All guides: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resources: Design and Social Context

Key resources for Design and Social Context

You will find more resources in the Resources by study area section below.

AIATSIS Collection
The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) collection consists of art and objects, books and printed material, film, languages, manuscripts, rare books, photography and sound. It is the world's largest collection of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island cultures and histories.
BlackWords: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writing and storytelling
BlackWords details the lives, careers, and works of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island writers and storytellers. It also provides research outcomes, datasets, teaching material and curated content.
Analysis and Policy Observatory (APO)
APO is a free evidence platform for Australian public policy research and resources. Browse subjects or use the search box.
Closing the Gap: Information respository
From this dashboard, you can access data on the targets and indicators of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. Select "Annual report data" to view annual data compilation reports.
SNAICC National voice of our children
The Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) is a non‐government, not-for-profit governed by Indigenous experts in the early childhood education and family support community sectors. Search for your topic or browse the "Our work" and "Resources and training" pages.
Agency
Agency is not-for-profit organisation that works with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visual artists and creatives. It responds to needs expressed by cultural leaders. Two major projects are its Uplands digital resource and the UNTOLD Naarm (Melbourne) talk series.
Australians for Native Title and Recognition (ANTAR)
ANTAR is a non-government, not-for-profit, community-based organisation. You can learn about truth-telling, justice, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, native title and land rights, Voice, cultural heritage, Closing the Gap, Survival day, racism, and treaty.
Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI): Indigenous perspectives
This site addresses the absence of Indigenous perspectives in Australian metropolitan planning strategies and calls for a more nuanced integration in urban policies. Includes a repository of over 700 research papers.
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS): Research
AIATSIS is at the forefront of research led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Search for your topic or browse current projects and past research publications. AIATSIS is also a leader in ethical research.
Indigenous cultural and intellectual property rights
Learn about Indigenious cultural and intellectual property (ICIP) and find out how to respect ICIP rights in your own work.
Insight video series: Indigenous cultural and intellectual property rights
First Nations artists talk about their experiences with fake art and the effect it has on their communities. Filmed during the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair in August 2024.

Victoria

You may find more local resources in the Resources by study area section below.

Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO)
VACCHO is the peak representative for the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in Victoria. Its website provides health service and program information, education and training, policy and advocacy, and cultural safety services.
Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc. (VAEAI)
The VAEAI is the peak Koorie community organisation for education and training in Victoria. It provides advice on Koorie education issues, monitors education trends and advocates for community.
Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages
VACL is the peak body for Aboriginal Languages in the state of Victoria. Its members are leaders in language revitalization, resource development, and research. VACL works with forty-four Language Groups and fourteen Lects.
Yoorrook Justice Commission
The Yoorrook Justice Commission is the first formal truth-telling process into historical and ongoing injustices experienced by First Peoples in Victoria. It released the Yoorrook for Justice report into the Victorian child protection and criminal justice systems in 2023.
Aboriginal Housing Victoria (AHV)
Aboriginal Housing Victoria (AHV) is the lead agency for Victoria’s Aboriginal housing and homelessness policy, Mana-na woorn-tyeen maar-takoort. It holds the Government to account in securing resources and reforms, and empowers Victoria’s Aboriginal community to determine its own housing future.
Victorian Aboriginal Housing and Homelessness Forum
Members of the Forum include Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs), Traditional Owner groups (TOs) and Aboriginal Trusts. Together they deliver housing and homelessness services across the state of Victoria. Search for your topic or browse publications and resources.
Deadly story
Deadly Story is a cultural resource portal to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people in out-of-home care in Victoria. Its goal is to grow their knowledge of who they are and where they come from, and support their connection to Culture, Country and Community. Resources for children, young people, carers and practitioners.
Creative Victoria: First Peoples
Creative Victoria is guided by the First Peoples Directions Circle – a group of esteemed First Peoples leaders and professionals working in education, community, philanthropy and the creative industries. It provides creative grant opportunities, toolkits, logos and audience insights for First Nations artists.
UNTOLD Naarm 2025
UNTOLD Naarm is an new talk series that brings together First Nations communities, creatives and visual artists from across Australia in Naarm (Melbourne). It prioritises the stories of local custodians and aims to provide greater connection with visiting First Nations artists and creatives.
Deadly Story: Cultural Centres: Victoria
This site showcases several Cultural Centres in Victoria. One example is the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, located in the traditional Country of the Gunditjmara people in south-eastern Australia, which has one of the world’s oldest and most extensive aquaculture systems.
Koorie Heritage Trust
Koorie Heritage Trust has the only public collection in Victoria dedicated solely to Koorie art and culture. It has a range of cultural experience programs including cultural competency training, and exhibitions of Victorian Peoples art and artists.
Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA)
The Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA) is a statewide Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO) servicing children, young people, families, and community members in Victoria. See the resources tab for its many resources on education, family violence, LGBTQIA and more.

