Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative provides health, family, community and cultural services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the Geelong, Bellarine, Surf Coast, Colac and Wyndham regions, on Wathaurong, Gulidjan, Gadabanud and Boonwurrung country. 

Founded on 22 May 1980, the cooperative has grown from a small group of community members meeting to plan a shared gathering place into an organisation of over 200 staff, and the largest employer of Aboriginal people in the Geelong region. 

Today, its services reach more than 85 percent of Aboriginal people living in the area, supporting community from “first to last breath.”

Where did Wathaurong start?

Wathaurong began in the late 1970s, when local Aboriginal community members started meeting informally to talk about building a place of their own. The vision became official on 22 May 1980, when the organisation incorporated under the name Geelong and District Aboriginal Co-operative. It was later renamed to honour the Wathaurong (Wadda Wurrung) people, the Traditional Owners of the land the cooperative now serves.

The organisation started out working from waterfront office space. By 1996, it had its own administrative building at 62 Morgan Street in North Geelong, built on a site that used to be a landfill. Health and Children’s Services buildings followed in 2006, and the cooperative now runs services from multiple sites across Geelong, Colac and Wyndham. 

What health services does Wathaurong provide?

Since 2006, Wathaurong has run a dedicated medical clinic offering general practitioner consultations, Aboriginal Health Practitioner assessments, and visiting specialists, including endocrinologists, paediatricians, obstetricians, kidney specialists and geriatricians. Appointments are bulk billed for Medicare cardholders, so there’s no gap fee to see a doctor.

Beyond the clinic, health services include:

• Koori Maternity Services, offering pregnancy and postnatal care built around Aboriginal families
• Maternal Child Health support 
• Psychologist and counselling appointments for social, spiritual and emotional wellbeing
• Alcohol and other drugs support using harm minimisation approaches
• A weekly outreach clinic in Colac, so families outside Geelong don’t have to travel as far for care, as well as outreach clinics in Wyndham

How does Wathaurong support families?

Wathaurong’s Family Services team works from the idea that strong families raise strong children, facilitating training and education programs to help parents through every stage of raising kids. 

That includes early years support for infants and young children, parenting programs, kinship and foster care for children who can’t live with their birth family, and family violence support delivered through the Orange Door service. 

The team also supports families involved with the Child Protection system and runs justice services for people navigating the legal system.

What community services are available?

Community Services covers the parts of daily life that don’t always show up in a health or family services list. This includes:

• Housing assistance and homelessness support
• NDIS and aged care support
• Justice programs
• Stolen Generations support
• Caracaramigen House, the Aboriginal gathering place in Colac

An Elder who was removed from their family as a child can access Stolen Generations support without having to explain their history from scratch, because the staff are trained in exactly that context. 

A family facing eviction can get housing support from people who understand the community they’re part of, not just the paperwork.

How does Wathaurong stay connected to Country and culture?

Cultural connection runs through everything Wathaurong does, but a few programs are built around it directly. 

Wurdi Youang, an Indigenous Protected Area near Little River in the You Yangs, has been owned and managed by Wathaurong since the cooperative acquired the land in August 2006. Community members work there on grassland restoration and rehabilitation.

Wathaurong Glass, running since 1998, trains and employs Aboriginal community in glasswork, producing custom windows, doors and decorative pieces that include Aboriginal artwork and symbols that tell a story. Wathaurong Glass also produces unique awards for corporates and sporting clubs. 

And Booln Booln Cultural Centre in Grovedale runs cultural education sessions, Welcome to Country ceremonies and function space for the wider community.

What’s next for Wathaurong?

In 2025, Wathaurong launched the Wathaurong Dreaming Project, a 43.6 million dollar redevelopment set to bring all staff and services together at one purpose-built site on Morgan Street. 

Construction is expected to finish by mid 2027, replacing scattered buildings with a single facility designed around the community it serves.

Get involved

There are a few ways to be part of Wathaurong’s work. You can volunteer your time, become a member of the cooperative, or make a donation toward the programs above. If you’d like to learn more about a specific service, reach out to admin@wathaurong.org.au or call 03 5277 0044.

Frequently asked questions

When was Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative founded?

Wathaurong was incorporated on 22 May 1980, originally under the name Geelong and District Aboriginal Co-operative, before being renamed to honour the Wathaurong Traditional Owners.

What areas does Wathaurong serve?

Wathaurong provides services across Wathaurong, Gulidjan, Gadabanud and Boonwurrung country, covering the Geelong, Bellarine, Surf Coast, Colac and Wyndham regions.

What services does Wathaurong provide?

Wathaurong runs health services including a medical clinic and Koori Maternity Services, family services covering parenting support and kinship care, community services such as housing and NDIS support, and cultural programs including Wurdi Youang, Wathaurong Glass and Booln Booln Cultural Centre.

How big is Wathaurong as an organisation?

Wathaurong employs over 200 people, and is the largest employer of Aboriginal people in the Geelong region. Its services reach more than 85 percent of Aboriginal people in the area.

How can I support Wathaurong’s work?

You can volunteer, become a member of the cooperative, make a donation, or contact a specific service team directly to find out how to get involved.