British Royals join Aboriginal walking tour in Melbourne
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex took a guided journey through First Nations Australians’ history in Melbourne on Thursday, joining the Scar Tree Walk, an important cultural heritage site experience. Local Indigenous guides led the pair along the Birrarung, the traditional name for Melbourne’s Yarra river.
The visit began at the Koorie Heritage Trust in Federation Square and focused on the enduring presence of traditional owners and the layered histories beneath Melbourne’s contemporary surface.
Tom Mosby, CEO of the Koorie Heritage Trust, told the BBC the tour aimed to help the couple see “what actually lies under the city.” He added that while Melbourne is a “contemporary urban place,” there remains “a very strong connection by the Aboriginal people to this traditional country.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex with Koorie Heritage Trust Representatives at the conclusion of their Scar Tree Walk at Birrarung Marr during their visit. (AAP Image/Con Chronis).
Key Points
- Harry and Meghan joined Melbourne’s Scar Tree Walk along the Birrarung
- Local Indigenous guides led the Aboriginal cultural heritage tour
- Couple handled a Marngrook, linked to Australian Rules Football origins
- Harry trained with an AFL team and spoke on fathers’ mental health
- Tour began at Koorie Heritage Trust in Federation Square
- Public reactions along the river were welcoming and supportive
- Interest noted in Victoria’s Treaty process, passed in 2025
Prince Harry and Meghan joined the Scar Tree Walk in Melbourne on Thursday, taking part in an Aboriginal-led tour along the Birrarung on day three of their private visit to Australia.
Cultural artefacts
As part of the tour, the Duke and Duchess handled a Marngrook, a traditional possum-fur ball. A Marngrook is thought to be the origin of Australian Rules Football (AFL)’s signature oval ball.
Mr Mosby told the BBC that “the fact that the Duke yesterday was at a football club” made for a strong connection to Marngrook’s significance to AFL.
Prince Harry spent Wednesday visiting the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)
During the walk, the couple viewed an art installation and learned how the river and surrounding lands were used for fishing and hunting by traditional owners.
Mr Mosby said the couple were also very interested in Victoria’s Treaty process, recently passed as Australia’s first formal treaty with traditional owners.
Mixing charity and business
The couple, who are no longer working royals, are touring Australia in a private capacity. Their trip mixes visits to charitable causes with commercial ventures. The Scar Tree Walk formed part of a wider itinerary that included sport, mental health, and cultural programming.
On Wednesday, Prince Harry spoke at the launch of a report into the mental health of fathers. He discussed his experiences of becoming a parent and said children should try to be an “upgrade” of their fathers. The prince also visited the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
Aboriginal connection to Country
The Scar Tree Walk placed emphasis on Aboriginal custodianship of the Birrarung and the surrounding area. The couple learned how traditional owners have long used the river and nearby lands for fishing and hunting, and how cultural knowledge continues to shape understandings of the city’s landscape.
