Acknowledgement of Country

Gembrook Retreat is on the border country of the Wurundjeri Woiwurrung and Boonwurrung/Bunurong peoples.  Sovereignty has never been ceded, even in the face of invasion and colonisation. We acknowledge their deep and ongoing connection to this Country since time immemorial.

Gembrook Retreat warmly invites all Aboriginal people to stay with us. Mob only events welcome. We seek to provide a culturally safe, respectful and affirming space by:

  • valuing and respecting Aboriginal identity, culture, spirituality, connection to Country and wisdom

  • understanding and seeking to address the impacts of invasion

  • working to unwind our own colonial mindset and practices

  • seeking to listen to and learn from Aboriginal people, from the land and from creation

With the traditional owners of this place and all Aboriginal people, we recognise that we are dependant on and part of Country. It provides us with shelter, food, a place to belong and nourishment for our souls. 

While we are here, we seek to pay close attention to this Country with gratitude, care and respect.

Gembrook Retreat Pledge to Support Treaty

Gembrook Retreat is proud to acknowledge that we are on border Country of the Wurundjeri and Bunurong / Boonwurrung peoples.  We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and remember that sovereignty was never ceded.   As we go about offering a space for renewal of spirit, rest, and looking after land, we seek to learn from Aboriginal people and to be shaped by their thousands of years of wisdom and the current struggle for justice and healing. 

We  firmly committed to advancing social justice and equality, we want to play our part in righting the wrongs of the past and be part of creating a better future together. 

With profound respect for the sovereignty, culture, and rights of First Peoples, we’re pleased to announce that we will walk with the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria on the journey to Treaty. 

We recognise that when it comes to First Peoples communities, cultures and lands, the experts are - of course - the First Peoples. 

The past can’t be changed, but we can choose to take steps today that will help heal the ongoing pain caused by the injustices of yesterday. 

We believe a better tomorrow is possible and Gembrook Retreat pledges our unwavering support to the First Peoples’ Treaty process in Victoria. 

To help build support for the shared journey to Treaty, we will: 

  • Listen to First Peoples as they speak about Treaty, Truth and Voice

  • Educate ourselves about the Treaty process and what it means

  • Educate others in our sphere of influence through social media, workshops, and ensuring educational material is available for people who visit the retreat

  • Develop a sense of what the benefits are for all people who live on these lands

  • Seek to hold the government to account by contacting relevant MPs if / when the government does not keep good faith

  • When engaging First Nations people to run workshops, we commit to ensuring they are paid for their time and expertise

  • Where appropriate, continue our practices of honouring language and culture by naming sites on the retreat in language

We seek to decolonise our practice, to learn from Country and honour and respect the connection to Country that First Peoples have, and to invite others onto this journey.  

By making this pledge, we affirm our commitment to the self-determination of First Peoples in Victoria as they assert their rights, tell their truths, and chart a path towards, and healing through, Treaty-making. 

Together, we will create a future where First Peoples’ voices are heard, rights are respected, and justice is realised for generations to come.