The City of Fremantle welcomed Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, to the opening of Walyalup’s Reconciliation Journey – a free exhibition at the Walyalup Civic Centre.
Elders from the City’s previous WRAP working group had the opportunity to meet Minister Burney at Wednesday’s event.
The installation includes the Whadjuk History of Walyalup – a truth-telling about the colonisation of Fremantle, and a pictorial timeline of the City of Fremantle’s reconciliation journey.
Some of the key milestones on that journey include the Fremantle History Centre’s oral histories project, which has been collecting Indigenous stories since 2003 and the development of the first Walyalup Reconciliation Action Plan (WRAP) in 2017.
In June 2018, Fremantle Council voted in support the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
In March 2023, Fremantle Council made a further commitment to the Uluru Statement, by funding community information projects in the lead up to the Voice to Parliament referendum – including this exhibition.
Fremantle Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge said the exhibition was about raising awareness.
“This installation is an example of the type of truth-telling that we have committed to through our endorsement of the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
“The three pillars of Voice, Treaty, Truth will be part of our new Walyalup Reconciliation Action Plan that will take us through to 2027, and will help us to continue pushing ourselves to further our reconciliation efforts,” Mayor Fitzhardinge said.
The exhibition is located on the ground floor of the Walyalup Civic Centre and is open to the public until the Voice to Parliament referendum on Saturday 14 October 2023.
Image: Federal Member for Fremantle Josh Wilson, Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney, Uluru Statement advocate Thomas Mayo and Fremantle Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge at the exhibition opening.
