The City of Melbourne is creating a permanent Marker for the Stolen Generations within its municipality.

The Marker is an outcome of the City of Melbourne’s Reconciliation Action Plan 2021-23 (deliverable 1.2) and Council Plan 2021-25 (Major Initiative 23)

It also responds to recommendation 37 of the 2021 Stolen Generations Reparations Steering Committee report:

“The Steering Committee recommends that markers to acknowledge and commemorate the Stolen Generations experience are established by... all Local Government Authorities...” (Stolen Generations Reparations Steering Committee, 2021: 70).

We are grateful to be working with the Stolen Generations Marker Working Group, which includes representatives of the Stolen Generations and their families, Connecting Home, Link-Up Victoria and the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.

We want the Marker to be designed, located and used in an ongoing manner in accordance with the wishes of the Stolen Generations. We seek to honour the Stolen Generations, their resilience and life journeys. We also acknowledge the need for truth-telling.

Artist selection

Yorta Yorta, Wamba Wamba, Mutti Mutti, Boon Wurrung multi-disciplinary artist and curator Maree Clarke has been selected as the commissioned artist for the Stolen Generations Marker.

Maree Clarke was selected by an independent selection panel of people from the Stolen Generations and their descendants; Traditional Owners; and Stolen Generations support organisation workers.

The selection was by design proposal - chosen from three submissions by high level Aboriginal artists with a strong connection to Victoria. The panel felt Maree’s design best met the requirements of the brief reflecting the stories of survivors and serving as a place of connection, education and solace.

Maree’s design focusses audience attention on the experience of the children who were forcibly removed under successive Governments’ policy. Situated in a serene and embracing, native landscape, the predominantly figurative artwork will encourage very personal engagement with the individual, emotional and psychological impact on the children and their fight to find and return home to culture and country.

Location of the Stolen Generations Marker

The Marker’s location will be Peppercorn Lawn, Alexandra Gardens. Peppercorn Lawn was chosen by the Stolen Generations Marker Working Group, following consultation with the Victorian Aboriginal Community, especially Stolen Generations and their families.

A process is currently underway to select and artist to create the Marker.

We estimate that the Marker will be opened in mid-2026.

News

Timeline

  • Timeline item 1 - complete

    Community consultation

    Late December 2022 to 17 March 2023

  • Timeline item 2 - complete

    Collate and review feedback

    April 2023

  • Timeline item 3 - complete

    Artist EOI

    Between 28 August to 20 November 2023 we extended the opportunity to Stolen Generations and Aboriginal artists to submit an expression of interest.

  • Timeline item 4 - complete

    Artists shortlisted and concept design created

    In December 2023, the Stolen Generations working group shortlisted three artists (teams) to produce a concept design.

  • Timeline item 5 - complete

    Location announced

    13 February 2024

  • Timeline item 6 - complete

    Artist confirmed

    September 2024

  • Timeline item 7 - active

    Stolen Generations Marker is fabricated and installed

    2024 - 2026

  • Timeline item 8 - incomplete

    Stolen Generations Marker opening / launch

    Mid-2026

Consultation on proposed locations

Learn more about the proposed locations and what we heard.

Contact us

If you would like to contact us directly, please phone 0427 285 150 or email stolengenerationsmarker@melbourne.vic.gov.au