Yarra City Council will be marking January 26, 2022 with respect and sensitivity.
“It’s important we acknowledge the history and culture of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and respect their experience of this date,” said Yarra Mayor, Cr Sophie Wade.
“Yarra’s Traditional Owners, the Wurundjeri, and others in our local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, have told us January 26 is a day of mourning, pain and disconnection for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our community.”
“For many members of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, this day is a mournful reminder of the significant loss of life, culture, language and land of their ancestors.”
“Yarra is a welcoming home to a vibrant, diverse community. We recognise January 26 is not an appropriate day for national celebration,” said Cr Wade.
Yarra Council has a strong and longstanding relationship with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The unanimous decision to change the way we mark January 26 was made by Yarra City Council on 15 August 2017 ().
, with Fitzroy and Collingwood being the birthplace of the Victorian Aboriginal civil rights movement. A progressive, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and culture is still thriving in Yarra today.
More about January 26 and Aboriginal culture in Yarra
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Yarra City Council supports the Change the Date campaign. To find our more, visit the .
