six exhibitions Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship supported cultural educational experiences and services Close to You: The Lisa Bellear Picture Show, promoting and celebrating the unique by a network of multicultural museums to school, corporate, public sector and not-for- which closed during this report period. creative Indigenous talent we have in Victoria. comprising the Chinese, Jewish, Hellenic, profit groups as well as to the general public. Showcasing work in a diverse range of media Italian and Islamic Museums. The Trust was I congratulate Rob and his team of cultural I greatly appreciate the continued dedication including photography, installation, emu egg approached to be lead curator and contributed guides and educators for growing the number and support of staff and managers, Jenny Bates carving, weaving, possum skin cloak making, images of objects in our Collection. On the last of participants in our Education program – a (Koorie Family History Service), Charlotte net making, painting, sculpture and projection. weekend of July 2016, we participated in the reflection of the program’s quality and the Christie (Collections, Exhibitions and Public Our commissioned exhibitions were “Close City of Melbourne’s Open House Melbourne for team’s expertise. Programs), Judy Allsop (Retail, Venue Hire to You: The Lisa Bellear Picture Show” with the second time since we moved to Federation and Front of House), Rob Hyatt (Education), guest curators Destiny Deacon, Virginia Fraser Square – an opportunity to show off our Our retail outlet, shop KOORIE, continues to Giacomina Pradolin (General Manager to 14 and Kim Kruger, “Carved Out of Life: The Next building’s unique and beautiful Indigenous- stock products that are designed and/or crafted October 2016) and Michael Kane (Business / Generation” with guest curator Clinton Nain, inspired interior, fitted out in a collaboration by Victorian Aboriginal artists and craftspeople. General Manager from 10 January 2017). I thank “Yanbena biganga, gaiyimarr biganga : Stitching between Lyons Architecture and Indigenous Through shop KOORIE, we directly benefit the many guest curators, artists and volunteers Together the Songlines” by artist and guest Architecture and Design Victoria. the South Eastern Australian Aboriginal who worked with us. curator Lee Darroch, “Weaving the Waterways: community through a retail model that enables Women and Fishing” by artist and guest curator We continue to build on our unique holdings financial return to creative practitioners while During the year, we said goodbye to a number Glenda Nicholls, and “The Blak Matriarchy” by art of Aboriginal art and cultural objects from contributing to our own viability. All profits of staff members who resigned from the Trust collective Real Blak Tingz represented by artists Victoria. Our collections are significant, from the shop support the Trust and its core to pursue other opportunities – Mary Mahoney and co-curators Gabi Briggs and Arika Waulu. In extensive and irreplaceable, and consist of pre- programs and services. (Finance Officer), Nerissa Broben (Senior December 2016, we presented, in partnership contact, historic and contemporary items. The Collections Curator), Jan Duffy (Exhibitions with Creative Victoria, the fourth edition of collections provide a tangible link connecting In addition to our key government exhibition Co-ordinator), Naomi Velaphi (Public Program the Koorie Art Show, our annual showcase of our community to the past and assists in supporters (Creative Victoria and the City Co-ordinator) and Kate Campbell and Lionel Victorian Indigenous art talent. Several monetary building Aboriginal identity and pride into the of Melbourne), I acknowledge the invaluable Bamblett (Genealogists/Researchers). I thank prizes were generously sponsored by Creative future. Our collections are maintained and support received from our various exhibition them for their contribution to the work of Victoria, RMIT University, Kane Constructions and documented in accordance with collection sponsors throughout the year: the Office of the Trust. Many thanks also to Giacomina our Moogji Club supporters. management policies and procedures based Indigenous Strategy and Education at Latrobe Pradolin (General Manager) for her outstanding on the principles of preventive conservation. University, the Faculty of Arts at The University contribution and support, particularly her The Trust’s exhibitions program is Our new storeroom at Federation Square is of Melbourne and Moondani Balluk Academic project management of the Federation Square complemented throughout the year by an climate regulated and stabilised at conservation Unit at Victoria University (Close to You: The Lisa development and seamless relocation of the innovative series of public programs featuring temperature. Humidity control, integrated pest Bellear Picture Show); Regional Arts Australia organisation from King Street. During the year, workshops, artist talks and symposiums. In the management, disaster planning and museum- (Stitching Together the Songlines: Yanbena we welcomed new staff members – Michael

6 7 Kane (Business/General Manager), Eva Taxidis (Finance Officer), and Zenzi Clark (Koorie Art Show Exhibitions and Public Program Officer).

Sadly, we said our final farewell to Uncle Lenny Tregonning who left us to be with his ancestors in early 2017. Lenny will always be remembered by us as a cultural educator, teacher, artist and much-loved and respected elder, mentor, guide and friend. Vale Uncle Lenny Tregonning. You are and will always be sorely missed.

Testimonial A massive ‘Thank You’ to Jenny Bates and the rest of the team at the Koorie Heritage Trust for the time and effort put in to present me with my family tree. The amount of information gathered over the past 10 (plus) years has been amazing and is greatly appreciated. This is something I will cherish and will enable me to pass on to my son and future family members. Forever grateful, Troy Renfrey

Kat Clarke, Koorie Art Show, Indigenous Engagement Officer, in the library of the new Koorie Heritage Trust, Level 3, Yarra Building. Photo: James Murcia, 2015

