A Welcome to Country should be performed at the start of a significant event, by a local Traditional Owner, when you are gathering on their Country and want to formally recognise that connection and show respect.

What is a Welcome to Country?

  • A cultural protocol where an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Traditional Owner welcomes visitors to their land.
  • It can be a short speech, or include song, dance, didgeridoo, or a smoking ceremony.
  • It is different from an Acknowledgement of Country, which can be done by anyone when a Traditional Owner is not present.

Think of it as being welcomed into someone’s home by the homeowner, not just a guest saying “thanks for having me”.

When should it be performed?

Most guidance says: use a Welcome to Country for major, formal or high‑impact events , especially where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people or issues are central.

Common situations include:

  1. Major public events
    • Large community festivals, official launches, award nights, significant school or university ceremonies, and big civic celebrations.
 * Examples often include New Year’s Eve city events or big government and arts events.
  1. Formal government and civic occasions
    • Openings of parliament, council meetings of special significance, citizenship ceremonies, and high‑profile visits by dignitaries.
  1. Conferences, forums and symposiums
    • National or state conferences, professional forums, and large symposiums where people travel from different regions and the event runs on a formal program.
  1. Events significant to First Nations communities
    • Any event with a First Nations focus, such as reconciliation events, cultural festivals, policy launches affecting Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander communities, or programs about Truth‑telling and healing.
  1. When there are dignitaries or high‑profile guests
    • If the guest list includes senior political leaders, high‑profile public figures, or international visitors, many protocols recommend arranging a Welcome to Country.

Quick rule of thumb

Use a Welcome to Country when:

  • The event is major, formal, or high‑impact.
  • It’s held on Country where Traditional Owners are known and can be involved.
  • The event connects strongly to First Nations issues, representation, or visibility.

For smaller, everyday or internal meetings, an Acknowledgement of Country at the start is usually appropriate instead.

Where in the program does it go?

  • It should be at the very beginning of the event and usually the first item on the program.
  • It comes before official welcomes by hosts, dignitary speeches, or other opening remarks.
  • If there are multiple sessions across a full‑day or multi‑day program, the full Welcome to Country is usually at the main opening; later sessions may begin with shorter Acknowledgements instead.

Forum and “overuse” discussions (what people argue about)

Recent online discussions show a few recurring viewpoints:

  • Some people feel repeated Welcomes at every single speaking slot or minor video call are too frequent and become impractical.
  • Others argue that including Welcomes and Acknowledgements as a consistent ritual is a vital sign of respect and a reminder of unceded sovereignty, not “tokenism”.
  • Many First Nations voices stress that only Traditional Owners should perform a Welcome to Country, and that criticism often comes from misunderstanding the culture and protocols.

A balanced approach many organisations now take is:

  • Welcome to Country at the start of big, public or high‑impact events.
  • Acknowledgement of Country at the start of regular meetings, internal events, and smaller gatherings.

Mini how‑to for organisers

  1. Decide if it’s a major/significant event
    • Large audience, public impact, or strong First Nations focus → plan a Welcome to Country.
  1. Identify the local Traditional Owners
    • Work out whose Country the event is on and contact the relevant Traditional Owner corporation or council.
  1. Place it first on the run sheet
    • Make it the opening item, then follow with host welcomes and other formalities.
  1. Use Acknowledgements for everything else
    • For smaller meetings, team catch‑ups or online calls, open with an Acknowledgement instead of trying to arrange a full Welcome each time.

TL;DR: A Welcome to Country should be performed at the beginning of major, formal or First Nations–significant events , on the relevant Traditional Owners’ land, by a recognised Traditional Owner or Elder; for smaller or routine gatherings, use an Acknowledgement of Country instead.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.