The Stolen Generations Marker
Wednesday 09 August 2017
Image: Archie Roach at Smith Street Dreaming 2015 courtesy Neighbourhood Justice Centre.
A tribute to the Stolen Generations and their families
Yarra City Council is working with the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to develop a Stolen Generations Marker in Atherton Gardens, in Fitzroy.
The Marker and surrounding landscaped garden will be a tribute to the Stolen Generations and their families and will stand as a reminder of the ongoing impacts of past racist government policies on the Aboriginal community today. It is intended to honour the struggles of the Stolen Generations as well as acknowledge the resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, communities, clans and groups who seek to heal from the past. This is a crucial step for collective healing.
The Marker will be an exceptionally high-quality permanent, outdoor artwork surrounded by a landscaped garden, designed by a celebrated Aboriginal artist. It will be located in Fitzroy, an area widely acknowledged as the birthplace of the Victorian Aboriginal political movement and a place of special significance to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The Marker and garden will be a place for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as well as non-Aboriginal communities to gather, rest, remember and reflect. It will promote Aboriginal cultures as well as acknowledge the significant history of this area for Aboriginal peoples.
This tribute to the Stolen Generations and their families will be launched on 26 May 2018, to commemorate the 20 year anniversary of Sorry Day.
This project is being managed by a Steering Group comprising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members, service providers and Yarra City Council Officers.
Contact us
Share your stories, suggestions, comments or feedback with the project team at StolenGenerationsMarker@yarracity.vic.gov.au
Join the Mailing List
If you would like to be kept informed of the progress of this project, please join our mailing list.
Community Consultation
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community shared thoughts, ideas and stories by participating in our community survey and conversations about the Stolen Generations Marker over an eight week period from 25 July to 19 September 2016. The feedback received from this consultation will help inform the design of the Marker.
In October 2016 we sought Expressions of Interest from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists with links to Victoria to submit proposals to create the Stolen Generations Marker. Five of these artists were invited to develop concept designs for the project. The successful artist will be announced after further consultation with the community.
Stolen Generations Marker Steering Group
Colin Hunter Jnr, Aboriginal Partnerships Officer/ Wurundjeri Elder, Yarra City Council; John Dommett, Chief Executive Officer, Connecting Home Ltd; Daniel Ducrou, Special Projects Officer, Yarra City Council; Lorina Lovett, Parkies representative, Parkies Inc.; Joboy Morgan, Parkies Representative; Link-Up Victoria/VACCA; Karra Rees, Public Arts Officer, Yarra City Council; Ros Sultan, Indigenous Engagement & Training Coordinator, Brotherhood of St Laurence; Jason Tamiru, Development Officer, Yarra City Council; Lisa Zammit, Operations Manager, Connecting Home Ltd.
Yarra City Council acknowledges the Wurundjeri as the Traditional Owners of this country, pays tribute to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Yarra, and gives respect to Elders past and present. Further to this, Council acknowledges the other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who have lived in, worked in, and contributed to the cultural heritage of Yarra.
We pay tribute to the Stolen Generations and their families, to those that made it home, to those who are still searching and to those who didn’t make it home and rest in the dreaming with their family and ancestors.
**The Stolen Generations refers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who were forcibly removed under past racist government policies from family, community, traditional culture and country. The Stolen Generations can also refer to any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples who were placed in care and denied their family, community, traditional culture and country.
A tribute to the Stolen Generations and their families
Yarra City Council is working with the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to develop a Stolen Generations Marker in Atherton Gardens, in Fitzroy.
The Marker and surrounding landscaped garden will be a tribute to the Stolen Generations and their families and will stand as a reminder of the ongoing impacts of past racist government policies on the Aboriginal community today. It is intended to honour the struggles of the Stolen Generations as well as acknowledge the resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, communities, clans and groups who seek to heal from the past. This is a crucial step for collective healing.
The Marker will be an exceptionally high-quality permanent, outdoor artwork surrounded by a landscaped garden, designed by a celebrated Aboriginal artist. It will be located in Fitzroy, an area widely acknowledged as the birthplace of the Victorian Aboriginal political movement and a place of special significance to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The Marker and garden will be a place for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as well as non-Aboriginal communities to gather, rest, remember and reflect. It will promote Aboriginal cultures as well as acknowledge the significant history of this area for Aboriginal peoples.
This tribute to the Stolen Generations and their families will be launched on 26 May 2018, to commemorate the 20 year anniversary of Sorry Day.
This project is being managed by a Steering Group comprising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members, service providers and Yarra City Council Officers.
Contact us
Share your stories, suggestions, comments or feedback with the project team at StolenGenerationsMarker@yarracity.vic.gov.au
Join the Mailing List
If you would like to be kept informed of the progress of this project, please join our mailing list.
Community Consultation
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community shared thoughts, ideas and stories by participating in our community survey and conversations about the Stolen Generations Marker over an eight week period from 25 July to 19 September 2016. The feedback received from this consultation will help inform the design of the Marker.
In October 2016 we sought Expressions of Interest from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists with links to Victoria to submit proposals to create the Stolen Generations Marker. Five of these artists were invited to develop concept designs for the project. The successful artist will be announced after further consultation with the community.
Stolen Generations Marker Steering Group
Colin Hunter Jnr, Aboriginal Partnerships Officer/ Wurundjeri Elder, Yarra City Council; John Dommett, Chief Executive Officer, Connecting Home Ltd; Daniel Ducrou, Special Projects Officer, Yarra City Council; Lorina Lovett, Parkies representative, Parkies Inc.; Joboy Morgan, Parkies Representative; Link-Up Victoria/VACCA; Karra Rees, Public Arts Officer, Yarra City Council; Ros Sultan, Indigenous Engagement & Training Coordinator, Brotherhood of St Laurence; Jason Tamiru, Development Officer, Yarra City Council; Lisa Zammit, Operations Manager, Connecting Home Ltd.
Yarra City Council acknowledges the Wurundjeri as the Traditional Owners of this country, pays tribute to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Yarra, and gives respect to Elders past and present. Further to this, Council acknowledges the other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who have lived in, worked in, and contributed to the cultural heritage of Yarra.
We pay tribute to the Stolen Generations and their families, to those that made it home, to those who are still searching and to those who didn’t make it home and rest in the dreaming with their family and ancestors.
**The Stolen Generations refers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who were forcibly removed under past racist government policies from family, community, traditional culture and country. The Stolen Generations can also refer to any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples who were placed in care and denied their family, community, traditional culture and country.
