About the Walk
On Sunday 25 May on Gunditjmara Country at Portland, where colonisation began, the Walk for Truth commenced, led by Yoorrook Deputy Chair Commissioner Travis Lovett, Kerrupmara Gunditjmara. The Walk will travel through towns and centres including Warrnambool, Colac, Geelong and Footscray, finishing at Parliament House on Wednesday 18 June. More information about each leg of the walk is available on the links below.
This powerful journey aims to bring Victorians together to walk toward truth, celebrate the strength and resistance of Aboriginal people, and be proud to have the oldest living culture in the world as ours.
As Victoria’s first formal truth-telling process, over the past four years Yoorrook has heard powerful truths from people right across the state, giving evidence on the impacts of colonisation, including systemic injustice, as well as the strength, resistance and achievements of First Peoples. These truths will form the basis of Yoorrook’s final reports, documenting the past and providing a roadmap to transform the future.
The walk will be a powerful way to build shared understanding of these truths, talking together about our history, while walking together to transform our future – for First Peoples and for all Victorians. Everyone is invited to join.
Community events will also be held along the way.
Find out more about the individual Public Walk Sections and Community Events via the links below:
Warrnambool Leg (Port Fairy to Colac): 30 May – 5 June
- Community Event: Camperdown – 3 June
Colac Leg (Colac to Geelong): 6 June – 11 June
- Community Event: Colac – 6 June
Geelong Leg (Geelong to Footscray): 12 – 15 June
- Community Event: Werribee – 15 June
Footscray Leg (Footscray to Melbourne CBD): 16 – 17 June
Parliament Leg (Kings Domain to Parliament): 18 June
- Community Event: Parliament House – 18 June
- Community Event: Yoorrook Final Event, Federation Square – 18 June
Join CSSV at the Walk for Truth – 18 June
CSSV will be participating in the Parliament Leg of the Walk, on Wednesday 18 June. Leaving from the Kings Domain (outside Sidney Myer Music Bowl / King George Monument, South Yarra) and concluding at Parliament House, it would be great to have strong support from the Catholic community for this final part of the Walk.
Please get in touch if you’d like to know more: office@css.org.au.
How can parishes and Catholic social services support the work of Yoorrook?
If your parish or service is located along the route of the Walk, why not get a group together and register for the Walk?
Yoorrook Justice Commission are also seeking logistical and promotional support. Social media messages and image are available, and you can sign up to receive more information about how you and your organisation can lend support: https://yoorrookjusticecommission.org.au/friends-of-yoorrook/.
To help spread the word, the following blurb can be included in your newsletter, bulletin or staff email, along with the downloadable QR code to access more information:
Join the Walk for Truth
‘We say: speak truth to build trust and build trust to make peace’ (Truth and Peace: A Gospel Word in a Violent World, Social Justice Statement 2024-2025, Australian Catholic Bishop’s Conference). Over the past four years the first formal truth-telling process in Victoria, the Yoorrook Justice Commission, has been hearing evidence on the impacts of colonisation and systemic injustices experienced by First Peoples. The Commission is now undertaking the Walk for Truth: “Yoorrook invites everyone to join us on this powerful journey, to walk together towards truth, to be part of the positive change for Victoria and Australia, to celebrate the strength and resistance of Aboriginal people and to be proud to have the oldest living culture in the world as ours.” Catholic Social Services Victoria encourages you to get involved by joining a stage of the Walk, or attending a community event in your area.The Walk left Portland on 25 May and will arrive at Parliament House on 18 June. To find out more about the route and events along the way go to: yoorrookjusticecommission.org.au/events/walkfortruth/
If you don’t know much about the work of the Yoorrook Justice Commission, there is a lot of information available on their website, including submissions, videos and stories. Get informed and start some conversations in your communities.