NAIDOC Week will be celebrated across Murrindindi Shire fro July 3-10.

Murrindindi Shire Council Mayor, Cr Sue Carpenter, said NAIDOC Week is a time to recognise, share and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and achievements.

“I encourage community members to attend and get involved in local activities and events held across the Shire,” Cr Carpenter said.

“In line with this year’s theme, Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!, we’re calling on our communities to come together and learn about First Nations cultures and histories by attending events held by the Yea Wetlands Discovery Centre and Council’s Murrindindi Library Service.

“Australia has the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. Here in Murrindindi Shire, we are on Taungurung and Wurundjeri Land and we acknowledge the Taungurung People and Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of this land.

“The relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non‑Indigenous Australians must be based on justice, equity and the proper recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights.

“We need a genuine commitment from everyone to support institutional, structural, collaborative, and cooperative reforms – whether it’s seeking proper environmental, cultural and heritage protections, constitutional change, a truth-telling process, working towards treaties, or calling out racism – we must do it together,” Cr Carpenter said.