The Central Hotel in Lakes Entrance played host to a deeply meaningful Elders Gathering last week, bringing together East Gippsland Shire Council representatives, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders, and local community members to honor First Nations leadership, wisdom, and culture.
The significant National Reconciliation Week event saw mayor Cr Jodie Ashworth, deputy mayor Cr Tom Crook, and Councillors Arthur Allen and Joanne Eastman join council chief executive officer Fiona Weigall and staff alongside local Elders for a morning of reflection, connection, and celebration.
Aunty Sandra Patten opened the official proceedings with a warm Welcome to Country. Following the opening, attendees observed a minute’s silence to pay respect to the memory of Elders who have passed away and are now in the Dreamtime.
The gathering was held in the spirit of this year’s National Reconciliation Week theme, All In — a national call to action recognising that reconciliation is a shared responsibility across all sectors of Australian society.
In her keynote address, mayor Cr Ashworth urged the wider East Gippsland community to actively embrace that responsibility.
“Reconciliation is not a spectator sport,” Cr Ashworth said.
“It is not passive, and it is not solely the responsibility of First Nations people, who have carried that weight for far too long. All of us must step off the sidelines and act.”
Cr Ashworth also highlighted council’s ongoing structural commitment to the region’s traditional custodians through its second Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan. The strategic plan is built upon the core pillars of respect, relationships, opportunities, and governance, and is actively driven by a dedicated working group comprising Council staff and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives.
Adding a valuable multi-generational element to the morning, students from Bairnsdale Secondary College’s Girls at the Centre program attended to assist with hospitality and waitressing duties. Run in partnership with The Smith Family, the initiative supports the social, emotional, cultural, and academic aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls in years seven to 12.
Following the event, East Gippsland Shire Council extended its formal gratitude to the attending Elders for sharing their stories, strength, and enduring connection to Country, reaffirming a civic commitment to walk the reconciliation journey together every day of the year.
Cr Tom Crook. (PS)
out together. (PS)
