A Collective Celebration of Belonging, Country, and Community

A new collaborative wine created by the Ngooleek Wine Collective will officially launch on 4 December with tasting events at Barrique Wine Store and Jayden Ong Winery & Cellar Bar, marking the beginning of this Healesville-based project dedicated to connection, community storytelling, and shared responsibility to place.

This release is the result of a unique partnership between Yarra Valley wineries, businesses and organisations including Giant Steps, Jayden Ong, Centare Vineyard, Mac Forbes Wine, Barrique Wine Store, Coranderrk Aboriginal Station, and community activist Tony D'Abbs. Together, the wineries involved have crafted a wine that embodies the spirit of Ngooleek, the Woiwurrung word for belonging, and reflects a shared commitment to understanding, honouring, and deepening our relationships with the land and with each other.

The Ngooleek project is grounded in three actionable themes: practicing sustainable land management, learning about First Nations history, culture and knowledge, and contributing to our Healesville community. It acknowledges the enduring connection of the Wurundjeri people to this land and invites all who live, work or visit here to reflect on what it means to belong yesterday, today and tomorrow.

“Ngooleek is about listening, learning, and contributing with care,” said Mac Forbes. “Wine is our medium for connection; a way to bring people together, to share stories, and to recognise our shared responsibility to this place.”

The Ngooleek wine is the first tangible expression of this vision. Created collaboratively by Yarra Valley winemakers, it symbolises the coming together of people, skills, perspectives, and histories. Like the project itself, the wine is an invitation: to gather, to reflect, and to consider our relationship with Country and with each other. As local Elder Dave Wandin reminds us: ‘It’s our Country. Heal Country and heal ourselves.’”

About Ngooleek (Belonging)

Ngooleek, the Woiwurrung word for belonging, is a project grounded in place, people and community. It is about what Indigenous people call Country. In Healesville, we live on Wurundjeri land. We acknowledge the enduring connection that Wurundjeri people have with this land. The project partners are learning to understand, honour, and connect, and they invite you to reflect on what it means to belong – to Country, to community and to one another.

At its heart, Ngooleek is a story of celebration, rebuilding and restoring our sense of community. Wine brings people together, tells the story of the land, and fosters community.

Launch

The Ngooleek wine will be available from:

• Barrique Wine Store, Healesville

• Jayden Ong Winery & Cellar Bar, Healesville

• Giant Steps Wine, Healesville

… until sold out.

Further information and project updates will be available via ngooleek@gmail.com and the Ngooleek website (ngooleekwine.com.au), exploring Yesterday (history), Today (current activities and resources), and Tomorrow (actions for the future).