8 Our Programs

Client Requests Professional Development Acknowledgements Koorie Family In 2016-2017, the KFHS received 284 new KFHS supports its staff to take up professional KFHS staff would like to thank the following History Service requests for family trees and family history memberships to assist their development as individuals and organisations for all the information, averaging 24 new requests per researchers and genealogists. All KFHS staff support and assistance they have provided This year marks the twentieth anniversary of month, and provided a service to 1038 clients, are full members of the Genealogical Society of to our research staff and clients in the last the 1997 Bringing Them Home Report, which an increase of 20 clients over 2015-2016. At Victoria (GSV), and our Research staff regularly year – counsellors at Bringing Them Home; resulted from the National Inquiry into the the end of the 2016-17 financial year, the Family participate in training sessions at the GSV and caseworkers at Link-up, Connecting Home Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait History team was actively researching 651 the State Library of Victoria (SLV). and VACCA; the Department of Human Islander Children from their Families. The Trust’s client requests, had completed research on Services – Family Information Networks and Koorie Family History Service (KFHS) was a further 198 requests (an increase of 24 over In May 2016, the KFHS team spent a week Discovery; the NSW Department of Family established in 2001, as part of the Victorian State total completed requests in 2015-2016), with the in meeting staff and undertaking and Community Services; the Koorie Records Government’s response to recommendations remaining 189 requests awaiting activation when research at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Unit at the Public Record Office of Victoria; the of the Bringing Them Home Report. the client application forms are completed and and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres returned to KFHS. and the National Library of Australia (NLA). At Strait Islander Studies; Open Place; Victorian Through its Community Support Fund, the AIATSIS, they explored the library collection, Adoption Network for Information and Self- Victorian Government supports the KFHS to Of the 651 requests being actively researched searched the Perfect Pictures Database, listened Help; Care Connect; Bert Williams Aboriginal provide a confidential, client-based, genealogical last year, 131 were from members of the Stolen to oral histories and watched rare moving image Youth Services; Yitjawudik Men’s Recovery research service for Stolen Generations Generations, 189 were family tree requests from footage. At the NLA, the team undertook two Centre; Child and Family Services, Ballarat; the survivors and their families, and the Victorian other Koorie Community members, 310 were days research, met all the Library’s Indigenous Family Records Unit at the NSW Department Koorie Community generally. family history requests from individuals wanting staff, had a behind the scenes tour of the of Aboriginal Affairs; the Queensland to trace possible Aboriginal heritage and 21 Oral History and Folklore Collections, and Government’s Community and Personal Our Family History staff assist Stolen requests were from clients in custody. an impromptu tour of the Maps Collections, Histories Unit; the State Library of Victoria; the Generations survivors to access their personal including a special viewing of a rare copy of Genealogical Society of Victoria; the Indigenous adoption and ward files, family tree, family Family History Workshops Norman Tindale’s original book containing his Services team at the State Library of NSW; the history records and cultural information. We The KFHS held family history workshops on-site map of Aboriginal Tribes of Australia. National Library of Australia; the Aboriginal and also help other members of the Victorian Koorie at the Koorie Heritage Trust for the Wathaurong Torres Strait Islander Program of the National Community trace their family tree back as far as Stolen Generations Support Group (August In August 2016, the KFHS team spent a week Museum of Australia; and Aboriginal Victoria possible and provide family history information 2016), the Latrobe Community Health Elders in researching and familiarising and the Victorian State Government for their about their direct ancestors. Group (September 2016) and the Victorian themselves with the staff and services of three ongoing support of our Family History unit. Aboriginal Child Care Agency’s “Staying Strong organisations useful to their work. They met We acknowledge that the personal information and Out of Trouble” Gippsland Youth Group Indigenous Services staff at the NSW State We again acknowledge the courage of our clients entrust us with may be sensitive, and (June 2017). In October 2016, the KFHS was Library, where they had a behind the scenes tour clients in sharing their stories. We are ever the KFHS team maintain the strictest level of invited to provide a family history workshop in and researched in the family history area of the mindful of the trust that is placed in our unit confidentiality on its large family tree database Melbourne for the Court Officers, at the Governor Marie Bashir Reading Room. They and always endeavour to maintain the highest (17,506 entries to date). request of their staff. spent half a day with the Family Record Unit at confidentiality and respect for every request the NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs, and lodged with our Service. Family History Information Sessions travelled to the NSW State Records Office in and Presentations Kingswood for a behind the scenes tour and two The KFHS provided family history information days of intensive researching. sessions to the Dulwich Centre Foundation from Adelaide, Melbourne Youth Justice Centre The KFHS is represented on key advisory groups in Parkville, Link-up Victoria, men’s and women’s including the Victorian Aboriginal Records groups from the Department of Justice and Advisory Group (VARAG), and the joint Victorian Regulation’s State-wide Aboriginal Staff Forum Archives Centre consultative forum. The KFHS and to caseworkers from the Indigenous Access was involved in the Koorie Records Taskforce Unit of the Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths until the objectives for which the Taskforce was and Marriages and Victorian Aboriginal Child formed were met and it was disbanded. The Care Agency. KFHS Manager is a Partner Investigator on the left: Indigenous staff from the National Library of “Coranderrk – Minutes of Evidence” Australian Australia sharing morning tea with the KFHS team. Research Council (ARC) Project. Photo: Jennifer Bates

10 11 We continue to develop partnerships with Cultural Education other organisations. In the last year, we have supported bodies including Justice and 2016-2017 proved to be one of our saddest Regulation Statewide Aboriginal Staff Forum, years with the passing of our much loved and Department of Health and Human Services esteemed educator, Uncle Len Tregonning. The Aboriginal Conference, and Department knowledge he taught lives on in the thousands of Premier and Cabinet through tours. of children who benefited from his passion and We provided tours to The Cathy Freeman pride in his culture, his beautiful, gentle manner Foundation, Footy Means Business Program and the way he shared with them. His memory and the AFL Indigenous and diversity programs. and knowledge will live on in the education team The Education Program supported the Long through the Cultural Guides and the knowledge Walk with tours of the Trust and a Marngrook that Uncle Len passed to them. exhibition during the AFL’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round. In partnership with the Trust’s own The Cultural Education Unit welcomed Tamika Public Programs, we ran traditional Indigenous Collins as a dedicated Education Support games during the KHT holiday program. Officer in charge of bookings, with charitable support provided through the Vicki Standish Further promoting the Trust and our activities, Family Foundation. She takes over some we have exchanged social media and website duties from Pauline Sloane the Curriculum promotions with several organisations who development co-ordinator. Tim Stares has took our tours, including the A-League’s joined Rob in delivering cultural awareness Melbourne City Football Club and the AFL’s training as well as supporting the production North Melbourne Football Club. We ran of an updated cultural awareness package. traditional games for the AFL’s Melbourne The incursion program for schools that Tim Football Club, which also promoted the Trust on developed over the last year will be trialled in the its website. new financial year. Tours The ABC ran a listener walk where the first 20 In the 2016-2017 year, we delivered 394 tours callers won a ticket to one of our tours. The tour – averaging more than one a day – to 8,347 was then recorded and aired in part on ABC participants. This is an increase of nearly a third Radio. In a further partnership with the ABC, we on the 6,446 who joined us the previous year. will work with the Splash program to develop for their website a digital story book of a tour and Our tours for schools, tertiary institutions, interview with one of our cultural guides. This government departments and corporate will become a curriculum resource available to organisations produce many repeat clients. teachers nationally through the ABC website (For instance, during 2016-2017, the City of and will carry links to the Koorie Heritage Trust Melbourne completed ten tours including and our programs. short cultural awareness sessions with Rob and Rocky.) Meanwhile, our public tours have grown We are in discussions with accounting firm Price through relationships with the ACCOR Hotels Waterhouse Cooper’s Indigenous Consulting group and the Melbourne Visitors Centre. about enhancing participant experiences and We are offering additional public tours on learning possibilities by creating virtual reality Thursdays and Fridays and finding that word-of- components to our tours. mouth, as well as advertising, is supporting the program. In recent months, a number of public tour participants have told us they booked after hearing about our tours from friends. right above: Scar tree, Yarra Park, image Koorie Heritage Trust, 2016 below: Scar tree walk with the North Melbourne Football Club, image courtesy North Melbourne FC, 2017

