Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country

In Australia you will often hear or read, at the start of official events and meetings and at the foot of government websites, a short statement acknowledging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners or Custodians of the land. For example, Transport for NSW, the ATO and NSW Government websites carry such statements, and City of Sydney events, official meetings and functions begin with a Welcome to Country or an Acknowledgement of Country.

Aboriginal peoples use the word Country for the lands, waterways and seas to which they are connected; the term carries ideas about law, place, custom, language, spiritual belief, family and identity.

• A Welcome to Country is performed by Traditional Owners, such as a recognised Elder from the local area, who welcome visitors to their land at the start of an event. Only Traditional Owners can welcome visitors to Country or give others the authority to do so.
• An Acknowledgement of Country can be given by anyone, Indigenous or non-Indigenous, as a sign of respect for the Traditional Owners and their continuing connection to the land.

In the City of Sydney local area, the Traditional Custodians are the Gadigal of the Eora Nation. The City suggests wording such as: "I would like to acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of this land and pay my respects to the Elders both past and present."

The Traditional Owners differ from place to place: the wider Sydney area includes the lands of the Darug, Dharawal and Eora clans, among others. Wording varies between organisations and events. To find out who the Traditional Owners of a particular area are, AIATSIS suggests contacting the local council, local Aboriginal land council or community organisation.