Murnong First Peoples’ Gathering Place

Senior Community Development Officer, Jacob, has been working on an incredible project in Inner East Melbourne: the Murnong First Peoples’ Gathering Place. This space offers a safe and welcoming environment for First Nations’ people to connect, share, and grow - while fostering cultural education, wellbeing, and community identity.

The Gathering Place builds on the achievements of the Wominjeka Garden and Murnong Aboriginal Gallery over the past seven years. Despite a smaller local Indigenous community, the founder, Glenn Loughrey, along with a dedicated team have worked tirelessly to set up this space.

Glenn is an acclaimed First Nations’ artist and contributes his own works to the space. The team’s efforts have led to much-loved community events like Indigenous art history talks, movie nights, and basket-weaving workshops. It’s been wonderful to see this space become an important hub of culture and connection.

We were thrilled when the community invited us to be part of a project to help the Gathering Place grow its impact. Jacob partnered with long-time volunteer, Russell, to work alongside Glenn creating a strategic plan and fundraising strategy - with a focus on ensuring the space’s long-term sustainability. Together, they developed a clear roadmap for the next few years.

The results have been remarkable! Murnong First Peoples’ Gathering Place now has a strong foundation for growth with new plans securing its future for years to come.