12 13 Indigenous Cross Cultural As a part of on-going Professional development 1. I will use materials in Tuckerbag to incorporate Testimonial Awareness Training requirements, members of the Education into curriculum and planning Hi Tom, I thought I’d pass on a little subjective The Cultural Education Unit delivered 81 Program attended on-line professional learning 2. I will make an authentic and effective effort feedback on the cultural awareness session Indigenous Cross Cultural Awareness Training sessions through the Victorian Curriculum towards introducing Aboriginal curriculum that we undertook yesterday with Rob. (ICCAT) workshops across the financial year; of and Assessment Authority. The Curriculum 3. I will invite Aboriginal Elders and community to In short, I thought the session was excellent, and these 33 were full-day, 38 half-day and ten short Development co-ordinator was invited to the Centre to share their culture with the children absolutely effective in giving around 20 of our staff workshops. The range of groups requesting and attend information sessions for the Strategic 4. I will do my own homework from the resources (which is approx. 50% of the core contingent) a taking our training workshops is expanding and Partnerships Program and Creative Victoria’s available consequently we are receiving more requests annual inclusive schools funding information 5. I will be more conscious of my own bias meaningful and tangible education in historical for the coming year. session. and contemporary indigenous matters. Being Overall it has been a very successful year for candid, I’m sure you know the previous FSPL In the last 12 months, we delivered ICCATs to The Strategic Partnerships the Cultural Education Unit with the promise of session had its issues. This one couldn’t have been both new and established clients including State Program (SPP) expansion into new partnerships and programs. We further removed. Rob is an excellent educational Government departments, Local Government, The SPP delivered programs to eight primary look forward to the opportunities that develop in leader and used a very effective combination of corporations and smaller businesses, and secondary schools around the state at the year to come. fact, opinion, humility and openness to give all community organisations, and individuals from Yarra Hills SC, Rangeview PS, Guthrie Street my staff a significantly increased education and, the general public. Our training program clients PS Shepparton, Elwood PS , St Vincent’s PS, maybe more importantly, understanding, of the now include energy and resources companies, Kalker Montessori Centre, Alphington PS and issues at play. among them Viva Energy, City Power, Senvion, Overnewton SC and this has enabled us to This was a really worthwhile experience Melbourne City Water and City West Water and develop new relationships with Department of for us – I hope the feedback forms bear that we continue to deliver workshops in on-going Education and Training’s Koorie Education units. out. I’m most grateful – it’s occasions like this partnerships with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Victorian Public The average number of SPP program attendees that make even us longer term “Fed Square Sector Commission, the Department of Justice per session was 20. The average number of residents” feel somewhat inspired about what and Regulation (DJR), Anglicare, Ormond schools represented at each program was we can all achieve collectively. College, Box Hill Institute and RMIT University. five. The majority of attendees were from Cheers Government schools, however all sectors were Matt Jones We delivered well-received sessions to the represented including Early Years. Many of the FED SQUARE PTY LTD Breast Cancer Network Australia, Alzheimers schools represented at these programs have right: Launch of the Koorie Heritage Trust at Federation Square. Photo: Peter Bennett, 2015 GENERAL MANAGER PROGRAM & EVENTS Victoria and the Royal Australian College of sent classes along for tours at the Trust as a Surgeons which have the potential to generate result. continuing support for the Trust and out programs. Evaluation feedback forms indicate that the program objectives were universally successful. General Two overwhelmingly consistent comments The Education Program has been busy being that: strengthening partnerships with North East and West Victorian Koorie education units 1. The attendees left with a better understanding from the Department of Education and Training of Aboriginal cultural identity and the through our Strategic Partnerships Program. importance of recognising it when engaging We have presented at the Australian Design and with Aboriginal Families. Technology Teachers Association conference and delivered professional development to 2. Teachers enthusiastically welcomed the Overnewton College arts unit, Teach Australia, Tuckerbag teacher resources and directions for the Royal Children’s Hospital Early Learning integrating them into the curriculum. Centre and Melbourne University Master of Teaching program. A number of participants through the SPP have provided testimonials from their own We maintain our membership of the experience of the way their thinking had ArtsConnect9 group, a program run by the changed during SPP programs including: Arts Centre Melbourne to fund rural school participation in metropolitan area cultural programs. We have had several schools attend the Trust via this program.

14 15 The Koorie Heritage Trust’s retail arm shop KOORIE. Photo : James Murcia, 2015 Retail and Venue Hire

Customers in shop KOORIE at the launch of the Koorie Heritage Trust at Federation Square Koorie Heritage Trust venue hire rooms Photo: Peter Bennett, 2015 Photos: James Murcia, 2015 shop KOORIE Venue Hire and on-going culture. The conference room is shop KOORIE, open seven days a week, sells shop KOORIE sells products with designs The Koorie Heritage Trust has two meeting surrounded by the Trust’s amazing collection an expanding range of Koorie products from from our collection including journals, cards rooms for hire, each with state of the art audio- of Koorie art and artifacts and has excellent an increasing number of suppliers and we are and magnets showing a nineteenth century visual equipment. Hirers in the last year have natural light, overlooking the Birrarung on one always trying to source more new products. woven plant fibre basket from Coleraine. included Reconciliation Victoria presenting side and Federation square on the other. The We are developing bags, tea towels, ties and the HART Awards, Kane Construction, Port room was well-equipped with great audio-visual Senior Victorian artist Kelly Koumalatsos is now scarves using other collection pieces. Among Phillip Westernport Catchment Management technology and Judy, Tim and other staff were making us beautiful silk scarves featuring her commissioned designs are a set of four Authority, Victoria Police, RMIT University and extremely helpful and attentive, ensuring that artwork. Glenda Nicholls, winner of the 2015 bookmarks and cards with Gunditjmara artist various Government departments. our event ran smoothly on the day. The Trust is Indigenous Art Award for her woven cloaks, Bronwyn Razen’s images of the four seasons, a very special place, and it was a real privilege for provides us with key rings, cups and woven sold as a set of four or singly, and cards and Comments we received regarding our rooms: us to be able to hold our conference there. handbags. Nathan Patterson who designed notepads with the popular Camp Dog sculpture We recently held our Civil Justice Conference at AJ, Advisor University Communications, RMIT the 2015 Dreamtime at the ‘G jumper and by Uncle Lenny Tregonning. the Koorie Heritage Trust. We chose the venue Mitchell Chilly are also new suppliers. Nathan because as an organisation we are keen to build We really enjoyed hosting the HART Awards has designed cards and calenders and Mitchell For winter, we have added long sleeved t-shirts and the cultural awareness and competency of our at the KHT again this year, we had so many is making clapsticks, boomerangs, wooden birds hoodies with the Aboriginal flag logo on the front. staff and to improve access to our services, compliments about the space. Thank you for all and wooden bowls with carved and burnt details. particularly our civil law services, for Aboriginal your support in making it happen. and Torres Strait Islander people. The day was Emily C, Project Facilitator, HART Awards a fantastic opportunity for us to deepen our understanding of Koorie heritage

