The Treaty Authority gives notice, under clauses 9.4(a) and 10.2(d)(ii) of the Treaty Negotiation Framework, that it has:
- entered the following Traditional Owner Group onto the Negotiations Database (known as the Negotiations Register) for the purposes of Traditional Owner Treaty negotiations with the State of Victoria; and
- received notification from the Traditional Owner Group of its intention to form a Delegation for a Treaty in respect of certain land and waters described in this notice; and
- the process of self-determined collective agreement-making to form a Delegation outlined in clause 10.3 of the Treaty Negotiation Framework will begin no earlier than 27 April 2026.
| Traditional Owner Group | Taungurung. |
| Country | Taungurung Country is bounded by the Great Dividing Range to the east and south, the Campaspe River to the west and by the Ovens River and a series of flats and wetlands in the north. Our Country incorporates spectacular high Country and Warring (Goulbourn) River flats, tall Mountain Ash forests, rugged snow gum mountain tops and sweeping grassy woodlands, billabongs, creeks and rivers. Our Country includes places of cultural, historic and contemporary importance including the Cathedral Range, the Strathbogie Ranges, Mount Buffalo and Mount Bulla, the Warring (Goulburn River), Reedy Lake and the Corop wetlands. |
Taungurung was entered onto the Negotiations Register on 25 March 2026.
Date: 27 March 2026
HOW TRADITIONAL OWNER GROUPS ARE ENTERED ONTO THE NEGOTIATIONS REGISTER
Entry onto the Negotiations Register is the first step for Traditional Owner Groups seeking to commence negotiations for a Traditional Owner Treaty with the State of Victoria. The relevant Negotiations Register entry may be assessed here.
The Treaty Negotiation Framework outlines the process for Traditional Owner Groups to be entered onto the Negotiations Register.
To be entered onto the Negotiations Register, a Traditional Owner Group must (clauses 8.1 and 9.1, Treaty Negotiation Framework):
- satisfy the Minimum Standards set out in clause 8.3 of the Treaty Negotiation Framework; and
- record a decision of that Group to enter into Treaty negotiations; and
- provide a notification to the Treaty Authority confirming these and other matters.
The Minimum Standards are certain threshold requirements a Traditional Owner Group must meet to enter into Treaty negotiations. The Minimum Standards relate to:
- Land and Waters
- Community
- Leadership
- Inclusivity.
Taungurung automatically satisfy the Minimum Standards, because they have ‘Existing Status’ under the Treaty Negotiation Framework (clause 8.4(a), Treaty Negotiation Framework). Taungurung Land and Waters Council on behalf of the Taungurung people has ‘Existing Status’ as:
- a registered Aboriginal party, within the meaning of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 (Vic) (clause 8.2(c), Treaty Negotiation Framework); and
- a Traditional Owner Group entity within the meaning of the Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010 (Vic) that has entered into a recognition and settlement agreement.
COMMENCING NEGOTIATIONS
There can only be one Traditional Owner Treaty that covers any particular part of the State.
Once a Traditional Owner Group is entered onto the Negotiations Register, it may begin the process of forming a First Peoples’ Treaty Delegation to collectively negotiate a Treaty in respect of an area of land and waters (clause 10.1, Treaty Negotiation Framework).
Forming a Delegation is a process of self-determined collective agreement between all Traditional Owner Groups entered onto the Negotiations Register in respect of the relevant Country (clause 10.3, Treaty Negotiation Framework).
Once a Delegation has been formed and entered onto the Negotiations Register, that Delegation is ready to commence negotiations with the State of Victoria.
The Treaty Authority will issue further notices when the Delegation formation process has begun.
LAND AND WATERS OVER WHICH A DELEGATION MAY BE FORMED
Taungurung has notified the Treaty Authority of its intention to form a Delegation for a Treaty in respect of the following land and waters:
The people of the Taungurung Nation have lived on and cared for Taungurung Country since time began. We are the First Peoples of the Mountains and the Rivers.
Taungurung Country is bounded by the Great Dividing Range to the east and south, the Campaspe River to the west and by the Ovens River and a series of flats and wetlands in the north. Our Country incorporates spectacular high Country and Warring (Goulbourn) River flats, tall Mountain Ash forests, rugged snow gum mountain tops and sweeping grassy woodlands, billabongs, creeks and rivers.
Our Country includes places of cultural, historic and contemporary importance including the Cathedral Range, the Strathbogie Ranges, Mount Buffalo and Mount Bulla, the Warring (Goulburn River), Reedy Lake and the Corop wetlands.
Our Country covers a large part of what is now central Victoria.
The Taungurung intend to form a Delegation over Taungurung Country which falls within the Taungurung Registered Aboriginal Party area. This same area forms the area of the Taungurung Recognition and Settlement Agreement.
COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT TO FORM A DELEGATION
On or after 27 April 2026, Taungurung must confirm with the Treaty Authority the land and waters over which the Delegation will negotiate a Treaty.
Once that confirmation is received, all Traditional Owner Groups on the Negotiations Register for any part of the confirmed area of land and waters must begin the process to reach collective agreement to form a Delegation (clause 10.3, Treaty Negotiation Framework).
Collective agreement-making is a self-determined process in which all relevant Traditional Owner Groups will decide certain key matters relating to the Delegation. This includes the subject matter of Treaty negotiations, leadership arrangements and inclusivity arrangements.
The Treaty Authority will provide support and guidance to Traditional Owner Groups through that process.
CONTACT US
The Treaty Authority encourages First Peoples whose Country includes some or all of the land and waters described in this notice to contact the Treaty Authority for information about the Treaty process.
If you have questions about this notice, please contact the Treaty Authority on 1300 133 033 or email us at [email protected].
