Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this webpage contains references to sensitive information.
The University of Melbourne is committed to working with communities of origin to reconcile the wrongs of the past to strengthen and heal for a better future. Many people in our community will find the following information confronting, especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The University of Melbourne acknowledges and apologises for the part it played in collecting, using and holding Aboriginal Ancestral remains and secret or sacred objects. The University has a dedicated repatriation team that is carrying out a community-led approach to repatriation.
How we can help
If invited, the University of Melbourne’s repatriation team can help communities of origin access information about their cultural material including Ancestral remains and secret or sacred material held by the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council (VAHC) and the University of Melbourne.
Our repatriation team is currently working with Elders and Cultural Authorities to assist with the repatriation of Ancestors and secret or sacred material.
Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council
The Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 (Vic) (the Act) entrusts the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council with overseeing and monitoring the system of reporting, safeguarding and repatriating Ancestors in Victoria.
Museums and Collections collaborate with VAHC to support the repatriation of Ancestral remains previously held in the University’s collections and transferred to VAHC in compliance with amendments to the Act. We also support the repatriation and safekeeping of secret or sacred objects that remain in the University’s care.
For more information call 03 99227002 or visit the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council website.
Alternatively, get in touch with the University Repatriation Team:
Truth Telling and Justice at the University of Melbourne
We encourage you to learn more about the University’s commitment to truth-telling and justice as an institutional priority towards understanding and transformation.
The two-volume series, Dhoombak Goobgoowana: A History of Indigenous Australia and the University of Melbourne by Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor Marcia Langton AO and historians Dr Ross L Jones and Dr James Waghorne, addresses the University’s historical and ongoing injustices committed against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The University’s Indigenous Strategy 2023–2027, Murmuk Djerring, ‘working together’ in Woi Wurrung language marks a watershed moment in the University’s history, presenting a number of important priorities and opportunities to elevate the University as an exemplar in the stewardship of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural collections and of Indigenous culture internationally.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
A: Contact the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council
The Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 (Vic) was amended in 2016. Effective 1 August 2016, the responsibility for all Aboriginal Ancestral Remains not rightfully held by Traditional Owners, including those held by individuals and organisations in Victoria, was transferred to the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council. The responsibility for the repatriation of Aboriginal Ancestral Remains was also transferred to the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council. The University of Melbourne supports communities of origin in seeking cultural authority consensus to request the return of their Ancestors from VAHC and helps to facilitate their return from VAHC according to community wishes.
-
A: If you find human remains in Victoria, do not disturb or exhume the remains, and contact your local Victoria Police (not 000).
Victoria Police will notify the Victorian Coroner who will assign a forensic anthropologist to assess the remains. The remains may be of relevance to:
- Victoria Police or the Victorian Coroner regarding a reportable death
- the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council if the remains are believed to be Aboriginal
- Heritage Victoria if the remains are considered to be more than 75 years old.
The Victorian Coroner’s office will notify the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council if the remains are believed to be Aboriginal.
For further information, visit the Department of Health (Vic).
-
A: Aboriginal Ancestral Remains were not formally acknowledged by the University until 1984, when Gunditjmara Elder, Jim Berg, and others, began work on the Victorian Archaeological and Aboriginal Relics Preservation Act 1972 (Vic) as a part of an Advisory Committee.
-
A: Known Ancestral remains still to be returned are from the New South Wales side of the Murray River, Victoria, Arnhem Land, and Cape York.
-
A: Some records indicate that Ancestral remains were collected into the 1980s.
-
A: All Aboriginal Ancestral remains previously held by the University are in the care of the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council.
-
A: Recognising historical wrongs, the University of Melbourne has an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Heritage Policy that informs the way forward and aligns with VAHC. The University Repatriation Oversight and Compliance Committee provides governance over the return of Ancestral Remains to Cultural Authorities.
The University of Melbourne accepts its responsibility for the collection of Ancestral remains by past staff, as well as for future engagement with communities of origin, beyond their successful return from VAHC. It continues to audit and review collections and teaching facilities to ensure that the policy and safekeeping of human materials meet public expectations.
-
A: The University has developed an Indigenous Strategy, Murmuk Djerring, and established Indigenous leadership and governance. The University is actively working to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage and collections are developed, cared for, and made accessible in collaboration and partnership with communities of origin.