Killara Cafe, an Indigenous social enterprise, officially opens at Stockland Mt. Atkinson

Imagery from the opening event 

Stockland Mt. Atkinson has celebrated the official opening of Killara Cafe, an Indigenous social enterprise, located on 1 McKinley Drive in Truganina, within Melbourne’s thriving western growth corridor.

In partnership with The Killara Foundation and Edmund Rice Services Mt. Atkinson (ERSMA), the cafe is a social enterprise run by the community, providing opportunities for employment, on-the-job training, and education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The cafe officially opened its doors during National Reconciliation Week, with Elders hosting a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony.

The community enjoyed free coffee in the new space – which includes a large round table created from reclaimed redwood timber, representing a Yarning Circle – as well as themed arts and craft sessions, face painting, reptile experiences, and games.

Stockland Development Manager, Philip Wan, said it was great to see the cafe come to life alongside the community and our partners.

“Killara Cafe has been designed to support and empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It will be a social hub for the growing Mt. Atkinson community and act as a shared space for storytelling, knowledge sharing, connection to place, education, and respect,” Mr Wan said.

“Thank you to The Killara Foundation and Edmund Rice Services for their work alongside Stockland on this project. We look forward to seeing the Mt. Atkinson community enjoy its newest cafe.”

Mt. Atkinson is located 25 kilometres west of Melbourne’s CBD and is already home to 800 families, with 4,400 families expected to call Mt. Atkinson home upon completion.

For more information on Stockland Mt. Atkinson, please visit the Mt. Atkinson News and Events page.

About Stockland’s Reconciliation Action Plan

• Stockland has been a proud Reconciliation Action Partner since 2014 and recently announced our support of the principles of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament, and the referendum process. We believe that a Voice to Parliament is an important step towards reconciliation with Australia’s first peoples.
• Stockland’s Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan 2020 to 2022 aims to make a valuable contribution to our communities and our country by helping shape thriving communities that value, respect, and celebrate Australia’s First Peoples.
• Stockland is currently partnering with Reconciliation Australia to develop its Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan which will be released later this year.
• Our Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan will focus on initiatives and programs in the areas of wellbeing, education, and community connection, allowing us to create a deeper understanding and better embrace Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People’s heritage and their role as the original custodians of Australia.