Resources by study area

Architecture and Urban Design

You can find more links in the Key resources and Victoria sections above.

Design: building on country
Australian Aboriginal design is visible in the aerodynamic boomerang, the ingenious design of fish traps and the precise layouts of community settlements. This book shows how Indigenous design principles are being applied to contemporary practices.
Deadly Story: Cultural Centres: Victoria
A collection of Cultural Centres to visit in Victoria. One example is the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, located in the traditional Country of the Gunditjmara people in south-eastern Australia. It consists of three serial components containing one of the world’s most extensive and oldest aquaculture systems.
Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI): Indigenous perspectives
This site addresses the absence of Indigenous perspectives in Australian metropolitan planning strategies and calls for a more nuanced integration in urban policies. Includes a repository of over 700 research papers.
ArchitectureAU – Indigenous Architecture
News and discussions about Indigenous architecture and the built environment in Australia. The site is endorsed by the Australian Institute of Architects and Design Institute of Australia.
Indigenous Architecture and Design Australia
Dedicated to supporting Indigenous design, architecture, and planning in Australia, IADA serves as a platform for Indigenous professionals in these fields to collaborate, share knowledge, and build a strong network.

Art

You can find more links in the Key resources and Victoria sections above.

Blak Dot Gallery
Blak Dot Gallery in Naarm (Melbourne) is as artist-run gallery for contemporary First Nations art in Australia.
Indigenous Australian art movements and cooperatives
This Wikipedia page lists Australian Indigenous artists and their art movements, cooperatives, and centres. It includes links to many Indigenous-owned and/or controlled not-for-profit organisations.
Nangamai: A celebration of First Nations Culture
Explore film, music and dance by First Nations artists at the National Film and Sound Archive.
SAM: Shepparton Art Museum
SAM celebrates the work of artists from southeast Australia and that of local Indigenous artists. Australian ceramics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, and Australian art are highlights of the collection.
National Museum of Australia: First Australians
The First Australians website provides online access to many highlights of this exhibition. It features the stories, experiences and diverse cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Melbourne Museum: Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre
The Bunjilaka Centre is a major exhibition at Melbourne Museum. It has more than 600 historic and contemporary art and objects and was co-curated by the Yulendj Group of Elders. Its Education page provides links to school programs and resources.
National Gallery of Victoria: First Nations Art
Wurrdha Marra - ‘Many Mobs’ in the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung language - is on permanent display at The Ian Potter Centre. The works represent both senior and emerging artists from diverse places and cultures in Australia. The NGV's First Nations Art website also features touring exhibitions and collection highlights.

Design

You can find more links in the Key resources and Victoria sections above.

Visible Steps: Indigenous Design Alliance
Visible Steps is an Indigenous led alliance of design stakeholders. It acts as a meeting place to research, share and discuss the ethical representation of Indigenous culture in communication design practice.
Ikuntji Designs (Central Australia)
Ikuntji Artists is a not for profit, Aboriginal art center located in the community of Haasts Bluff (Ikuntji), Central Australia. Ongoing projects include Museum project, Ikutji Designs (fabric design and screen printing) and Ikuntji History project.
Australian Indigenous Design Charter
The aim of the Charter is to provide cultural guidance around appropriate creation and commercial use of Indigenous graphical representations in design practice.
Indigenous Australian art movements and cooperatives
This Wikipedia page lists Australian Indigenous artists and their art movements, cooperatives, and centres. It includes links to many Indigenous-owned and/or controlled not-for-profit organisations.
Melbourne Museum: Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre
The Bunjilaka Centre is a major exhibition at Melbourne Museum. It has more than 600 historic and contemporary art and objects and was co-curated by the Yulendj Group of Elders. Its Education page provides links to school programs and resources.

