Virtual Songlines - Maribyrnong River
Welcome to a living river
The Maribyrnong River, Mirrangbamurn, is more than a waterway.
It is a living system. A cultural landscape. A place of deep time.
Flowing through the heart of Melbourne’s west, this river has sustained life for tens of thousands of years. For the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and the Bunurong Boon Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin, the Maribyrnong is Country, alive with meaning, memory and connection.
Waterways are not simply physical features. They are part of an interconnected system of land, sky and water, central to cultural, spiritual and ecological life.
The Maribyrnong and its tributaries, including Jacksons Creek (biik wurrdha) and Deep Creek, have long been places of gathering, movement, food production and ceremony. The river valley holds sites of profound cultural significance, including Murrup Tamboore near Keilor, one of the most important archaeological landscapes in Australia.
Despite the profound impacts of colonisation, including the reshaping of the river and the suppression of culture and language, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong Boon Wurrung peoples continue their enduring connection to Country, culture and community.
Today, the Maribyrnong continues to sustain life — ecological, cultural and social — reminding us that rivers connect past, present and future.
Experience the River Through Time
The Virtual Songlines map invites you to step into the story of the Maribyrnong.
This interactive experience reveals how culture, ecology and human decisions have shaped the river we see today, and challenges us to see it differently.
At its heart is the confluence of the Maribyrnong and the Birrarung, a place of deep significance, and of profound change.
Discover Layers of Culture and Life
Explore Maribyrnong
Discover stories of Country and connection across generations
Aboriginal Language
Hear and see Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung language through 52 spoken and written words
Living Systems
Interact with 52 icons representing cultural sites, bush foods, medicine, fauna and landscape features
These elements reflect both cultural knowledge and ecological understanding of the Maribyrnong River.
Acknowledgment
This project has been developed with the guidance and knowledge of Traditional Owners.
We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung peoples as the custodians of the lands and waterways of the Maribyrnong catchment.
We thank Elders and community members for sharing their knowledge, stories and cultural authority.
Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people remain the custodians of their cultural and traditional knowledge represented in this map.
