Rodney Carter

Rodney Carter is a descendant of Dja Dja Wurrung and Yorta Yorta people and resides at Bendigo in Central Victoria. He worked for over ten years as the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation trading as ‘DJAARA’ and the subsidiary company Dja Dja Wurrung Enterprises Pty Ltd trading though its trusts ‘DJANDAK’, ‘DUMAWUL’ and ‘DJAKITJ’ and held the Chairperson position of the Company Board for ten years.

A defining moment for Rodney was as Signatory and Claimant negotiating the Dja Dja Wurrung people’s native title settlement which resulted in a Recognition and Settlement Agreement in 2013 under the Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010, culminating over a decade long journey of discussions and negotiations with the State of Victoria.

Rodney is a member of the Loddon Campaspe Regional Stronger Regions Committee since its inception and also held a position on the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council until 2024.

Rodney was Chairperson until August 2021 and was previous Chairperson of the Council over 2012, 2013 and 2014. He is currently the Secretay’s nominee for the Dhelkuya Dja Land Management Board for implementation of the Dja Dja Wurrung Joint Management Plan for the 6 Aborginal Titled Lands in the care of his people. He has recently (2023) been elected to the Victorian First Peoples Assembly for Treaty and has been appointed Co-Chair of its Elders Voice.

He was until 2025 a member of the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owners Coporations and he served as its Chairperson though 2018-2022. He has Chaired a number of State Project Control Groups for the Victorian Traditional Owner Cultural Burning Strategy 2019, Victorian Traditional Owner Game Management Strategy 2020, Victorian Native Foods and Botanicals Strategy 2021, member of the Victorian Enviroments Forum for the Victorian Biodiversity Strategy 2037, the Water for Victoria Plan 2016 member. A notable achievement was working as a Development Manager for the construction and the opening of the Melbourne Museum and became the innaugral Bunjilaka Aborginal Centre Manager.