18 19 Koorie Heritage Trust permanent collections store, The Yarra Building at Federation Square. Photo: Peter Bennett, 2016 Curatorial Activities

Collection Management books, archives and other materials relating to the very significant role Elders hold in our collections within the network at Federation The Koorie Heritage Trust holds the largest Victorian Indigenous art, culture and history. Victorian Koorie community. The exhibition is Square, showcasing images of our most collection in the world solely dedicated to the supplemented by a selection of films uploaded significant works. art and culture of the Aboriginal people of South To showcase our diverse collections, our in an on-line exhibition accessed via our website, Eastern Australia. The collection is managed and premises at Federation Square are fitted out which are also shown intermittently on the Another means of showcasing our collections is preserved for the many Indigenous communities with custom-designed visible storage cabinetry Federation Square big screen. through loans to other cultural institutions and living in Victoria as a resource and archive of the throughout our level three public area with over reproduction of images from the collection in art, culture and history of Koorie people. 220 items installed on the walls, in the cabinets “That’s an old tradition that we’ve all grown up external publications. By sharing the collection, and in display drawers. The collection items on with. Listen to your Elders. Respect your Elders.” we increase its significance, allowing for new To date, we have over 4,000 objects in our display are rotated every three, six or twelve – Aunty Iris Lovett Gardiner, Gunditjmara, 2003. interpretations and reaching wider audiences. In artworks and artefacts collection, which months depending on conservation needs. the 2016-2017 financial year, we changed over a includes contemporary and historic paintings, Our collections are also used as a resource long-term loan to Museum Victoria being used sculpture, weaving, feather-work, drawings, In October 2016, the curatorial team activated for our temporary exhibition program with in their First Peoples exhibition, and facilitated jewellery, possum skin cloaks, carvings, textiles, our level two foyer, installing three screens to items selected by guest curators and artists for seven requests to reproduce images from the and memorabilia. We are custodians of over showcase films from the oral history collection. inclusion in major exhibitions. The collection collection in external publications. 2,000 items in our oral history collection The on-going exhibition, Listen to Your Elders, was particularly highlighted in the exhibition including historic and contemporary films, features a rotating display of oral history moving Belonging and Place, a partnership with a In December 2016, we lent several works recordings and transcripts. Our photographic image from the 1980s through to contemporary network of Victorian multicultural museums from our artworks and artifacts collection archive consists of an estimated 48,000 historic recordings collected by the Koorie Heritage and funded by Multicultural Affairs Victoria, in to the Australian Centre for Contemporary and contemporary images of the Koorie Trust. These recordings share experience and which the Koorie Heritage Trust co-ordinated Art for their landmark exhibition Sovereignty, community, and our library has over 4,000 knowledge of our Koorie Elders and explore an outdoor display of items from several of the co-curated by Paola Balla and Max Delaney.

Uncle Howard Talgium Edwards, filmed by Daniel King 2014. Koorie Heritage Trust Oral History Collection installation shot of Carved Out of Life, Koorie Heritage Trust, 2016. Guest curated by Clinton Nain. James Henry Photography

22 23 William Barak, Untitled (Ceremony) c. 1880 - 1890s, paint, pencil, wash, pigments on paper, 56.5 x 69.3 cm, Lee Darroch, Yalka Biganga (Children’s Cloak based on historic Lake Condah Possum Skin Cloak) 2016, possum skin, Koorie Heritage Trust Collection. AH 0142 poker work, 111 x 95 cm, Koorie Heritage Trust Collection. AH 3958

The loaned works included some of our practice standards and in accordance with our in archival folders and sleeves, and adding minor existing tears repaired, and removable most significant and historic works – Shield, Museums Australia accreditation. Following archival dust jackets for all rare books. We have tissue hinges added to secure the work, 1897, Club, 1897 and Untitled (Ceremony), the relocation of our collections in the also improved the storage conditions of over after which it was re-framed with improved c. 1880s by William Barak – along with Ween previous financial year, we have been focused 80 feather flowers, creating better handling and conservation materials. Ween (Mourning Bag), 2011 by Vicki Couzens on upgrading our storage methods, materials, access for the individual items. and a selection of digitised images from the documentation and conservation procedures. Accessing our collections has never been photographic collection of Lisa Bellear. The As items are sent out on loan, or used in either The collections staff oversaw conservation easier, with all location codes verified and objects and images were prominently featured our temporary exhibitions or collection displays, treatment of several important collection items. updated. During two major inventories, we in the exhibition and reproduced and written we complete full condition reports and update Collaborating with Museum Victoria, we freeze- updated records on our digital database to about in the published catalogue. existing reports. We expect that the majority treated new acquisitions made from animal ensure data continuity and improved access of the collection will have condition reports skins – a possum skin cloak and our education for researchers and community members. We “Barak’s works are as much an artistic recording tracking each item’s condition over time. In taxidermy animals – to reduce the risk of pest sorted and re-ordered library items, enriched of history as they are acts of defiance against this financial year, we completed over 160 full damage and infestation. Importantly, we also database entries and added call numbers to a colonial regime, and in a time when he was condition reports. arranged conservation treatment for one of align with standards set by the National Library not allowed to physically practice ceremony, the most significant items in our collection of Australia. he painted them.” – Kimberley Moulton, We have upgraded the storage conditions of – the William Barak work on paper ‘Untitled Sovereignty, ACCA, 2016 several sections of the collection, including (Ceremony)’ c. 1880s-1890s. While preparing Providing access to our collections for many library items, by rehousing serials, the work for loan, it was noted that it had slipped researchers, artists, community members and The curatorial team works hard to ensure the government reports, archaeological surveys, in its mount. We sent it to the Grimwade Centre curators is vital to ensuring that our collections objects, recordings and archives are preserved, newsletters and documents, removing non- for the Conservation of Cultural Materials where remain relevant. During the reporting period, we managed and documented according to best conservation grade materials and storing them the painting was removed from the mount, had facilitated 13 requests for access to the artworks

