Where is Country?

Abstract

Indigenous knowledge and culture are often obscured in Naarm-Melbourne by its colonial past and rapid urbanisation. Yet, First Nations peoples have maintained a profound connection to the land for millennia, shaping sustainable practices and intricate cultural traditions.

This exhibition uses maps to uncover where ‘Country’ exists—or where it has been lost—revealing Indigenous knowledge, histories, and practices woven into the fabric of Melbourne. Through scar trees, waterholes, native flora, and more, it showcases the cultural and spiritual landscapes that sustain Indigenous communities.

At its heart, a final map combines these layers into an alternative vision of Melbourne—a city where Indigenous geographies are not hidden but central. It’s an invitation to see beyond the built environment, to recognize Country as a living entity, and to reimagine how we connect to the land.