Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation

Frankston

Registered with the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations on 30 June 2000.

The Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (BLCAC) was incorporated as an Aboriginal Corporation under the Aboriginal Councils and Associations Act 1976 (Cth) on 30 June 2000. This Act was replaced by the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth).

Registered Aboriginal Party (RAP) status in Victoria

The BLCAC was appointed by the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council as a Registered Aboriginal Party (RAP) on 19 July 2017 under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 (Vic). Bunurong may also be spelt as Boonerwrung and Bunwurrung.

On 12 February 2019, Justice Bell of the Supreme Court upheld the Council's registration of the BLCAC in Briggs v the Council. Carolyn Briggs and the Boon Wurrung Foundation Ltd had sought judicial review by Supreme Court of the Council decision to appoint the BLCAC as a RAP in October 2017. In his decision to uphold the registration, Justice Bell noted the Council had 'emphasised the importance of recognising as a RAP a single organisation capable of representing, and effectively representing in fact, all Bunurong People and Traditional Owners'. See the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council website for a more detailed description.

Area of responsibility

In its role as a RAP, the BLCAC is responsible for the Mornington Peninsula, Western Port, Bass Coast, and Casey, as well as parts of Melton, Wyndham, Melbourne, Yarra Ranges, Cardinia, Baw Baw, and South Gippsland. See the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council's map of the boundaries in the documents below for a detailed description.

Initially only part of the BLCAC's application area was appointed while another part was declined. On 1 July 2021, the registered boundary was varied to include predominantly the Northern areas of BLCAC responsibility. The BLCAC and the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation had failed to come to an agreement regarding this disputed area of responsibility. Ultimately, the Aboriginal Heritage Council created the new boundaries to which both RAPs consented. See the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council website for a detailed decision history.

The BLCAC provides archaeological field assessments as part of the Cultural Heritage Management Plan process, cultural heritage advice, and other site surveys and investigations.

The BLCAC represents the Bunurong language group area, its people and Traditional Owners. As a result, the BLCAC provides strategic planning advice on cultural heritage and environmental land management on their behalf to local government authorities, state government departments, and private landholders.

Related Entries

Documents