24 25 and artefacts collection including one from an the historical objects in an opportunity shop. We also acquired the 2016 woven work, The of the Koorie arts and cultural community from Aboriginal Elders’ group, along with 16 requests Our CEO, Tom Mosby, purchased and donated Family Crest, by Donna Blackall from the emerging to senior artists and arts practitioners. for access to our library. We also digitised and a selection of works from the exhibition Carved Victorian Aboriginal Weaving Collective window provided copies of seven oral history recordings Out of Life: The Next Generation – a series of display at Craft Victoria; the 2015 print, We Will Carved Out of Life: The Next Generation in response to family requests. pokerworks on wood by Lucy Williams-Connelly, Survive by Josh Muir, commissioned for our 23 July – 2 October 2016 and four woven baskets in natural fibres by thirtieth birthday commemorative exhibition Devised by guest curator Clinton Nain, this We have added to our collections through the Suzanne Connelly-Klidomitis. Both artists’ works Wominjeka: A New Beginning; two possum skin exhibition brought together artists Esther Kirby, acquisition of 20 donated and nine purchased represent contemporary interpretations of cloaks created by artist Lee Darroch during her Jenny Singh, Adrian Morgan and sons, Lucy historic and contemporary items. Donations historic Koorie arts practices. year-long Regional Arts Australia Indigenous Williams-Connelly, and Talgium Edwards to included a grinding stone donated by Muthi Institutional Fellowship and exhibited Yenbena showcase the fine art and tradition of emu egg Muthi elder Barb Egan, Cognitive Dissonance # 3 The purchases included three ceramic pieces biganga, gaiyimarr biganga; Stitching together carving. The exhibition celebrated some of the by Gunai/Monero Ngarigo artist Steaphan Paton by Raymond Young and the painting Markings the Songlines; and the winner of the Koorie Art great emu egg carvers of our generation who donated by the artist, and a boomerang and club of Kurnai Land by Frank Hood from The Torch’s Show 2016 Kane Construction Award, Warrigal were taught by master carvers from previous with pokerwork believed to have been created Indigenous Arts in Prisons & Community program, Creek Middens by Cassie Leatham. generations. The exhibition featured emu eggs in Lake Tyers in the late 1800s or early 1900s. presented as part of their NAIDOC 2016 exhibition, held in the Koorie Heritage Trust’s collection The club and boomerang were donated by Yannae Wirrate Weelam at the Bunjilaka “It was an honour to research the KHT collection, alongside works from the guest curator’s Melisa Duque and Neil Francis Reidy who found Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Melbourne Museum. particularly the work of Aunty Lyn Briggs of the collection, and new works by each of the artists Wiradjuri, and Aunty Dorothy Lovett of Yorta in the show. Yorta. This has influenced my work in many ways: colour contrasts, story telling structuring Yenbena biganga, gaiyimarr biganga: of the artwork, and the channel of thinking and Stitching together the Songlines rhythm.” – Josh Muir, 2015. 8 October – 27 November 2016 A solo exhibition by Yorta Yorta, Mutti Mutti, In the Oral History Collection, we commissioned artist, Lee Darroch, exploring and produced over 25 new recordings from her experience of travelling for the past 17 Victorian Koorie Elders, many of whom were years as a possum skin cloak teacher across identified from our priority recording list. the Songlines of South Eastern Australia. The These included individual films from Aunty installation included possum and kangaroo skin Phemie Day, Alfred Boydie Turner, Aunty Di Kerr, cloaks and sculptures made from local materials Arweet Carolyn Briggs, Aunty Fay Carter and and found objects including shark eggs, shells, Murrindindi. In August 2016, with support from driftwood, bull kelp, reeds and ochre from the the Victorian Seniors Festival and in partnership lakes and ocean where Lee lives. This exhibition with the Gippsland Sectoral Development Team, was supported by the City of Melbourne Arts we undertook recordings of Koorie Elders Grants program and is the result of a year-long and Seniors from the Gippsland area. Over residency the artist undertook with the Koorie three trips with filmmaker Robbie Bundle, we Heritage Trust through the Regional Arts recorded Elders at Lake Tyers, Sale, Bairnsdale, Australia Indigenous Institutional Fellowship. Morwell, and Yallourn. Robbie edited the individual recordings into a short documentary Koorie Art Show 2016 film traversing the Gippsland area. The individual 10 December 2016 – 26 February 2017 recordings will each be edited into discrete oral The annual Koorie Art Show, now in its fourth history films for the collection. year, is a non-acquisitive award exhibition showcasing the diverse talents of Victoria’s One of our major activities is our annual Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists exhibitions and public programs, developed in one inclusive space. The 2016 awards were and presented in-house. We presented five judged by industry experts’ artist/curators Paola major exhibitions in our galleries, and toured Balla and Clinton Nain, and Bev Murray who is two exhibitions to five venues across regional Program Manager, Link-Up Victoria. Victoria, presenting the works of over 170 artists. We presented 56 public programs, Prizes totalled $9,000. In 2016, 70 artists featuring more than 100 artists, performers, entered the show presenting over 110 works. musicians and cultural practitioners, attended Winner of the $5,000 Creative Victoria Award by over 10,000 people. In the twelve months, for Excellence in any Media was Greg Muir (Yorta we delivered a dynamic and engaging program Yorta), for his work Travelling on Our Ancestor’s for both community audiences and the general Land, acrylic on canvas. Winner of the $3,000 Installation image of Yenbena biganga, gaiyimarr biganga: Stitching together the Songlines by Lee Darroch, Koorie Heritage Trust. public, highlighting the diversity and excellence RMIT University Award was Pierra Van Sparks

26 27 Pierra Van Sparks, Blackfulla Bingo, digital print on canvas. Installation image, Weaving the Waterways: Women and Fishing, Koorie Heritage Trust 2017. James Henry Photography Winner of the Koorie Art Show RMIT University Award 2016. James Henry Photography below: Cassie Leatham, Warrigal Creek Middens 2016, pipe, clay, bones, shells, ochre, 15.5 x 8 x 8 cm, Koorie Heritage Trust Collection. AH 3977

