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What we do

Geographic Names Victoria (GNV) promotes and encourages the use of Aboriginal language in the naming of roads, features and localities.

We also encourage the use of Aboriginal language across the Victorian Government.

Supporting Aboriginal self-determination

Geographic Names Victoria (GNV) is committed to supporting Aboriginal self-determination in line with the self-determination reform strategy.

Our work with Aboriginal place naming closely aligns to action 3.4 of this strategy, to ‘celebrate and support the preservation and promotion of Aboriginal cultures and languages across Victoria ’.

Some initiatives include:

  • writing to Victorian Government Ministers encouraging naming of government assets and infrastructure using Aboriginal language
  • continuing Aboriginal place names workshops with Traditional Owners, councils and State Government departments and authorities
  • promoting Aboriginal language, the work of Registered Aboriginal Parties and the rules and processes around naming
  • creating short documentaries highlighting Aboriginal language and recent assignment of Aboriginal language to roads, features and localities
  • naming departmental meeting rooms using Aboriginal language
  • reviewing offensive and derogatory names across Victoria
  • engaging with relevant organisations to partner, share and promote Aboriginal language
  • increasing membership of Aboriginal Victorians on the Geographic Place Names Advisory Panel.

Place naming documentaries

The following documentaries highlight the importance of Aboriginal language, histories and connection to place:

‘Woowookarung’ with Uncle Bryon Powell (Wadawurrung Elder) and Stephanie Skinner (Wadawurrung Traditional Owner and language holder).
'Budj Bim’ with Uncle Johnny Lovett (Gunditjmara Elder) and Tyson Lovett-Murray (Gunditjmara Traditional Owner).

International Decade of Indigenous Languages

In 2019 Geographic Names Victoria (GNV) ran several projects that focused on promotion and preservation of Victorian Traditional Owners’ (TO) languages, histories and culture.

Visit our language matters workshops.

Our work with Aboriginal place naming closely aligns to action 3.4 of this strategy, which is to ‘celebrate and support the preservation and promotion of Aboriginal cultures and languages across Victoria’.

We will continue to deliver activities that protect, preserve and honour Victoria’s Aboriginal languages and contribute to the Strategic outcome document proclamation of an ‘International Decade of Indigenous Languages’.

Our work aligns with the Strategic outcome document of:

Page last updated: 19/11/20