The history of Frankston stretches back tens of thousands of years, long before European settlement began in Victoria. Prior to the establishment of Melbourne in 1835, the lands surrounding Port Phillip were inhabited by Indigenous Australians of the Kulin nation for an estimated 31,000 to 40,000 years.

The Frankston area was primarily home to the Mayone-bulluk clan of the Bunurong tribe, one of the five major tribes of the Kulin nation. These communities lived a nomadic lifestyle and did not establish permanent settlements, which has resulted in limited physical archaeological evidence of their long presence in the region.

The Bunurong people were hunter-gatherers who practised an ecologically sustainable way of life, moving between locations based on seasonal availability of resources. In the Frankston area, waterways such as Kananook Creek and Sweetwater Creek, along with surrounding swamps and wetlands, provided abundant fish and eel. During warmer months, the land offered a reliable supply of fruit and vegetables, making the area an important seasonal resource zone.

Frankston was not only valued for its natural resources but also held cultural and social significance. An important meeting and ceremonial site for Bunurong clans from across the Mornington Peninsula was located at what is now the Frankston Mechanics’ Institute at 1 Plowman Place in the central business district. This site was traditionally used for corroborees, trade, and gatherings, underscoring Frankston’s role as a regional centre long before modern development.

Bunurong territory extended from the Werribee River in Melbourne’s west through to Wilsons Promontory in Gippsland. Within the Kulin nation, this land was known as marr-ne-beek, meaning “excellent country,” reflecting its rich natural environment. According to Dreamtime beliefs, the territory was created by the ancestor spirit Lohan, from whom all Bunurong people are considered descendants through their paternal lineage.

Kulin nation mythology holds that the creator spirit Bunjil, represented by the eaglehawk, formed the people and their laws, while the crow spirit Waa acted as the protector of waterways and controller of the winds. These spiritual beliefs remain central to understanding the cultural heritage of the region.

Today, Frankston’s modern landscape sits atop an ancient cultural foundation, shaped by thousands of years of Indigenous stewardship, tradition, and connection to land and water.