In most parts of Australia, January 26 is a divisive day, one where the divide between fundamental beliefs is more pronounced than ever.
In the shire of Mount Alexander, the community is able to celebrate the complexities of those two opposing ideologies side-by-side with the dual-named Australia Day Survival Day.
Since 2018, the annual celebration has been embraced by many in the community, and the event has grown and flourished. It offers people the chance to come together and celebrate the incredible and diverse country we live in, while honouring the grief and suffering it causes to many.
People from neighbouring shires, with no shared gatherings on offer, travel to Castlemaine to commemorate this day differently, and conferees from neighbouring shires choose to become Australian citizens there.
Mount Alexander Shire Council CEO Darren Fuzzard spoke at Monday’s event, saying, “We have long claimed that we live in a country where everyone’s views, beliefs and contributions are respected, and hopefully we will all do what we can to live up to that claim in 2026”.
“I cannot thank you enough, Uncle Rick, for the generous and wise way you guide us through this day and so many other days of the year, towards a future where everyone in our shire can feel cared for, respected and welcomed, no matter where they have called Mount Alexander Shire home.”
Mayor Toby Heydon also spoke about the day and how it meant many different things to different people.
“For many First Nations people, January 26 can be a day of trauma and remembrance,” he said.
“For many, it’s a day of family, of celebration, of community.
“At the council, we recognise this date is challenging for many in our community. That’s why our Australia Day Survival Day honours the right of First Nations people to mourn as well as their right to celebrate survival, culture and continuity.
“This acknowledges a long and often complex history, while still recognising the many ways people choose to come together on this day.
“You may hold in one hand a knowledge of that complex and long history and in the other hand that this is a great country that offers so much opportunity for so many millions of people from all corners of the earth.
“This approach has shaped our event into the largest annual gathering in the Mount Alexander Shire.”
