Language is powerful, and we’ve been rethinking the term “cultural load”. We invite you to reflect on what culture means to you as well as the cultural practices you engage in. Are these thoughts and feelings heavy, like a load? Or do they bring you strength, as well as a sense of responsibility? When responsibility and load feel difficult to separate, the responsibility of prioritising wellness takes precedence. This reframe is where our thoughts and yarns have taken us so far …
Calling First Nations women, sistergirls and gender diverse mob in health, wellbeing and healing roles across so-called Victoria.
🍃 Weenthunga’s djilba biik Retreat could be a space for you!
Building on the success of our Retreats in 2022 and 2025, we’re excited to share that we’ll be bringing together a new collective of 50 First Nations people in health in 2026!
🗓️ Friday 29th to Sunday 31st May 2026
📍 Wurundjeri Country - Kalorama
This space is created in recognition and gratitude for the contribution First Nations mob in health make. If you can attend, we hope you’ll find the experience to be one of nourishment, connection and joy.
We know care responsibilities can shape what’s possible, so children are welcome! Please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate children so this space can be accessible to you.
Is this you, or someone you know? If so, we’d love to welcome you.
📣 Expressions of interest are now open 🔗 Register via the link in bio or scan the QR code featured We extend our heartfelt thanks to VACCHO for their financial backing of this Retreat through the Culture + Kinship grants 🖤💛❤️ @vaccho_org
Colour-blindness is a white lie - literally 👀
But don't get it twisted - this isn't 'harmless'.
It's racism in disguise that erases lived experience and contradicts person-centred care 🙅🏽♀️
Racism doesn't just disappear because people refuse to acknowledge someone's race. Seeing colour means:
🖤 seeing diversity
💛 seeing what matters
❤️ being able to challenge racism
✨ Meet our member Lewis Brown ✨
A proud Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung, Gunditjmara and Kirrae Whurrong man raised on Wurundjeri Country, Lewis carries strong connections to culture, community and Country 🖤💛❤️
Lewis is the Manager of First Peoples Tourism at Visit Victoria, and also works as a tour guide, consultant, cultural awareness trainer and advisor to the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council. Through his work, he brings First Peoples stories, knowledge and perspectives into spaces where they’ve often been overlooked 🌿
For Lewis, tourism isn’t about selling culture, it’s about storytelling as education. Through experiences on Country, he shares the truth of our histories in ways that build understanding while ensuring culture is respected and protected ✊🏽
Outside of work, Lewis fills his cup by spending time with family, passing cultural knowledge to his children, walking on Country, connecting with the ocean and spending time with Mob 🌊
Whether he’s guiding visitors on Country, shaping policy, training organisations, or yarning with community, his work is guided by care for culture, for people, and for the next generations. 🤎
🔗 Link in bio to read more about Lewis in our eNews
At Weenthunga, we know language is more than words - it’s power. That’s why we are intentional about the language we use. We choose words that resist colonial narratives, honour truths, and backs First Nations sovereignty.
Ironically, using language like ‘terrorism’ and ‘genocide’ here for truth-telling could be enough to get this post flagged or removed.
At Weenthunga, we stand in solidarity with the mob in Boorloo. ✊🏽
At Weenthunga, we stand in solidarity with Palestine. ✊🏽
Pay attention to what is said.
And to what is withheld.
Speak boldly. Act intentionally. Use language to resist.
As 2025 wraps up, we’re pausing, resting and reflecting on what a powerful year it has been for Weenthunga 🔥
Swipe through our Weenthunga Wrapped to catch some of the moments that made this year so impactful ➡️
This year in our Health Justice space we delivered workshops reaching hundreds, creating space for reflection, learning, and growth by guiding participants on a journey of anti-racism and cultural safety. This work is essential for fostering understanding, challenging injustice, and supporting health equity for First Nations peoples in so-called Victoria.
In our Health Sovereignty spaces we’ve continued to create meaningful relationships and spaces fostering connection, Blak joy and collective healing.
The numbers you see here go beyond milestones. They represent the shared commitment of Elders, Members, community, and partners to advancing health equity and justice for First Nations peoples in so-called Victoria. 🫶🏽
Looking to 2026, we’re excited to keep growing, gathering, and learning together. For mob, we can’t wait to see you at our future Retreats, experiences and other moments of connection 👀🫶🏽. For settlers wanting to practice meaningful allyship, we call on you to continue engaging in critical consciousness, unlearning, reflection and challenging colonial systems alongside us ✊🏽
Stay deadly and safe during the holidays and we will see you in 2026 🫶🏽✨
✨ Meet Francisco Fisher (he/him) ✨
A Settler Australian from Chile, Francisco lives and works on Wurundjeri Country and walks with Weenthunga as a Health Justice Collaborator 🍃
Francisco brings a rich and diverse background with studies in Visual Arts, Arts Administration, Communication Design and Horticulture. For the past 25 years, he has been invited to collaborate alongside First Nations communities and is guided by deep listening, creativity and respect 🫶🏽
He is passionate about social justice, creating safer spaces, and honouring ways of working that centre care, community and cultural accountability ✨
A proud Papá to Eddie, dog papá to Louie, and queero husband. Francisco loves gardening, co-creating with medicinal plants, and building things with his hands and always learning from Country and community 🐾💛🌿
Meet Victory (he/him) ✨
A proud Dharug and Kamiliroi man living on Taungurung Country, working in our djilba biik Men’s Spaces 🖤💛❤️
Victory brings over 7 years’ experience in community services and is currently completing a Diploma of Counselling with VACCHO (2025). His study expertise also includes a Diploma of Community Services (Swinburne) and studies in Aboriginal Languages with TAFE, NSW.
