Shire joins in First Nations celebration

NAIDOC Week is taking place at the beginning of July, and Golden Plains Shire is getting involved with two cultural heritage talks.

The theme of this year’s NAIDOC Week is Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!. and mayor Cr Gavin Gamble said the event is an opportunity to acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

“NAIDOC Week is a chance for Golden Plains residents to learn about First Nations cultures and histories,” he said.

“I encourage the community to embrace the opportunity to recognise the culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples at council’s NAIDOC Week activities.”

The talks will take place from 12 to 2pm on Tuesday, 28 June and Wednesday, 6 July at the Woady Yaloak Historical Society offices at Smythesdale.

Wadawurrung woman and director of Mirriyu Cultural Consulting, Bonnie Chew, is hosting the events and is offering an opportunity to for people to bring along images of First Nations people as well as cultural items for identification.

As an Indigenous Independent Prison Visitor and representative on the Victorian Public Records Advisory Council, Cr Gamble said Ms Chew is a great person to lead the events.

“Bonnie brings with her a wealth of knowledge and I hope residents take this opportunity to learn about Wadawurrung history and heritage within Golden Plains,” he said.

“NAIDOC week is a time to celebrate the many who have driven and led change in our communities, and Bonnie Chew is a great person to lead Council’s NAIDOC Week events.”

In Bannockburn, The Golden Plains Civic Centre will be lit up throughout NAIDOC week in acknowledgement of the annual observance.

Meanwhile, The Shire’s NAIDOC celebrations comes in the leadup to council voting on a Reconciliation Action Plan.

A draft RAP was approved by councillors in early 2021, and a statement from municipality said the document would be returning to the chamber “in the coming months” for consideration.