Indigenous Knowledge, Stories, and Culture
Birth Trees and Child Naming in Victorian Indigenous Culture
Birth is a sacred process in Indigenous cultures, bound to Country, kinship, and spirit. In Victoria, many communities placed deep significance on Birth Trees—specially chosen gums or other large trees where the afterbirth was placed and a child’s spirit was tied to Country (Kwaymullina 2016). Alongside this, birthing techniques, ceremony, and naming traditions affirmed identity and obligations to land and kin. Colonisation disrupted these practices, yet many endure through oral histories, cultural renewal, and community-led health programs (Atkinson 2002; Museums Victoria 2023).
Birth Trees in Victoria
Symbolism and role. After birth, the placenta and umbilical cord were often placed in the hollow or at the roots of a tree—commonly a River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis)—signifying the child’s belonging and creating a life-long spiritual guardian (Howitt 1904; Kwaymullina 2016). Tree choice could reflect clan links, totems, or proximity to waterways (Clarke 2009).
Scarred and marked trees. Some Birth Trees were deliberately scarred or marked and revisited at key life stages for renewal ceremonies (Museums Victoria 2023).
Continuing significance. In several regions, Birth Trees are recognised as cultural heritage places protected under Indigenous law and the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 (Vic), and are considered in contemporary maternity care pathways (Royal Women’s Hospital Melbourne 2021).
Other birthing practices
Birthing places. Birth commonly occurred in secluded areas near water and resources, separate from main camps; families returned to these grounds across generations (Howitt 1904; Atkinson 2002).
Techniques. Birth was led by senior women and relatives. Warm water, plant medicines, massage and controlled fire provided comfort and cleansing; eucalyptus smoke was used for purification. The cord might be cut with stone blades, shells or sharpened wood (Howitt 1904; Clarke 2009).
Post-birth care. Babies were wrapped in possum- or kangaroo-skin cloaks, sometimes lined with plant fibres; mothers used antiseptic washes from eucalypt or wattle (Gott 2019).
Naming of children
Language and kinship. Children received names in language reflecting Country, totems, or ancestral beings; names affirmed kin responsibilities and clan identity and could change across life stages (Clarke 2009; Museums Victoria 2023).
Totemic and ceremonial naming. A child’s totem could be revealed by dreams or natural signs at birth (e.g., a bird call or plant flowering). Naming often formed part of welcome ceremonies where Elders introduced the child to Country and Ancestors; some names were restricted to protect spiritual identity (Howitt 1904; Kwaymullina 2016; Atkinson 2002).
Wadawurrung context
Country and practice. On Wadawurrung Country (Djilang/Geelong, Ballarat, Bellarine), River Red Gums along the Barwon and Leigh rivers were frequently chosen as Birth Trees, anchoring children to river lifeways and volcanic plains (Clark & Heydon 2002). Families revisited these trees at milestones to renew ties with land and kin.
Case study: Barwon River Birth Tree. Oral history from the Fyansford area recounts a Birth Tree where placentas were placed at the base so roots “cradled” both placenta and spirit. Despite colonial encroachment, quiet visits by Elders maintained cultural law. Although many such trees were felled, known Birth Trees are now actively identified and protected by the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation.
Impacts of colonisation
Mission regimes and European medical norms removed birth from Country and into institutions; many Birth Trees were felled or desecrated. Language suppression weakened naming traditions and totemic ties, and heritage places were overlooked or destroyed (Reynolds 1987; Atkinson 2002; Gott 2019; Museums Victoria 2023).
Contemporary revival
Community-controlled health services and hospitals are embedding Birthing on Country models, ceremonial supports, and cultural safety (Royal Women’s Hospital Melbourne 2021). Naming in local languages is resurging; communities are mapping and safeguarding Birth Trees and revitalising smoking, placenta burial and welcome ceremonies led by Elders (Clarke 2009; Atkinson 2002; Museums Victoria 2023).
Future directions
Sustaining these practices depends on:
Cultural authority: decision-making led by Elders and Traditional Owners (Kwaymullina 2016).
Indigenous-led maternity care embedded in mainstream services (Royal Women’s Hospital Melbourne 2021).
Language revitalisation integrated with naming protocols (Clarke 2009).
Legal protection and active management of Birth Trees and birthing places (Museums Victoria 2023).
Conclusion
Birth Trees and naming traditions in Victoria are living expressions of identity and law. From placing placentas in River Red Gums to bestowing names tied to totems, these practices root each new life in Country’s ecological and spiritual web. The Wadawurrung Barwon River Birth Tree illustrates resilience under colonisation and the ongoing work to protect places and restore ceremony—ensuring that Indigenous children remain tied to Country, kin and culture.
References
Atkinson, J 2002, Trauma Trails: Recreating Song Lines, Spinifex Press, Melbourne.
Clark, I & Heydon, T 2002, Dictionary of Aboriginal Placenames of Victoria, VACL, Melbourne.
Clarke, PA 2009, Australian Aboriginal Ethnobotany: An Overview, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
Gott, B 2019, The Yam Daisy: A History of Aboriginal Plant Use in Victoria, Aboriginal Studies Press, Canberra.
Howitt, AW 1904, The Native Tribes of South-East Australia, Macmillan, London.
Kwaymullina, A 2016, ‘Birth Trees and Aboriginal Child Identity’, Australian Indigenous Law Review, 19(1), 25–38.
Museums Victoria 2023, Aboriginal Cultural Practices: Birth and Childhood, Museums Victoria, Melbourne.
Reynolds, H 1987, The Law of the Land, Penguin, Ringwood.
Royal Women’s Hospital Melbourne 2021, Birthing on Country: Cultural Practices in Victoria, Melbourne.
Written, Researched and Directed by James Vegter 16/09/2025
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Magic Lands Alliance acknowledge the Traditional Owners, Custodians, and First Nations communities across Australia and internationally. We honour their enduring connection to the sky, land, waters, language, and culture. We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging, and to all First Peoples communities and language groups. This article draws only on publicly available information; many cultural practices remain the intellectual property of communities.