VIS opens permanent First Peoples Yarning Circle at Lakeside Stadium

Located on Bunurong/Boon Wurrung country at Lakeside Stadium, the space was formally opened with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony, followed by a final planting ceremony and First Yarn.

The space features seven boulders reflecting Turt-bul Liwurruk, the Seven Sisters constellation in Bunurong / Boon Wurrung sky knowledge.

Those attending the opening included Bunurong Land Council Elder, Mark Brown, VIS alumni Catherine Freeman AC OLY and Kyle Vander-Kuyp OLY, VIS Chair Lauren Burns OAM OLY, VIS CEO Nicole Livingstone AO OLY, and students from South Melbourne Park Primary School.

At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, a Yarning Circle was established for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander athletes.

Athletes said it strengthened team connection and supported mental wellbeing by providing a culturally safe space to talk about the unique pressures of the Olympic Games.

The Yarning Circle will be open year-round to schools, community organisations and the public, celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditions and creating a place of connection for First Peoples and the boarder community.

During the VIS high-performance calendar, the space will host team conversations, cultural learning, wellbeing check-ins, squad announcements and Games send-offs ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The project was developed in partnership with the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, in consultation with Parks Victoria.