Victoria is a state in southeast Australia, with Melbourne, its coastal capital.
The city has a warren of 19th-century 'laneways' and, at its centre, the modern Federation Square development, with plazas, bars, and restaurants by the Yarra River.
In the Southbank area, the Melbourne Arts Precinct is the site of Arts Centre Melbourne, a performing arts complex, and the National Gallery of Victoria, with Australian and indigenous art.
Victoria itself embraces mountains, national parks, wineries and surfing beaches.
The Great Ocean Road follows the coast west to Port Campbell National Park, where the Twelve Apostles are limestone stacks on the edge of the ocean.
Victoria, Australia has a rich Aboriginal history, heritage and culture.
Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, UNESCO World Heritage (Great Ocean Road)
First Nations owned-and-operated Budj Bim Cultural Landscape was named by National Geographic UK as one of the top 35 'Best in the world' destination to visit in 2023.
It features the earliest known example of aquaculture in the world, with a history of eel farming dating back over 6,000 years.
Visitors can discover the region's heritage and natural environment and build their own eel traps using ancient techniques.
Koorie Heritage Trust, Narrm, Melbourne
Located at Federation Square, the Koorie Heritage Trust is a not-for-profit Aboriginal owned and run cultural centre, which offers a range of walks and programmes that celebrates the Aboriginal people of South-Eastern Australia.
Its exhibition programme showcases local Aboriginal artists and handcrafted gifts.
With activities like the Birrarung Wilam (River Camp) walk, visitors will be able to experience authentic Aboriginal art and culture in the heart of Melbourne.
Aboriginal Heritage Walk, Royal Botanical Gardens (Melbourne)
Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens are on a traditional meeting place of the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri people, the area's custodians.
The Gardens' Aboriginal Heritage Walks includes a guided tour with an Aboriginal local who also explains the traditional uses of plants for food, tools and medicine, as well as an introduction to the history of their people.
Aboriginal Rock Art in the Grampians National Park (Grampians)
The Grampians National Park (known as Gariwerd) is the richest site for Aboriginal history and art in Victoria.
Aboriginal people have been the area for tens of thousands of years, and Gariwerd has the largest number of rock art sites in Southern Australia, some dating back more than 30,000 years.
There are approximately 60 sites recorded in Gariwerd, with five sites open to the public containing heritage artefacts and examples of rock art that are among some of the oldest ever discovered.
https://www.visitvictoria.com/regions/grampians/see-and-do/aboriginal-victoria
YIRRAMBOI Festival, Melbourne
(4 to14 May 2023)
The annual YIRRAMBOI Festival, Australia's only First Nations-led arts festival, is10-days of dance, theatre and cinema.
To the Boonwurrung and Woiwurrung peoples, YIRRAMBOI means "tomorrow", and it's the name chosen for this unique festival that interconnects First Nations creatives locally, nationally and internationally to highlight the diversity and richness of this culture.
Big Esso by Mabu Mabu, Melbourne
Big Esso is an all-day bar and kitchen in Melbourne's Federation Square created by Torres Strait islander chef, Nornie Bero.
www.visitvictoria.com/regions/melbourne/eat-and-drink/restaurants/big-esso-by-mabu-mabu
Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre Café, Geelong & the Bellarine
The Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre is situated in Geelong, the gateway to the Great Ocean Road.
The building itself has been architecturally designed to reflect Aboriginal cultural practices and houses an education centre with cultural programmes.
The Centre's indigenous art gallery shows a collection of authentic Aboriginal art from Yuendumu in the central desert of Australia, including pieces by internationally acclaimed artists.
Its café features an indigenous-inspired menu with fresh ingredients sourced from their onsite garden: from kangaroo burgers to wild bush berry pancakes.
Cooee Café, Mornington Peninsula
Cooee Café is an eatery in Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, serving authentic Indigenous foods, flavours and dishes alongside regular Australian cuisine.
www.cooeecafeandcatering.com.au