All community members must be empowered to feel they have cultural rights to learn and practise their language without the need for approval or permission
What languages are included?
These languages will be supported by Outback Languages.
Frequently asked questions
What is the AustLang system?
The Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) has a coding system for each Indigenous language, known as AustLang.
The AustLang database is maintained by AIATSIS and provides information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages which has been assembled from a number of referenced sources.
What is the AustLang code after each language?
For each language we have included the Auslang code which is managed by the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS).
The AustLang database is maintained by AIATSIS and provides information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages which has been assembled from a number of referenced sources.
SEARCH AUSTLANG DATABASE
Where are these languages located geographically?
See image below.
I have never had any involvement in language before. Can I register?
Yes. Any person or organisation with an interest in participating in the process of language revitalisation is welcome to register.
I'm not Indigenous. Can I register?
Yes. Any person or organisation with an interest in participating in the process of language revitalisation is welcome to register.
I represent a school, council, private company or government organisation. Can I register?
Yes. Any person or organisation with an interest in participating in the process of language revitalisation is welcome to register.
I am interested in knowing more about my language. What resources already exist?
Many within the Outback Languages region will be rebuilding their languages without fluent speakers still living. In these circumstances, wordlists, recordings and historical documents will form the basis of the new beginnings.
The national repository for Indigenous cultural material, including language resources, is AIATSIS - The Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, in Canberra.
Where possible, relevant material will be retrieved from AIATSIS and made available on this website.
Language is Community
Every time an Aboriginal word is spoken, it helps our Elders and it helps our children become stronger in community.
REGISTER NOWExplore Australia's language centres
Queensland
- Cape York Institute
- Gidarjil Development Corporation
- North Queensland Regional Aboriginal Corporation Languages Centre
- Torres Strait Regional Authority
- South East Queensland Indigenous Language Centre
Northern Territory
- Aboriginal Resource and Development Services (ARDS Aboriginal Corporation)
- Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education (Batchelor NT)
- Ngukurr Language Centre Aboriginal Corporation
- Papula Apparr-Kari Aboriginal Corporation
South Australia
- Ceduna Aboriginal Corporation (Ceduna, SA)
- The University of Adelaide (Mobile Language Team)
Tasmania
- Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre Ltd
Victoria
- Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages (VACL)
Western Australia
- Bundiyarra Irra Wangga Language Centre
- Kimberley Language Resource Centre
- Mirima Council Aboriginal Corporation
- Noongar Language Centre
- Nyamba Buru Yawuru Ltd
- Goldfields Aboriginal Language Centre
- Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre (Aboriginal Corporation)
New South Wales
- Miromaa Aboriginal Language and Technology Centre
- Regional Enterprise Development Institute Ltd
- Muurrbay Aboriginal Language & Culture Co-operative Ltd
- Wiradjuri Condobolin Corporation
…less than 2% of languages have any real presence online. This prevents millions of Indigenous language speakers and signers from fully engaging in society and shows the need for the active development of a truly multilingual digital world.
Why is this
happening now?
The Australian Government has an ongoing commitment to the revitalisation of Australian Indigenous languages through the Indigenous Languages and Arts funding stream. There are 23 regional language centres currently supported through this program to assist language revival. Within the next three years it is planned that three additional centres will be established. Outback Languages is one of these. Click below to see a list of Australia's regional language centres.
Regional Language Centres
What are the next steps?
Registering via this portal is the entry point for community members, organisations and businesses that want to join this journey of revitalisation.
The Outback Languages team will put together discussion groups and forums, online and in-person, to progress this project. This site will be updated with further information.
Ph 07 5649 5761