(Pibbulman) with her work Blackfulla Bingo, Muir for his personal collection. These major “The unspoken blueprints of generations of digital print on canvas. Winner of the $500 Kane acquisitions are a testament to the calibre of crafts and bush skills, inspired by watching and Construction Award was Cassie Leatham artists presented in the Koorie Art Show, and the learning from my parents and grandparents, (Taungurung/) with her work significance of the Award. were implanted in my mind and brought about Warrigal Creek Middens, pipe clay, bones, shells, the pieces chosen for this exhibition.” – ochre, charcoal. Wayne Quilliam (Palawa) won Weaving the Waterways: Glenda Nicholls, 2017 the $500 Moogji Club People’s Choice Award Women and Fishing for Cultural Apocalypse, digital print on canvas. 11 March – 14 May 2017 The Blak Matriarchy This exhibition explored Aboriginal women’s 20 May – 30 July 2017 Sales from the 2016 Koorie Art Show were relationships with the rivers and waterways of The Blak Matriarchy by the Real Blak Tingz (Gabi double the previous year’s total with 32 works Victoria through a major installation of new Briggs and Arika Waulu) was commissioned to sold for $44,565. As in previous years, the and existing works. Artist and guest curator reflect on a date of national significance, the National Gallery of Victoria acquired work from Glenda Nicholls, accompanied by new works fiftieth anniversary of the 1967 referendum. The the exhibition – Waa, a fibre, ochre and feather from friends and artists Clair Bates, Donna Real Blak Tingz responded to the anniversary work by Marilyne Nicholls; Bunjil, a digital print Blackall, Deanne Gilson, Georgia MacGuire with an elixir of portraiture, projection and on aluminium by Josh Muir; Flight of the Emu and Bronwyn Razem. Net making came to sculpture, manifesting art as resistance and Feather, an emu feather, stringy bark rope, Glenda from her ancestors in a vision and anchored by memory, celebration, critique of possum fur, beeswax, ochre, gumnut, seed and inspired this exhibition of river-life, featuring power and decolonial imaginings. In Gallery 1 bunjil feather dancing skirt by Cassie Leatham; new woven and feather works, alongside the artists created a large-scale installation of and Melbourne Cup, an acrylic painting on linen Glenda’s pivotal work Ochre Net, acquired by volcanic rock representing a full sized Wuurn, a by Marlene Gilson. Following the exhibition, the the Koorie Heritage Trust from the Victorian reconstruction/deconstruction of a traditional NGV commissioned two further works from Indigenous Art Awards in 2012. While drawn Gunditjmara rock home, accompanied Marilyne Nicholls, which she sold through the from functional design, the works demonstrate by the multi-projection work Ngathook Koorie Heritage Trust. The KPMG Australian a continuous and evolving link with techniques Kalpeerno Partoopang – I am hungry, on two Chair, Peter Nash, who is also Treasurer of the passed down through generations of representations of traditional clay ovens. Gallery Koorie Heritage Trust Board of Management, Aboriginal women living in and around South 2 showed photographic portraits of matriarchs commissioned a further two works from Josh East Australian waterways. from Arika Waulu’s family, many of whom

28 29 We also presented our 2016 exhibition Close to weaving. We held four sets of three school holiday Mathew Hooler) and Zenedth Kes Les (John You: The Lisa Bellear Picture Show at Victoria programs with more than 160 kids attending. We Wayne Parsons, Luke Captain and Fred Gesha). University’s MetroWest gallery in Footscray created a partnership with the City of Melbourne’s The event was a huge success attracting an (6 – 28 April 2017). The exhibition featured over Art Play and held two partnership kids’ workshops audience of 150 plus. 400 images from the Lisa Bellear Photographic there – Wileya Borrinyu, possum skin armband Collection held by the Koorie Heritage Trust workshops with Lee Darroch and a feather flower Throughout the year we also contributed and was co-curated by Lisa’s close friends and making workshop with Glenda Nicholls. programming for some of the many Melbourne artists, Virginia Fraser and Destiny Deacon, festivals and events including a public forum Does and her cousin, Kim Kruger, The Lisa Bellear In 2017, we began the first of a series of Blak Design Matter? with local and interstate Collection documents over a quarter of a community-only professional development Indigenous designers as part of the National century of Indigenous community life including talks and workshops to foster the careers of Gallery of Victoria’s Melbourne Design Week marches, celebrations, portraits, signs, graffiti, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and (attended by 200 people). A series of craft and personal photographs. By 2006 Bellear had cultural practitioners. To ensure the sessions workshop interventions throughout the CBD for created a collection of over 30,000 images, were relevant, we conducted a survey and used BARRING YANABUL in the City of Melbourne’s which her family donated to the Koorie Heritage the responses to shape the themes and topics YIRRAMBOI First Nations Arts Festival with artists Trust following her passing. covered. Our first session began by looking from the exhibition Weaving the Waterways: at arts grants and funding submissions with a Women and Fishing. We programmed a day of In October 2016, the Koorie Heritage Trust representative from the City of Melbourne, and workshops, performances and Welcomes to received two-year funding from the Federal artist Lee Darroch who has successfully received Country for the Seniors’ Festival at Federation Government’s Indigenous Languages and Arts and managed her own grants and funding. Square, including the launch of the Listen to Your Program to create a culturally appropriate Elders exhibition, a preview of the Gippsland Oral residency program allowing an Aboriginal and/ We have strengthened our relationship with History recordings and main stage performances or Torres Strait Islander artist living in Victoria to other cultural institutions in Federation Square by James Henry, Robbie Bundle and the Djirri develop and exhibit a significant body of work by developing several partnership projects, Djirri Women’s Dance Group. in our gallery each year, with an accompanying including our annual Christmas program, A catalogue and series of public programs. After a Very Koorie Krismas, presented with Federation A Very Koorie Krismas 2016, Koorie Heritage Trust proposal and selection process, Wadawurrung Square. The Krismas with a K celebration outside artist Jenny Crompton was selected as our first on the Upper Square was an afternoon of festive artist in residence and she began her residency family fun with free activities, live music by Culture in May 2017. Jenny is proposing to research Evolves and Tongerang’I Ngargga Inc, workshops Mabo Day and create a body of work connecting her to with Cassie Leatham and Marilyne Nicholls and a the waterways and tributaries of the / special appearance from Koorie Klaus. campaigned for the 1967 referendum, around Bellarine area, including language names for place an installation of digging sticks titled Murnong and Country. She will present this body of work To commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of Stick representing their matriarchal role and throughout our level one galleries in May 2018. the 1967 National Referendum and the twenty- leadership within the family and community. fifth anniversary of the Mabo Decision, a “Uncovering these stories, can help awaken these consortium of cultural and sporting institutions We toured two exhibitions; the first had the histories of Country and to remember the culture formed a working group to deliver a week-long support of NETS Victoria, who facilitated of the Wadawurrung.” – Jenny Crompton, 2016. program of public events and activities for a regional Victorian tour of the exhibition Reconciliation Week 2017 called WE | HERE | Wominjeka: A New Beginning, curated in Throughout the year, we program a series of NOW. The consortium consisted of Federation 2015 to commemorate the Koorie Heritage public workshops, talks, performances and Square, ACMI, SBS, NITV, National Gallery of Trust’s thirtieth birthday. Five emerging artists; events to complement our exhibition program, Victoria, Moondani Balluk Indigenous Academic Josh Muir, Mitch Mahoney, Marlene Gilson, and engage our audience in topics and dates Unit at Victoria University, the Long Walk, Raymond Young and Georgia MacGuire were of interest to the Victorian Aboriginal and and Reconciliation Victoria. We contributed commissioned to create new works inspired by Torres Strait Islander community. Our on-going to the program by presenting workshops, the Trust’s collection of artworks and artefacts. programming included five exhibition openings activities, cultural walks and an exhibition during They were mentored by established Koorie attended by over 450 people. We held eleven Reconciliation Week, ending with a major artists, and the new commissions were displayed monthly creative workshops with a rotating Koorie public concert and celebration of Mabo Day at alongside the collection objects that inspired creative practitioner teaching techniques such as the River Terrace. The Mabo Day Community them. The exhibition toured to four venues in weaving, feather flower making, bush toy making, Picnic and Celebration included kids’ activities, 2016/2017 – Mildura Arts Centre (15 July –22 June wood-burning, eco-dying and more, which 198 cooking demonstrations, and performances by 2016), Burrinja Cultural Centre (10 December people attended. We also hold a series of kids’ local Torres Strait Islander musicians the Maza 2016 – 12 February 2017), Wangaratta Art Gallery workshops during school holidays, and included Sisters (Rachael and Lisa Maza), the Liz Cavanagh (22 April – 28 May 2017) and Horsham Regional NAIDOC banner making, Marngrook workshops, Ensemble, The Jess’s (Jessica Hitchcock and Gallery (17 June – 6 August 2017). storytelling, ochre painting, stamp-making and Jessie Lloyd), Key Hoo (Kiwat Kennell and

