Albury City

Federation

Greater Hume

Indigo

Towong

Wodonga City

Aboriginal Population and Language Groups

• Approximately 1.5% of the general area population identify as Aboriginal.
• Albury Wodonga area was known as Bungambrawatha (“homeland”) by the Wiradjuri people who first settled here. It was changed in 1838 to Albury, while Wodonga (“bulrushes”) retains its Indigenous name.
• This region is divided by the Murray River and has a strong history of Aboriginal ownership, with connections to the following Aboriginal Nations of Waveroo, Minjambuta, Dhudhoroa, Bpangerang, Yorta Yorta, Jethi Yaithmathang and Wiradjuri.

Aboriginal Arts Development

Aboriginal Arts Development is a key priority for Murray Arts and the organisation continues to be at the forefront in this sector with a core funding commitment to the ongoing employment of our Aboriginal Arts Officer and the employment of an Aboriginal Arts Curator. The Aboriginal Arts Curator – Emerging is a new role made possible with secured funding for 18 months from the Create NSW Aboriginal Employment Fund.

Murray Arts facilitates a strong Aboriginal Artists Network and supports an ongoing engagement with local councils, advocating for Aboriginal artists on various initiatives. Murray Arts supports a NAIDOC preschool program and employs local Aboriginal artists to deliver an authentic Aboriginal cultural experience to preschools, across the Murray Arts region to acknowledge NAIDOC week. Each year Murray Arts organises an annual exhibition of local Aboriginal artworks. Murray Arts supports a road trip to Sydney for the Black Arts Market. It is a valuable opportunity to make new contacts, network professionally and promote further sales opportunities for burraja gallery Aboriginal artists.

burraja gallery offers a genuine, authentic connection to local Aboriginal artists, offering a space to market, showcase and sell their work. It is the only dedicated local Aboriginal Art Gallery. Our definition of local is: lives, works and or connects with the Murray Arts footprint.

Aboriginal Arts Organisations

• Burraja Indigenous Cultural and Environmental Discovery Centre, Gateway Island Wodonga
• Wickman Gallery is a commercial Aboriginal Art Gallery, selling Australian Aboriginal artworks in Albury

Aboriginal Arts Festivals

• NAIDOC Week events, celebrations and activities are held across all six LGAs