Melbourne is Victoria's coastal capital, the second-most populous and second-most visited city in Australia. Elegantly perched on the banks of the Yarra River. It's land brimming with 60,000 years of rich Indigenous history.  Naarm is the traditional land of the Kulin Nation, and Naarm is the Aboriginal name for Melbourne. Five Aboriginal clans make up the Kulin Nation: Wurundjeri, Boonwurrung, Wathaurong, Taungurung, and the Dja Dja Wrung. 

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The tribes of the Kulin nation were estimated to have a combined population of less than 20,000 at the time of British settlement in the 1830s. The Kulin relied on fishing, the cultivation of murnong (also known as yam daisy and hunting and gathering. They made a sustainable living from Port Phillip's abundant food sources and the grasslands that surround it. The Wurundjeri clan occupied and still live on the lands of modern Melbourne today.  Wurundjeri is a combination of the Woiwurrung words 'Wurun', which refers to the Manna Gum (Eucalyptus viminalis), and 'Djeri,' which refers to the grub found in or near the tree.

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The arrival of John Batman in Port Phillips waters marked the decline of the Kulin people and their fellow mobs. Under the guise of a treaty (which was invalid) Batman convinced the Kulin to give him their land.  Lacking domestic animals, agricultural production, technology and being resistant to Christian conversion efforts, the indigenous population suffered immensely under the rapid expanse of the European colonisation.

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One of the more depressing and tragic acts of violence was the Convincing Ground massacre. On the beaches of Portland bay, the Gunditjmara people entered conflict with English whalers over a dead beached whale. Due to the event being reported over 7 years later the casualties are unclear. It stands at 60 to 200 Gunditjmara  were killed and  2 survived 

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In the face of such darkness forced upon the Kulin nation and fellow clans, they remain strong, resilient, and full of pride. They continue to live and thrive in colonial society, preserving their culture, history and languages for future generations to come.