Education

You can find more links in the Key resources and Victoria sections above.

Learning ground: Indigenous education research database
This database is hosted by Australian Council of Education Research (ACER). It contains Australian and international material about all levels of education. Search for your topic and limit to Australia or an Australian state/territory.
VACCA Cultural Hub
The Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA) Cultural Hub is a library of educational resources to help children get creative, grow knowledge and connect to culture.
AIATSIS Education
The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) Education website has curriculum resources about Indigenous Australia. It also provides guidance for non-Indigenous educators to critically reflect on pedagogical practices.
50 words project
This University of Melbourne project aims to provide fifty words in every Indigenous language of Australia. Words are provided online with community permission, with audio provided by a language speaker. Resources include a map so that users can find the languages in their local area, and an activity book for teachers.
Songlines: first knowledges for younger readers
Children will learn about history, art, song, science and more in this introduction to Indigenous knowledges.
Deadly coders
Deadly Coders enables learning and career pathways in STEM for Indigenous Australian primary and secondary school students. It is an Indigenous owned and managed not-for-profit.
Deadly science
Deadly Science supports STEM education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary and secondary school learners. It distributes resources including greenhouses, telescopes, books, science kits and lessons for teachers.
Footprints in Time: The Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children (LSIC)
LSIC interviewed Indigenous children and young people across Australia over a period of several years. The study's data provides insight into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities and what they need to thrive. Scroll down to "Research and publications" to find Footprints in Time reports, papers and summaries.
Indigenous Literacy Foundation
The ILF is a national, community-led charity that supports literacy in remote communities by supplying culturally relevant books, resources and programs across Australia. They also support communities to create and publish their own stories in their own languages.
ERIC: Education Resources Information Center
ERIC is a free education database funded by the US Department of Education. It has a large amount of Australian content. Search for your topic then use limits to drill down to Location (Australia), topic (Descriptor), Education level, Audience, Date, and so on.

Fashion and Textiles

You can find more links in the Key resources and Victoria sections above.

First Nations Fashion and Design
FNFD is a not for profit Indigenous corporation based in Sydney. It supports the growth and development of the Indigenous fashion sector.
Ikuntji Designs (Central Australia)
Ikuntji Artists is a not for profit, Aboriginal art center located in the community of Haasts Bluff (Ikuntji), Central Australia. Ongoing projects include Museum project, Ikutji Designs (fabric design and screen printing) and Ikuntji History project.
Australian Indigenous Design Charter
The aim of the Charter is to provide cultural guidance around appropriate creation and commercial use of Indigenous graphical representations in design practice.
National Gallery of Victoria: First Nations Art
Wurrdha Marra - ‘Many Mobs’ in the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung language - is on permanent display at The Ian Potter Centre. The works represent both senior and emerging artists from diverse places and cultures in Australia. The NGV's First Nations Art website also features touring exhibitions and collection highlights.
Melbourne Museum: Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre
The Bunjilaka Centre is a major exhibition at Melbourne Museum. It has more than 600 historic and contemporary art and objects and was co-curated by the Yulendj Group of Elders. Its Education page provides links to school programs and resources.
National Museum of Australia: First Australians
The First Australians website provides online access to many highlights of this exhibition. It features the stories, experiences and diverse cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Global, Urban and Social Studies

You can find more links in the Key resources and Victoria sections above.

