Koling wada-ngal

Koling wada-ngal aboriginal corporation

The vision of the Koling wada-ngal Aboriginal Corporation in the Wunggurrwil Dhurrung Centre is “An Aboriginal place in Aboriginal hands”.

Koling wada-ngal in Wadawurrung means walking together.

The Koling wada-ngal Board worked closely with the Registered Aboriginal Party, the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Corporation, to name the building, the areas of partners and rooms within the Centre.

Koling wada-ngal Aboriginal Corporation sign - Reconciliation Tree Planting Day - 28May22

The Koling wada-ngal Aboriginal Corporation recognises and respects the Wadawurrung as the Traditional Owners of the land where the Centre is located and recognises the Boonwurrung and Woiwurrung as the language groups and Traditional Owners of contested land in the Werribee region.

The purpose of the Koling wada-ngal Board is to work in partnership with the Wyndham Aboriginal community and key stakeholders to enable the Wunggurrwil Dhurrung Centre to be a culturally safe Aboriginal community centre. The Koling wada-ngal space in the Centre, will provide the diverse Aboriginal community with a culturally appropriate place that welcomes, embraces, encourages and supports Aboriginal people coming together in one place to share their stories, knowledge, history and experiences. This space in the Centre will also, amongst other things, provide opportunities for Aboriginal people to reconnect to their culture and engage in traditional and contemporary practices to strengthen culture.

As background, in 2018 the Koling wada-ngal Board received Neighbourhood House Coordination Program grant funding (NHCP) through the Department of Human Services (DHHS) and as an unincorporated body, the grant is being auspiced by Wyndham City Council (Council). Council holds the grant funding from DFFH that is used to employ a Koling wada-ngal Coordinator within the Wunggurrwil Dhurrung Centre in Wyndham Vale.

For more information, contact Rebecca Monohan, Manager, Koling-wada ngal Aboriginal Corporation at Wunggurrwil Dhurrung Centre/Addressing Aboriginal Disadvantage Project in the West (VU Moodani Bulluk)

E: rebecca.monohan@kolingwadangal.onmicrosoft.com

Koling Wada-ngal was a finalist in the ‘Outstanding examples of governance in Indigenous-led non-incorporated initiatives’ category of the Reconciliation Australia National Indigenous Governance Awards (May, 2022). The judges highly commended the Committee for " responding to the lack of large-scale Aboriginal services in the community – which increases the vulnerability of families living in the community – with a purpose-built centre for these services to be based in.

The Koling wada-ngal (Walking Together) Aboriginal Corporation has community-based self-governance structure, with a broad range of experiences represented on the board, all of which come into consideration when making decisions. It provides a strong Aboriginal voice not only for Wyndham but also for the rest of Melbourne.”