Two rare artworks by Wurundjeri artist William Barak will return to their rightful owners after successful auction bids in New York. 

Descendants of Mr Barak secured the art, dating from 1897, at a Sotheby’s auction in Manhattan last Wednesday, with the help of the Victorian government and a crowdfunding campaign. 

The Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation successfully bid on a 19th-century painting, which sold for more than $500,000. A carved hardwood parrying shield went for more than $70,000. 

It came hours after the state government’s last-minute contribution of $500,000. The crowdfunding campaign raised $119,710. 

Wurundjeri elder Ron Jones said he nearly lost hope that enough money would be raised in time for Wednesday’s auction. 

“It was a great feeling to know that we were really in reach of bringing something so significant in our history back to Victoria,” Mr Jones told ABC radio. 

“I’m so pumped. I still can’t believe that we actually won it…