30 31 Activities: Donors and Supporters Advocacy and Research

Committee Representation Commonwealth Government Tom Mosby, our Chief Executive Officer, Pauline Sloane, our Curriculum Development Ministry for the Arts Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support currently chairs the board of the Cairns Co-ordinator, continues to sit on the Ministry for the Arts Indigenous Cultural Support Indigenous Art Fair and is a member of the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Creative Partnerships Australia CPA Plus 1 Program Board of Bangarra Dance Theatre. Inc consultative committee working on the Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet (NAIDOC) Framework for Embedding Koorie Cultures, Jennifer Bates, Manager of the Koorie Family Histories and Perspectives in Victorian Schools. State Government History Service, represented the Koorie Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources - Creative Victoria Heritage Trust through her involvement with Aboriginal Affairs Victoria, Department of Premier and Cabinet committees including the Joint Victorian Department of Education and Training Archives Centre Consultative Forum and the Victorian Aboriginal Records Advisory Group. Local Government City of Melbourne

Foundations Gordon Darling Foundation R E Ross Trust Vicki Standish Family Foundation

Indigenous Hip Hop Projects leading the crowd at Corporate Supporters 30th Birthday Concert. Photo: James Henry, 2015 KANE Constructions KPMG Office of Indigenous Strategy and Education, The Faculty of Arts at the Moondani Balluk Academic Unit at Victoria University Federation Square Pty Ltd

Educational Supporters Latrobe University University of Melbourne, Murrup Baruk & Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts Victoria University, Moondani Balluk Academic Unit

Pro Bono Supporters Ashurst Lawyers Lyons Architecture

Cultural Partners ACMI Melbourne Festival National Gallery of Victoria ArtPlay

32 33 $500 – $999 >$100 below: Uncle Herb Patten & Aunty Moogji Club Individual Donors RMIT University Judith Gunnarsson Lorraine Bunta Patten at The Blak Merle Mitchell Vic North NDIS Matriarchy, by the Real Blak Tingz (Gabi Briggs x Arika Waulu), Koorie Heritage Peter Gray Jenny Macaffer Trust, 2017. Photo: James Henry Rachel Guillaume Margaret Campbell Noel McKernan Verity Fisher Amanda Minns Judith Hampton Moogji is an Aboriginal word which means mate Bequests Dr Barrie & Diana Pittock John Ip or special friend. Our Moogji Club members The Koorie Heritage Trust gratefully acknowledges Kristin Stegley Johnny Sloans receive a range of privileges while they support those who have chosen to remember us in Rafaela Lopez our programs. Working with us, members their Will. Their gifts are very important to the $200 – $499 Marian Maddern help to raise awareness and appreciation of ongoing achievements of the Trust. Susan Wood Carey Rohrlach the cultural diversity of Koorie culture and Peter Bicknell Anne Ryan contribute to the broader goal of reconciliation Ms Norma Gleeson Barry Fradkin Peter & Dorothy Sutherland for all Australians. Ms Lilian Renard John Haasz Yoland Wadsworth Ms Jessica Scott Wills Deb Blaber Jim Weatherill Nathan & Josephine Kelly Engel Annual Giving Appeal 2016-2017 Kuperholz IPSOS Australia We would like to thank everyone who donated Tim Levinson Lynette Beasley to our annual giving appeal – your support is Melinda Martin Barbara Brown truly valued. Tony & Sandy Cahir Margaret Spong Glen Eira Interfaith Penelope Tangey $10,000 – $15,000 Network Judith Anne Whitehead Bell Charitable Fund Jessica Grant Carey and Jo Lyon Ted Lovegrove Alasdair Vance $5,000 – $9,999 The Honourable Heidi Leg Up Foundation Victoria, MP Rae and Peter Gunn Family Foundation Geoff & Judy Webb $1,000 – $4,999 $100 – $199 Christopher Mitchell Naomi Saporta Finkel Foundation Alice Mason The Bardas Foundation Brett Tuer Bradley Bowton Julia Bruce The Debbie Stach Memorial Gift Fund Leo Connelly Brian Newman S.M. Dammery Andrew Clark Max Delany Martin Browne David Godkin Tony Ellwood Helena Grunfeld Lea Guillaume Barbara Hadkinson Madirriny Foundation Yvonne Kernan Alex Panelli Mary Mahoney Ryan, Maria and Martin Tom Mosby Craig Semple Anna Radonic Fleur Spitzer Judith A Ryan Chris & Cheryl Thomas Shirley Southcombe Noel & Jenny Turnbull Tobin, Patrick Ralph Renard Ruth Wexler

34 35 Governance

We are a not-for-profit Incorporated Association governed by the Koorie Heritage Trust’s Rules of Association and by a Board of Management.

Board Members Committees The Observership 2016–2017 Program

Office Bearers Audit and Risk Management Committee This year, we welcomed as Board observers, Ian Hamm (Chair) The Audit and Risk Management committee Matthew Everitt, Ward Garwood and Nikki Peter Nash (Treasurer) ensures the integrity of our accounts and Moodie as participants of the inaugural Tom Mosby (Secretary/Non-voting) financial statements, monitors our internal and Melbourne Observership Program. The external audit functions, and establishes and Observership Program facilitates the Ordinary Members maintains internal accounting controls and involvement of young, talented and energetic Genevieve Grieves appropriate risk management systems. individuals in a structured experience on non- Lindy Blashki profit boards. Mick Harding Norma Gleeson Bequest Shannon Faulkhead Advisory Committee Modelled on a similar successful program that Tim Kanoa The Norma Gleeson Bequest Advisory operates in the United States, it is a powerful Committee provides recommendations to tool to engage emerging community leaders Observers the Board regarding income from the Norma while giving participating non-profit boards Matthew Everitt Gleeson Bequest to support specific Collections insight into the next generation’s perspective. Ward Garwood based activities. Nikki Moodie Observers are selected after a comprehensive application and interview process, and paired with a participating non-profit organisation for a calendar year. During that time, Observers attend all board and/or committee meetings as non-voting participants and learn about the fundamental principles and functions of non-profit boards, the role of board members, decision making processes and governance priorities. Training is provided to Observers by our strategic partner the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and encompasses key subject areas important for non-profit governance, including directors’ duties and responsibilities, finance, strategy and risk. Guest speakers are also invited to speak at training sessions.