National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)
NACCHO is the peak body in Aboriginal health, representing over 150 Aboriginal community controlled health services in urban, regional and remote Australia. It provides advice and guidance to government and advocates for community-developed health solutions that contribute to quality of life and improved health outcomes.
Health: spirit, country and culture
This book explores birthing, end-of-life care and other Indigenous cultural rituals. It highlights the role of Indigenous leadership and Eldership in health decision making. The authors show how Aboriginal knowledges provide a road to self-determined, healthy lives.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)
The AIHW is an independent government agency that produces authoritative statistics and reports about the health and wellbeing of Australians. Search for your subject, browse topics in "Reports and data," or explore the "First Nations people" population group. "Regional Insights for Indigenous communities" (RIFIC) is a dashboard where you can search by postcode, place name or map location for local and regional health data.
Footprints in Time: The Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children (LSIC)
LSIC interviewed Indigenous children and young people across Australia over a period of several years. The study's data provides insight into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities and what they need to thrive. Scroll down to "Research and publications" to find Footprints in Time reports, papers and summaries.
Responses to the First Nations Issues Paper
In 2020 the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability asked the public to share their views about what they think governments, institutions and communities can do to prevent violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of First Nations peoples with disability. Read submissions from 17 state and national advocacy groups.
BlakAbility
BlakAbility is an Australian Research Council (ARC) funded project looking to improve the lives of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people living with disability.
First Peoples Disability Network (FPDN)
FPDN is a national human rights organisation of and for Australia’s First Peoples with disability, their families and communities. It is governed by First Peoples with lived experience of disability.
Trans Health Research: Community resources
A list of support services and resources for Sistergirls, Brotherboys, and trans and gender diverse Mob.
Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Ltd (ANROWS)
ANROWS is an independent, not-for-profit research organisation established to produce evidence to support the reduction of violence against women and children. Search for your topic or use its menus to discover research reports and other resources such as its digital library.
ANROWS Evidence portal
The Evidence Portal has two parts: a database of evidence-informed intervention strategies to support the reduction of violence against women and children, with reviews of their components and effectiveness; and, evidence and gap maps for visual representations of existing evidence (and gaps) with a filter for specific interventions and outcome types.
Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research: Publications
The CAEPR undertakes research to further the social and economic development and empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people throughout Australia. Select a series or group of publications to browse titles or search within.
Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI): Indigenous perspectives
This site addresses the absence of Indigenous perspectives in Australian metropolitan planning strategies and calls for a more nuanced integration in urban policies. Includes a repository of over 700 research papers.

Media and Communication

You can find more links in the Key resources and Victoria sections above.

BlackWords: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writing and storytelling
BlackWords details the lives, careers, and works of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island writers and storytellers. It also provides research outcomes, datasets, teaching material and curated content.
First Nations Media Australia
First Nations Media Australia is the peak body for First Nations not-for-profit broadcasting, media and communications. Its online resources include guides for consumers, media workers and organisations. Explore its website to find projects, news and industry information.
indigiTUBE
An online media platform by and for First Nations people, preserving language and culture for future generations.
Koori Mail
The fortnightly national Indigenous newspaper – 100% Aboriginal-owned and 100% self-funded
National Indigenous Times
The National Indigenous Times is a 100% Indigenous-owned. It reports on the issues that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
National Indigenous Television (NITV)
An on-demand television channel dedicated to Indigenous programming.
Nangamai: A celebration of First Nations Culture
Explore film, music and dance by First Nations artists at the National Film and Sound Archive.
The Guardian – Indigenous Australians
The Guardian newspaper's latest news and current affairs affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) - Indigenous
The ABC Indigenous portal aggregates Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander stories from around Australia, including ABC Radio, News & Current Affairs, TV and iView.

Property, Construction and Project Management

You can find more links in the Key resources and Victoria sections above.

Design: building on country
Australian Aboriginal design is visible in the aerodynamic boomerang, the ingenious design of fish traps and the precise layouts of community settlements. This book shows how Indigenous design principles are being applied to contemporary practices.

Evaluating and referencing Indigenous knowledges

Indigenous referencing: Guidance for Indigenous knowledges (PDF, 27 pages)
This toolkit includes a decision tree to help you critically assess sources of Indigenous information. It provides referencing guidance on how to include the author’s affiliated Nation/Country/Language group, with examples of citing and referencing sources using APA 7th edition style.
This resource was created by the Indigenous Archives Collective (IAC), through funding by CAVAL and support by CACIK.

Library subject guides

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resources

Key resources for Design and Social Context

Victoria

Resources by study area

Architecture and Urban Design

Art

Design

Education

Fashion and Textiles

Global, Urban and Social Studies

Media and Communication

Property, Construction and Project Management

Evaluating and referencing Indigenous knowledges