Managing Country Together Framework

Parks Victoria’s Managing Country Together Framework is a blueprint that guides how we work in partnership with Traditional Owners to protect Victoria’s cultural landscapes. It outlines how we recognise and support Traditional Owner rights and interests through park management.

Through our Managing Country Together Framework (PDF), we are partnering with Traditional Owners in the management and protection of the parks estate. Our Framework provides both practical and symbolic recognition of Traditional Owner rights and supports the growing role of Traditional Owners in the planning and management of Victoria’s cultural landscapes. Our Framework is based on three key areas, which are interlinked:

• Strengthening partnerships between Parks Victoria and Traditional Owners.
• Better protecting Aboriginal cultural values across the parks estate.
• Supporting Aboriginal people to work and thrive in the park management sector.

The Framework is underpinned by ten principles for engaging with Traditional Owners that are grounded in international best practice approaches for respecting and enabling the rights of Indigenous Peoples. They support and align with the Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework and Self-Determination Reform Framework. Our principles are:

• Managing for cultural and natural values
• Honouring formal recognition processes.
• Recognition of Traditional Owner priorities and aspirations.
• Effective collaboration and partnerships.
• Respect for Aboriginal governance systems and self-determination.
• Appropriate engagement.
• Locally-tailored approaches.
• Support for cultural expression.
• Traditional Owner control of cultural heritage.
• Recognition of traditional knowledge, language and history.

 

Download a copy of our Managing Country Together Framework.