Ochre and related mineral pigments offer a fascinating insight into our deep past to examine cultural exchange, provenance and and connection to Country. Analysis of Indigenous Australian ochre pigments on a variety of cultural materials such as boomerangs, bark paintings and rock art, reveal their composition, structure, provenance and culturally influenced changes and movement across landscapes. Recent archaeological science research at the University of Melbourne Archaeological Science Laboratory in collaboration with Indigenous partners and researchers includes novel analysis of pigments to answer questions about the provenance and origins of archaeological materials, exchange between groups in the archaeological past, colonial removal and movement of cultural heritage around the world as well as connections between current society and museum collections. Key case studies presented utilise synchrotron and advanced laboratory methods to non-destructively examine provenance and cultural alterations and characterise chemical properties of inorganic pigments and unique native Australian organic binders.