$58m Aboriginal cultural centre opens at Darwin Waterfront

A centre showcasing the culture, history and art of the traditional owners of the Darwin region, the Larrakia people, has opened to the public after 24 years of planning and development. The $58 million Larrakia Cultural Centre, situated at Stokes Hill Wharf on the Darwin Waterfront, opened its doors for a sunrise tour this morning.The idea for the centre was conceived in 2002, and negotiations between the Larrakia Development Corporation (LDC) and Northern Territory government on granting the waterfront location and developing the venue lasted from 2005 and 2022 before construction began two years ago.The centre opened its doors to the public with a sunrise tour this morning. (ABC News: Marcus Kennedy)LDC chair Mark Motlop said the new centre would "fill a void" in cultural education in Darwin."People rock up in Darwin, they want an Aboriginal experience and they want a Larrakia experience," he said."In the past we haven't had that, we've had dribs and drabs … this is a one-stop shop."The centre has been in planning and development since 2002. (ABC News: Marcus Kennedy)Centre takes worldwide inspirationMr Motlop said he had travelled the world looking at similar venues during the centre's planning phase, and that its design was influenced by cultural centres in Canada, Alaska and New Zealand."We had to get a model that was going to be sustainable and we didn't want this to be the golden goose that goes looking for funding later on," he said."It had to be a commercial model, and Whistler [in Canada] had that."The centre design was inspired by similar venues overseas. (ABC News: Marcus Kennedy)Alongside a museum space and art displays, the centre in Darwin includes meeting and office spaces, a retail shop, a cafe and a restaurant.Aboriginal Investment NT chief executive Nigel Browne said he hoped the centre would not only provide cultural benefits to Larrakia people, but lasting economic gains as well."There's a cohort of full-time staff that are employed within the cultural centre … but there's a much bigger scope here," he said.Nigel Browne hopes the centre can provide economic opportunities for Larrakia people, as well as sharing their culture. (ABC News: Marcus Kennedy)"There'll be opportunities moving forward for Larrakia to engage in business and branch out from the centre itself."Over the years we've had a number of Larrakia people running their own tourism businesses … I'm sure that opportunities will come into the future to have those individuals linked with the cultural centre."Cultural items and interactive displaysMr Browne said the centre "takes the shape of the ancestral being", a bird in flight, which is "attached to the Larrakia sacred site" at the nearby Stokes Hill.On display are 23 cultural items that have been repatriated to Larrakia land from interstate and overseas, as well as a replica of the Larrakia peoples' 1972 petition to Queen Elizabeth II for land rights and political representation.There is also an interactive display where Larrakia people and visitors can learn about the history of the nine Larrakia family groups.A display of traditionally woven baskets inside the new Larrakia Cultural Centre. (ABC News: Marcus Kennedy)"A lot of people [in Darwin] will have come across or met or even fallen in love with Larrakia people over the years," Mr Browne said."Now's the opportunity to really come to one place where they can get a fuller appreciation of Larrakia history, of the story of Larrakia and what it's meant for Larrakia people ever since [George] Goyder sailed into our harbour in 1869."Nigel Browne, Helen Garnett, Donella Young, Darryn Wilson and Mark Motlop outside the cultural centre on opening day. (ABC News: Marcus Kennedy)The centre's cultural liaison officer, Donella Young, said she felt "so privileged" to see it finally come to fruition."It talks about culture, country, land rights and women and men that served in World War I and World War II and the Black Watch," she said."It also still talks about how the Larrakia community is still thriving to this day."