belgrave survival day 2011

Congratulations to organisers of Belgrave Survival Day, a great way to celebrate the survival of indigenous culture and heritage on Australia Day.

Hundreds of people flocked to Borthwick Park in Belgrave to join in the celebration.

In speaking to the crowd I acknowledged the understanding and relationship indigenous people have with this great land. There is much we could learn from their stewardship and custodianship of the land.

Aunty Dot Peters spoke to the crowd, a Survival Day favourite, her story is compelling.

I talked about the Shire's achievements in the last year which included the development of the Indigenous Protocols document. The protocols are a practical guide to working with the indigenous community in the Shire and provide information on how to communicate in a culturally appropriate way. It is one of the shire's ways of increasing knowledge, and with that greater understanding, of our indigenous community. It's been a busy year as we've also developed an Indigenous Employment Strategy.

Richard J Frankland and the Charcoal Club were teriffic, it was great that Kavisha Mazzella was there performing as well. Kavisha received an OAM as part of the Australia Day Honours, we were privileged for her to share her time with us in Belgrave.

The Shire has been successful in securing funding to see the reestablishment of the Aboriginal Children's Choir and an Indigenous Hip Hop dance program, I look forward to seeing both of these come to fruition.

The Jindi Worobak Dance Troupe provided some great entertainment.

There's also work on artworks at the Meeting Place in Healesville as well as the arts and education garden, Art of Place, at Burrinja.

The crowd couldn't help but get up and dance to Richard J Frankland and the Charcoal Club.

Our focus in the coming year will be on developing cultural strengthening and reconciliation approaches to provide positive health and wellbeing outcomes for Yarra Ranges.

The Shire of Yarra Ranges is committed to reconciliation and we proudly fly the aboriginal flag.

I thanked people for choosing to celebrate Australia Day this way and stressed the importance of keeping indigenous culture and heritage prominent.

This was the fourth running of Belgrave Survival Day and I'd love to see it become an annual calendar event. It was a great day and the organisers did a great job, there is no doubt volunteers are the life blood of our communities.