The Program also creates valuable networking opportunities where Observers meet other like-minded professionals on a similar path to Merchandise at shop KOORIE at Koorie Heritage Trust. community involvement and leadership. Photo Jamie Murcia

36 37 Staff 2016-2017

Office of the CEO Front of House and Retail Tom Mosby Judy Allsop Chief Executive Officer Retail and Front of House Manager Giacomina Pradolin Kieran Stewart General Manager (to October 2016) Customer Services Officer Michael Kane Tamika Collins Business Manager (from January 2017) Customer Services Officer Adrian Cox Collections and Exhibitions Customer Services Officer Charlotte Christie Jacob Hyatt Senior Collections & Exhibitions Manager Customer Services Officer Nerissa Broben Luke Metcalfe Senior Curator, Collections (to March 2017) Customer Services Officer Jan Duffy Exhibitions Co-ordinator (to March 2017) Koorie Family History Service Naomi Velaphi Jennifer Bates Public Programs Co-Ordinator (to July 2016) Koorie Family History Service Manager Jane Walton Lionel Bamblett Collections Co-ordinator Researcher/ Genealogist (to March 2017) Zenzi Clark Margaret Bates Koorie Art Show Community Engagement and Researcher/Genealogist Public Program Officer (from Oct 2016) Kate Campbell Researcher/Genealogist (to October 2016) Cultural Education Timothy Stares Rob Hyatt Researcher/Genealogist Education Manager Pauline Sloane Finances Curriculum Development Co-ordinator Mary Mahoney Timothy Stares Accounts Officer (to January 2017) Education Officer Eva Taxidis Tamika Collins Bookkeeper (from October 2016) Koorie Education Trainee (A Vicki Standish Family Foundation Volunteers charitable support initiative) We would like to take this opportunity to thank Len Tregonning all the people who have volunteered at the Education Officer (to November 2016) Koorie Heritage Trust over the last 12 months. Stephen Tregonning Education Officer Eleanor (Elle) Vallier Donna Blackall Fanny Steckel Education Officer Grace McKenzie-McHarg Jordan Edwards Jade Hadfield Education Officer Keira Hudson Lauren Ravi Meenah Harrison Renee Noble Tani Elliot Will Sit Youran Park Culture Evolves, at A Very Koorie Krismas, Koorie Heritage Trust, 2016. Photo Moorina Bonini

38 39 Farewell Uncle Len Tregonning

Artist shared the richness of Aboriginal culture Len was active in his community, being a Megan Evans – 30 January 2017 member of countless committees and a The Sydney Morning Herald consultant to the Melbourne Museum, as a Yuleng member who worked on the award- Len Tregonning was a humble man. He never winning First Peoples exhibition and the Koorie would have expected an obituary or any public Heritage Trust. acknowledgement. He was a quiet hero, a teacher, an artist, a culture man, a truly clever Len worked with a diverse range of groups man of contemporary times. as cross-cultural co-ordinator at the Koorie Heritage Trust. He also worked as an outreach Born in Yallourn on December 26, 1954, his life health worker, as well as providing consultancy was deeply affected by federal government and research to organisations such as the assimilation policies that forced Aboriginal Aborigines Advancement League, Aboriginal people of mixed descent off the missions and Community Elders Service and the Victorian then later allowed for the removal of children Records Taskforce. from their families, a policy now known as the “stolen generation”. He was also one of the first Aboriginal tertiary students in Victoria, attending Swinburne Before being taken away and put into a boarding University in the mid-1970s, studying a school, Len lived within the community on the community organisation skills course. fringes of white society. “It was great,” he said. It is people such as Len, who are able to share the “Just all yarns and noises and people coming and richness and depth of Aboriginal culture with going, you know, it was real family. Wouldn’t be both the descendants of colonisers and other just our family, might be other families moving more recent arrivals to this country, despite through ‘cause a lot of people were transient. the harsh treatment meted out to his people and the ongoing effects of intergenerational “We had the beautiful river and just being kids, trauma on his contemporary community, who diving for tortoises in the long reeds and picking must be acknowledged and remembered in the mussels. It was lovely and pretty free.” the shaping of an Australia that accounts for its past and believes in a future in which there is the It was with great sadness that we farewelled This early beginning shaped the big-hearted, possibility for us all to authentically belong. Uncle Len Tregonning earlier this year on the kind and generous man Len became as an adult. start of his journey to be with his ancestors. Farewell to a true gentleman and a peaceful He was a talented artist. His Camp Dog warrior. Uncle Len was the longest serving staff member sculptures, among many others, were always of the Koorie Heritage Trust working in various sought after. Len was an inspiration to many roles as a cultural educator including as a through his commitment to revive traditional cultural guide on our walking tours and as an Aboriginal cultural knowledge. Aboriginal cross cultural awareness training facilitator. Uncle Len was also a talented artist, He worked with well-known artist Maree and his works are included in the Trust’s art and Clarke, sharing his knowledge and making artefact collection. kangaroo-tooth necklaces, and most recently in Wyndham, making a possum skin cloak as a There is way too much to be said about Uncle Reconciliation Action Plan material document Len, but his obituary published at the time of his with the residents. He very generously loaned passing sums up the generosity of spirit of a man his cloak for participants to try on, a cloak he will whose humble life and gentleness contributed now be buried in following the tradition of his to the love we all had for him, and who will be ancestors. greatly missed. Leonard Tregonning (Gunai/Kurnai), CD (Camp Dog) 2015, plaster, wire, acrylic paint (private collection).

40 41 Financial Report

We are pleased to present the audited accounts of Koorie Heritage Trust for the year ending 30 June 2017. Copies of the full audited accounts can be obtained by contacting the Trust on 03 8662 6300.

Launch of the Koorie Heritage Trust at Federation Square. Indigenous Architect and Design Victoria’s Jefa Greenaway can be seen behind the gathering table. Photo: Peter Bennett, 2015

42 33 Statement of Profit or Loss and other Comprehensive Income Statement of Financial for the year ended 30 June 2017 position as at 30 June 2017

44 45

Levels 1 & 3, The Yarra Building Federation Square Melbourne VIC 3000 T 03 8662 6300 E [email protected] www.koorieheritagetrust.com