Cultural education gives your team the confidence and understanding to work respectfully with Aboriginal communities, colleagues and clients. 

Booln Booln, the cultural education centre run by Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative in Grovedale, delivers half-day and full-day sessions for businesses across Geelong, the Bellarine and beyond, covering First Nations history, cultural protocols, language and workplace practice. 

Businesses that complete this training don’t walk away with a “tick the box” certificate, but with practical skills and a genuine understanding of the country they work on and the people they work alongside.

What does a cultural education session cover?

A session at Booln Booln is built around content that changes how people work day to day, including:

• Aboriginal cultural protocols and identity
• The impacts of colonisation and intergenerational trauma
• Culturally safe workplace practices
• Local First Nations heritage and language
• Unconscious bias and the terminology that shapes everyday conversations

Take the name Booln Booln itself. It means lyrebird, a bird known for mimicking the sounds around it, amplifying the voices of everything in its environment. Facilitators use stories like this throughout a session, so staff leave knowing why something as simple as an Acknowledgement of Country matters.

Why does this matter for your business?

Businesses book cultural education for reasons that go well beyond compliance. 

A council or health service working toward a Reconciliation Action Plan needs staff who can back that commitment up in daily practice, not just in a document on the website. 

A construction company breaking ground on a new site benefits from understanding why a Welcome to Country before the first shovel goes in matters to the community whose country they’re building on. 

A health provider might learn why some Aboriginal patients delay or avoid appointments, tracing back to generations of mistrust in institutions, so staff can build the kind of trust that gets people through the door.

For organisations who are truly committed to reconciliation and in understanding that Aboriginal history is Australian history, these education sessions are building blocks to true community engagement and in empowering staff to feel equipped rather than anxious about getting it wrong.

Who books this kind of training?

Booln Booln runs sessions for a wide range of organisations, including:

• Local councils and government agencies
• Health and community service providers
• Education and training providers
• Construction and infrastructure companies
• Corporate businesses and social enterprises
• Sporting groups and community organisations

Group sizes range from a handful of staff around a boardroom table to large all-of-organisation sessions, so the format scales to fit the business booking it.

How does a session run?

Sessions are offered as half-day or full-day workshops, delivered either on-site at your workplace or in person at Booln Booln, 410 Surf Coast Hwy, Grovedale. 

Facilitators are local First Nations community members, so the history and stories shared come from lived experience and local knowledge rather than a generic training manual. 

Groups that visit the centre in person can also spend time in the gardens, home to kangaroos, emus and wallabies, and browse the retail shop that exclusively stocks Aboriginal artists and creators before or after the session.

If your team can only spare a few hours, a half-day session covers the core protocols and history. A full day allows more time for discussion, questions and the creative side of culture, such as language and storytelling.

Other ways to connect with First Nations culture

Cultural education at Booln Booln is a good starting point, but it isn’t the only way a business can build a genuine relationship with the local First Nations community. 

Some organisations also get involved through Wurdi Youang, where cultural and country learning happens alongside grassland restoration in the You Yangs, or by sourcing custom artwork, windows and decorative pieces from Wathaurong Glass, which has trained and employed Aboriginal glass artists since 1998. 

Both are worth a look if your team wants to keep learning after the initial session.

Ready to book a session?

If your business is working on a Reconciliation Action Plan, preparing to start a new project on Wathaurong country, or simply wants staff who feel confident and respectful in their work with Aboriginal communities, get in touch with Booln Booln at reception@wathaurongcc.org.au. 

Let them know your team size and preferred format, and they’ll help put together a session that suits your workplace.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a cultural education session take?

Sessions run as either a half day or a full day, depending on how much content your team needs and how much time you can commit.

Where are sessions held?

Booln Booln can deliver sessions on site at your business, or you can visit the centre at 410 Surf Coast Hwy, Grovedale, where sessions are held alongside the gardens, retail shop and cafe.

Who delivers the training?

Sessions are facilitated by local First Nations community members, drawing on local history, language and lived experience rather than a generic corporate training package.

Is cultural education the same as a Welcome to Country?

No. A Welcome to Country is a ceremony performed by a Traditional Owner to open an event. Cultural education is a longer, structured session that builds understanding of history, protocols and workplace practice over several hours.

What size groups can attend?

Sessions scale from a small team to a large, all-of-organisation group, so the format can be adjusted to suit your business.

How much does a session cost?

Pricing depends on group size, format and location. Contact reception@wathaurongcc.org.au for a proposal based on your organisation’s needs.