Yilam

Yilam provide experiences in nature for Mob and socially conscious campers.

The word 'Yilam' is from the language of the Taungurung Nation - the First Peoples of the rivers and the mountains in the highlands of Victoria.

Pronounced 'yil-um' this word directly translates to 'camp'. However for our people the meaning is much deeper than that. Yilam means 'home' which speaks to our philosophy - we want to teach people to connect with and value nature - to treat Country as if it were their home, because ultimately it is.

Yilam is a family affair, founded by mother and daughter team Joanne and Kaley.

Joanne grew up on Barapa Barapa Country, surrounded by family and culture and spending much of her childhood camping around the area. She credits this time in nature to her ongoing love of being on Country. Joanne raised 7 children strong in culture and, now a grandmother, she passes on her knowledge and connection to Country to her grandchildren as well.

Like her mum, Kaley has a strong connection to Country and is raising two daughters to also be proud and strong in culture. Kaley is passionate about caring for Country and teaching Aboriginal philosophies for connecting to the land. Her background is in policy development and social sciences and she is committed to creating space for all people.

Joanne and Kaley's values underpin everything Yilam stands for expressed in 3 core philosophies:

Caring for Country
At Yilam, caring for Country is at the core of all things we do and we want to share this philosophy with the camping community. Our Connecting to Country experiences are focussed on Aboriginal philosophies around caring for Country. We don't want to contribute to waste so, our 'On Country' range of camping equipment is created with high quality, durable camping equipment made from sustainably sourced materials.

Ethical operations
As Aboriginal people we know that exploitation causes severe disadvantage and trauma for generations to come. Here at Yilam we never want to benefit from the exploitation of others. Because of this we've worked with sourcing partners to ensure that our products are made in safe factories and that the people who make them are paid appropriately for their work.

Inclusive and accessible
Here at Yilam we believe that camping is for all people and that all people should be able to connect with Country if they want to. Our Connecting to Country experiences are safe and inclusive spaces to come together no matter your background. We want to empower all people to connect with Country in a respectful and safe way.