Victory is deeply passionate about:
🌾 Creating and holding safe, culturally grounded spaces for Mob
💛 Encouraging self-care so community can show up strong for Family, Community and Country
🔥 Supporting healing, wellbeing and strong spirit
Outside of work, Victory loves hiking, gym sessions and the occasional run and is a devoted carer to a little old, very opinionated Jack Russell Terrier 🐾💛
✨ Meet David Menzies (he/him) ✨
A Settler Australian of Scottish, Irish and English heritage, David has always lived and worked on Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung Country 🍃
David brings over 40 years’ experience across exercise science, physical activity promotion, primary health and population health. His journey has included work in clinical rehabilitation, primary care and national health initiatives such as:
🏥 Active Script Program
🤝 Sharing Health Care Initiative
🏛️ National Program Manager for the COAG Healthy Communities Initiative
David has been part of the Weenthunga fam since 2014, first as a committee member, then collaborator, and now staff member. He is committed to health justice, walking alongside community and learning through deep listening and relationships 🌿
A husband, Dad, Dadda, father, brother, Uncle, Great Uncle and cousin, David is also grandad to his 5-year-old greyhound rescue, Banksy 🐾💛
He’s a dedicated Whitehorse cyclist, strength-training lover, and long-time volunteer with Arthritis Australia, Liver Well, Ending Loneliness Together, and the Health Abilities Community Champions Advisory Group 🚴♂️✨
✨ First Nations Men in Health Experience on Djaara Djandak ✨
In November 2025, Weenthunga held our First Nations Men in Health Experience. We were joined by Mob who we met at the 2024 Retreat, as well as new community members working in health, healing and wellbeing roles. Taking place on Djaara Djandak, Mob travelled from across so-called Victoria to co-create a weekend of wellbeing, with a total of 30 First Nations community members attending. 🌿🖤💛❤️
At the Experience, the men were grounded on Country through: 🔥 Ceremony 🗣️ Group yarns
🍃 Learning on Country 🪵 A workshop at Djaara Timbers
Mob were gifted an experience bag, which included a handmade pendant alongside items from blak-owned businesses. 🎁✨
We would like to acknowledge those who held space, shared cultural knowledge, and all the mob who showed up to support and uplift one another throughout the weekend. 💛
Gratitude to Lewis Brown for Welcoming the group to Country and holding space across the Experience. Gratitude also to Djaara Timbers and Pete for hosting the workshop, sharing cultural tool-making knowledge, and putting on a feed. 🖤
📸: @diswun
Lil Sis Retreat on Yorta Yorta Country ✨
In September we took 15 young First Nations women and gender diverse mob (Years 10–12) to Yorta Yorta Country for three powerful days of connection, culture and sisterhood.
Our Lil Sisters travelled from Latji Latji, Dja Dja Wurrung, Wurundjeri, Bunurong and Wadawurrung Countries. They represented over 20 mob and language groups. Many hold dreams of becoming future leaders in First Nations health, wellbeing and healing. 🌿🖤
Over three days we yarned, learned and immersed ourselves in Yorta Yorta history and culture through: 🍃 Yarning with Aunty Pam Pederson 🍃 Weenthunga’s Four R’s + Resistance values 🍃 Smoking Ceremony and Kingfisher Cruise with Ralph Hume from @yortayortanation 🍃 Creative storytelling with @blakground.productions 🍃 Gum-nut necklace making + Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative tour with Aunty Cheryl Bourke @rumbalaracoop 🍃 Art and weaving workshop at @maloga.studio with Tammy-Lee Atkinson & Aunty Sue 🍃 And plenty of time for deep connection and sisterhood ✨
Reflections from our Lil Sissies:
💬 “An amazing experience… you meet girls who understand you in ways you didn’t think possible.”
💬 “Connecting with all the sissies and yarning with the big sissies was a highlight. I felt so supported and cared for.”
A massive shout out to all our deadly Little Sisters — we honour the way you showed up for yourselves, for culture and for each other. 💛
Deep gratitude to Aunty Pam, Big Sissy Milli Jackson, Yorta Yorta Nations, Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operation, Maloga Studios and our whole Weenthunga team for making this retreat so special.
What a time to be held by Yorta Yorta Woka 🖤❤️💛
Back in June, the nyaarn-gakgo mangkie Little Sisters met on Wurundjeri Country to co-create our ‘Connecting Through Conversations’ Day.
This day is all about bringing young mob together to connect, yarn, and learn from First Nations women working in health, wellbeing, and healing roles.
The highlight of the day was our yarning panel 💛
We heard from:
✨ Michelle (Yorta Yorta) – Paramedic
✨ Justice (Bundjalung) – Psychology student + Big Sis
✨ Cinnamon (Pitjantjatjara) – Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officer
✨ Jess (Gunditjmara) – Family violence sector
who shared their journeys, the pathways that led them into their roles, and advice for young mob interested in working in these spaces.
Even for some of our young women who aren’t sure if health is their path, listening to the stories of these deadly women gave them a deeper understanding of what these roles can look like and why they matter.
We also had the chance to get creative designing shirts with Tahnee (Yorta Yorta and Taungurung) from @gamminthreads , expressing our culture and stories through art 🎨 We are so grateful and wish to thank:
🌿 Aunty Annette for the beautiful Welcome to Country
🌿 RMIT and Ngara Willim for your ongoing support and the space for this day
🌿 Our panellists for your stories, time, and generosity
🌿 Tahnee for bringing your creativity and energy
🌿 Families, schools, carers, and community for supporting our Lil Sisters to attend
🌿 And most of all, our Lil Sisters for showing up, honouring reciprocity, and being part of this day.
We love seeing our Lil Sisters connect, learn, and dream up their futures. 💫
