Reconciliation Action

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Mornington Peninsula Shire is committed to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, and we acknowledge and pay respect to the Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation, as the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters.  

The Shire has an important role to play in promoting and celebrating Aboriginal cultural heritage, as part of the core identity and value of our Peninsula. We are committed to reconciliation and impactful actions, working together with community. 

"At its heart, reconciliation is about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, for the benefit of all Australians" ‐ Reconciliation Australia 

The Shire is proud to be working with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to support meaningful social, cultural and economic outcomes. We know that to do this, strong relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities must be at the heart of our work. 

The Shire's reconciliation achievements

We are proud to make a commitment to fully support reconciliation and we seek to understand and embrace reconciliation within our organisation and to encourage reconciliation across the Mornington Peninsula. 

Since the endorsement of our previous RAP, some key achievements include: 

  • Embedding a permanent Reconciliation Inclusion Officer at the Shire to support the development and delivery of our RAP. 

  • Rolling out Wominjeka Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country signage across Shire buildings, libraires and community centres. 

  • Signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation. The MOU includes financial support for the Bunurong Land Council in return for the work they do with multiple Shire departments, including the coastal group and providing place names in Bunurong language. 

  • Establishing an internal RAP working group with staff from teams across the Shire to embed reconciliation work across the organisation. 

  • Developing three Coastal and Marine Plans to ensure the cultural heritage of significant sites in Flinders, Mount Eliza and Portsea are protected in partnership with Bunurong Land Council. 

  • Securing funding from the National Indigenous Australian Agency under the Aboriginal Advancement Strategy to deliver a Junior Rangers Program on-country for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. 

  • Delivering Aboriginal artwork murals at various locations across the Peninsula.  

Our Reconciliation Action Plan 2024-26 

Building off the back of our Reconciliation Action Plan 2020-22, we are in the process of developing our second Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).  

You can provide input into the development of our draft RAP 2024-26 by visiting our RAP Consultation page. 

Watch a video about the Shire's journey towards reconciliation

We will develop the new Reconciliation Action Plan working in partnership with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members, our internal Reconciliation Working Group, local Gathering Places and Traditional Owners.

What is a reconciliation action plan?

A Reconciliation Action Plan (or ‘RAP’) explains our commitment to Reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It builds on our understanding, commitment, and respect for culture. 

Our Innovate RAP: 

  • outlines the tangible actions and initiatives the Shire will take to contribute to reconciliation, both internally and in the wider Mornington Peninsula community. 

  • will provide tangible and substantive benefits for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, increasing economic equity and supporting First Nations self-determination. 

  • will focus on building three pillars of reconciliation: 

  • Respect 
  • Relationships 
  • Opportunities 

The Innovate RAP framework is prearranged and set by Reconciliation Australia. 

Who can provide input into the Shire's RAP?

We are developing our draft Innovate RAP in close consultation with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members, local Gathering Places and Traditional Owners, our internal Reconciliation Working Group and the wider Mornington Peninsula community. 

We want to hear ideas from a wide range of community members on how we can build and strengthen relationships, show respect, and improve opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

How can I have my say on the Shire's RAP?

We have listened to your initial feedback (provided during our first round of community consultation in January-February 2024) and have developed our draft Reconciliation Action Plan 2024-2026.

We invite you to review the draft RAP and provide your feedback by completing our survey. All community and stakeholder feedback will be considered before we submit the final draft RAP to Council in September 2024.

You can contribute your feedback online at Draft Innovate RAP 2024-26.

You can also provide feedback by completing a hardcopy survey form (and dropping it in the ballot boxes provided) at the following locations:

  • Mornington Peninsula Libraries (Mornington, Rosebud and Hastings)
  • Willum Warrain Aboriginal Association, 10C Pound Road, Hastings
  • Nairm Marr Djambana Gathering Place, 32R Nursery Avenue, Frankston

Consultation is open from 25 June until 25 July 2024.

What will you do with my feedback?

Your ideas will be used to create a framework that will guide the Shire in achieving its vision for, and commitment to, protecting and promoting Indigenous cultural heritage, and the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the Mornington Peninsula. 

Stage 1 (complete) involves asking the community for feedback into the development of our draft RAP. This feedback was then used to develop our draft Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan.

Stage 2 (June - July 2024) involves presenting the draft RAP back to the community and asking for feedback to make sure our RAP is in line with community expectations.  

The draft RAP will also be presented to Reconciliation Australia and Bunurong Land Council for approval. Once we have gained their support, the RAP will be presented to Council in late 2024 for endorsement and adopted as a working document. 

Our RAP is the first phase of a longer-term undertaking for the Shire to commit to building respectful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and to work together with the Mornington Peninsula community to create a better future for all. 

Community engagement

Between 26 January - 29 February 2024, we asked the community for input and ideas to help develop the Shire’s Draft Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan.

We received feedback from 123 community members via a range of engagement activities, including an online survey, workshops and stakeholder consultations with Bunurong Land Council, Willum Warrain Gathering Place and First Peoples’ Assembly.

After hearing your feedback, it became clear that the following things are important to our community:

  • Supporting self-determination, preserving First Nations languages, culture and ensuring First Nation representation in decision-making processes.
  • Incorporating accurate and comprehensive First Nations history into education, promoting and fostering understanding of First Nations culture and heritage.
  • Providing more opportunities for higher representation of First Nations people in Council.
  • Creating spaces of recognition of First Nations culture in buildings and our local landscape.

Did you know?

The Traditional Custodians of the Mornington Peninsula are the Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation. 

Popular tourist destinations on the Mornington Peninsula’s traditional names (Arthurs Seat – Wonga, Point Nepean – Monmar). For thousands of years our people have met at Wonga (Arthurs Seat), the men would head to Cape Schanck and the women to Point Nepean (Monmar), this is not to say that it is strictly a women’s site, but it is now predominantly known as such. There is a special women’s place here for birthing, women’s ceremony, and initiation of the younger women. 

Mornington Peninsula has a relatively young population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. The 2021 census showed that 1,724 people on the Mornington Peninsula identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. The median age of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders on the Mornington Peninsula is 23, with just 7.7% of the population over 65.

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