Fiona Boyle joins Victorian Provincial Walkabout 2025

19 Dec

Cultural safety is central to trust, access and justice, and remains critical to Kooyoora’s safeguarding work. As part of this commitment, our CEO Fiona Boyle participated in the Victorian Provincial Walkabout 2025, an 8 day journey created by the Anglican Church to deepen understanding of Victoria’s colonial history and the ongoing impacts on First Peoples. Prior to this, Kooyoora also participated in a previous Walkabout held in the Northern Territory in 2024.

The Walkabout 2025 journey was organised by Reverend Canon Shannon Smith and Ken Hutton, (executive officer Archbishop of Melbourne), in response to the work of the Yoorrook Justice Commission, which is leading Victoria’s formal truth telling process. The journey aims to support Anglicans and church staff to learn more deeply about post-colonial Aboriginal history by visiting significant places, meeting with community members and engaging directly with the landscapes where important cultural, social and historical events occurred.

Walking, listening and learning

The Walkabout began at St Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne and took participants to multiple regional locations across Victoria, including Morwell, Bairnsdale with a visit to the Krowathunkooloong Keeping Place, Lake Tyers, Wangaratta, Bendigo, Echuca, Halls Gap, Portland and Warrnambool, before returning to Melbourne.

Participants learned about traditional knowledge, including bush medicine and bush tucker, and spent time with First Nations community members who shared stories, cultural practices and artefacts. These conversations provided insight into the ongoing strength, resilience and expertise within Aboriginal communities.

The Walkabout also required participants to confront the truth of history. Fiona and the group visited former missions and massacre sites and heard accounts of dispossession and survival. These stories were shared with generosity, and often with deep emotional weight, offering a powerful reminder of both the harm experienced and the resilience that continues.

During the journey, the group also witnessed instances of racism and cultural misappropriation. These moments were confronting and highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by First Peoples, reinforcing the importance of genuine reconciliation efforts and the need for culturally safe practice across all sectors.

Why this matters for Kooyoora

For Kooyoora, safeguarding is more than compliance. It involves understanding the historical and present day experiences that shape access, safety and wellbeing. Fiona’s involvement in the Walkabout strengthens our commitment to ensuring that cultural safety remains a core principle in our work with organisations across Victoria.

The learning gained through this experience supports our ongoing efforts to help organisations become safer, more informed and more respectful in their engagement with First Peoples.

Looking ahead

This Walkabout is part of a continuing journey for Kooyoora. The insights gained will guide our practice, strengthen our understanding and contribute to culturally grounded safeguarding approaches that recognise history, honour community knowledge and prioritise safety for all.

Photo highlights by Fiona Boyle