A message from Annecto CEO, Cheryl De Zilwa.
Sunday 26 January is Australia Day/Invasion Day/Survival Day/Day of Mourning.
As some prepare to celebrate the country’s national day, some will gather to mourn the 1788 invasion of our nation or recognise and celebrate the survival of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, since colonisation two hundred and thirty-seven years ago.
Every year this date creates such division in the community, with the lead-up to 26 January being extremely challenging for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. For them, this time of year is filled with hateful attitudes and comments, stereotypes and the spread of misinformation.
These words, comments and statements, made by commentators, media outlets and everyday Australians continue to compound the trauma Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have experienced and endured since first contact.
While these types of comments are almost everyday occurrences, they are amplified around 26 January. We are seeing these comments more and more online, in the media and in politics, and it continues to drive division in communities.
In the last few weeks, we’ve seen mainstream media outlets post public polls about 26 January regarding whether it should be celebrated or not. These social media posts often attract racist, hurtful and negative commentary.
As a result, this date and everything that surrounds it can take a heavy toll on the emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, which sees some community members completely remove themselves from the public around this time, while others choose to stay present and find the strength to front the anger.
This Sunday will mark the two hundred and thirty-seventh anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet. However, it’s also a date that symbolises the beginning of genocide, invasion and survival for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Some community members try to heal the deep wound by participating in Australia Day celebrations, while many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples recognise 26 January as a Day of Mourning, Invasion Day or Survival Day.
The division about this date is not new. On 26 January 1938, when Australia was celebrating the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the British tall ships, Aboriginal peoples held the first Day of Mourning in Sydney at the Australian Hall in the Cyprus Hellene Club on Elizabeth Street. Attended by prominent Aboriginal leaders of the day, the Day of Mourning highlighted the exclusion of Aboriginal people from the Australian nation.
In the spirit of healing, Annecto continues to celebrate the rich contributions individuals and groups bring to the Australian community and we embrace the diversity of our staff, the people we support and our partners.
At Annecto, we are fortunate to work with and have relationships with some Aboriginal communities, including partnerships with Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation (KBHAC) and Babana Aboriginal Men’s Group. We are also continuing to build relationships with Victorian Aboriginal organisations such as Connecting Home, a service for the Stolen Generations, and the Aboriginal Advancement League (AAL).
Annecto honours our partners, staff and the people we support who are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
While we recognise that a range of perspectives are held on Australia Day/Invasion Day/Survival Day/Day of Mourning, we acknowledge and pay our respects to Australia’s First Peoples and those who mourn their ancestors and/or celebrate survival as a result of the first wave of European arrival.
We are privileged to live in a beautiful country with the oldest continuous living culture in the world. We hope that on this day, you may join in commemorating our deep and rich history and commit to the inclusion of and healing for all Australians.
This year, we would like to encourage staff and the people we support to continue learning more about Australia Day/Invasion Day/Survival Day/Day of Mourning or attend an event in your local area.
Here are some resources and articles to support you in learning more:
- How do First Nations people feel about Australia Day, ABC, featuring Nikki Foy from the Ballarat, VIC region
- Celebrating the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: Reflections for January 26, Welcome to Country, CEO statement
- ‘Start redistributing’: Tony Armstrong’s major call, news.com.au
26 January events
Annecto will be participating in the following Invasion Day/Survival Day/Day of Mourning event:
- Share the Spirit – Sunday 26 January, Treasury Gardens, East Melbourne in Naarm (Melbourne), VIC. Free event running from 11:30 am to 6 pm. Everyone is welcome to attend and enjoy a deadly day of music, arts, culture and community. Drop by the Annecto stall and have a yarn with the team!
Here are some other 26 January events happening around the country:
- Yabun Festival – Victoria Park, Broadway, Sydney, NSW on the traditional lands of the Gadigal people. Performances by Troy Cassar-Daley, Electric Fields and more.
- Our Survival Day – The Briars, 450 Nepean Highway, Mount Martha, VIC. Performances by Emma Donovan, Jony Berry and more.
- Bunjil’s Marroun Healing Ceremony 2025 – Queens Park, Kellaway Avenue Moonee Ponds, VIC. Guest speakers and performances by David Arden and band.
- We Have Survived! – Sunshine Coast City Hall, corner of First Ave and South Sea Islander Way, Maroochydore, QLD. Assemble at 9 am at Foundation Square for a 1.5km procession to Cotton Tree Park, community networking and more.
- Mildura Survival Day – Jaycee Park, Mildura, VIC. Peaceful march, art stalls, Aboriginal performances and more.
- Sovereignty Day Dawn Service and Rally – Aboriginal Tent Embassy, The Lawns – Old Parliament House, King George Terrace, Ngambri Ngunnawal Country, ACT. Dawn service, rally, activities and food.
To see more events happening around the country on or in the lead up to 26 January go to antar.org.au.
Additional resources
We acknowledge the emotional toll of racism for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across the country during this time. If you or someone you know needs support, please consider reaching out to these resources:
- 13YARN, Ph: 13 92 76 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis support line: https://www.13yarn.org.au
- Brother to Brother hotline, Ph: 1800 435 799 (24hr crisis line for Aboriginal men)
- Yarning Safe and Strong, Ph: 1800 959 563 (24/7 counselling service provided by the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people)
- Beyond Blue, Ph: 1300 22 4636 (24hr): www.beyondblue.org.au
- Lifeline 24-hour Telephone Crisis Support, Ph: 13 11 14