Geelong First Nations hub to be national first

A First Nations arts, retail and business hub is set to open its doors in Geelong by the end of this year.

Indigenous business and entrepreneur support organisation Ngarrimili is months away from launching its Malop Street Murran Hub, which will be the first venue of its type for the region.

Murran Hub will include a business centre for co-working, meetings and conferences, and workshops; plus a café, retail store selling Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander products and gallery showcasing First Nations artists. Construction is well underway for the central Geelong site, with project leaders targeting an opening date before Christmas this year after two years of development.

Ngarramili is a Geelong-based organisation which has programs across Australia, but the local hub will be the first such project it will manage.

Ngarrimili chief executive officer Bek Lasky said Murran Hub was would be a major step forward for its aims of fostering business achievement in the Indigenous community.

“This would just be the physical representation of what we stand for; providing opportunities for the community to come together, connect and learn.

“Connection to other people is a big part of our culture.

“We know what it’s like when we come together and such great ideas and innovation can happen because of that connection and the shared vision.”

Murran Hub is also set to include direct sales and cultural exhibition areas through its shop and gallery, which Ms Lasky said would provide direct economic support to creators from a prominent CBD location.

“We’ll start off locally in the region and Victoria, and then we’ll be able to showcase art from across Australia.

“A large part of the retail store and gallery was collaborating and working with different First Nations businesses, creatives and entrepreneurs to showcase and bring those elements into Geelong, as Geelong doesn’t really have something that exists like this. We’ll be able to walk on the main street and buy some really cool products and artworks, which is exciting.”