From massacre site to Parliament steps
Victoria walks for Truth
The night before the Walk for Truth began, storms rolled in off so-called Discovery Bay.
Wintery winds roared through Gunditjmara Country and rain lashed the coast, forcing a last-minute move from the Portland foreshore to the shelter of a historic hall.
But by morning, the weather had completely turned, disproving all forecasts. A sunrise broke over the still bay, golden light filtering through the clouds as more than 150 people gathered. They had come together to begin a journey hundreds of kilometres long, and generations deep.
Gunditjmara elders welcomed a diverse crowd, graciously shared raw reflections and thanked their ancestors. The fierce gusts and downpours of the night before, they said, had marked the arrival of the old people – their spirits moving through Country, lending strength and support to this moment of truth-telling and resistance. The rain held off; the sun shone for us all day.
Travis Lovett, Kerrupmara Gunditjmara Traditional Owner and Commissioner of Victoria's truth-telling process, the Yoorrook Justice Commission, led the walk’s first steps. Initially, these took us from a Welcome to Country and speeches by Gunditjmara elders outside to a powerful smoking ceremony.
The long and winding procession, spanning newborns in prams to seniors on mobility scooters and all ages in-between, then made its way through the township of Portland to a memorial dedicated to the Henty brothers – the colonisers who seized Gunditjmara land in the 1830s.
There, on the stone base of that monument, with her son and sister beside her, Gunditjmara Traditional Owner Keicha Day addressed the crowd. With fierce grace and grounded strength, the young woman spoke of the devastation colonisation has wrought on her family and community – of deaths in custody, of injustice across generations, and of the widening gaps in health, opportunity and recognition. Her truth rang out through the crowd, stirring hearts and steadying feet for the long journey ahead.
What is the Walk for Truth?
The Walk for Truth has been a 25-day, 450+ kilometre journey across Victoria, from Portland to Parliament House in Melbourne, walking in solidarity with First Peoples and their truths.
This historic journey marks a turning point in the work of the Yoorrook Justice Commission, which is currently leading Victoria’s first formal truth-telling process. Yoorrook has been listening to First Peoples across the state, recording the truths of colonisation and its ongoing impacts, and preparing bold recommendations for systemic reform, Treaty, and justice.
As the Walk for Truth reaches its conclusion, Yoorrook is preparing two landmark reports. One will deliver a comprehensive reform roadmap: detailing findings on systemic injustices and outlining bold recommendations for change. The other will serve as an official public record: preserving First Peoples’ truths since colonisation and creating an enduring resource for education, healing and understanding.
But before this happens, the Walk for Truth invites everyone to join the final leg on Wednesday.
— Travis Lovett, Kerrupmara Gunditjmara Traditional Owner and Yoorrook Justice Commissioner
“Yoorrook invites everyone to join us on this powerful journey, to walk together toward 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.”
Whether you walk the full distance from Kings Domain, a single step, or head straight to the steps of Parliament, your presence helps carry an important message all the way to Victoria’s decision-makers.
25 Days, 450+ Kilometres – and now, the final steps
The Walk for Truth has wound its way through Country and community, from Gunditjmara to Wadawurrung, Dja Dja Wurrung to Wurundjeri, guided by stories of survival, resistance, and strength.
Elders and young people, mob and allies, walkers from across Victoria and even overseas have joined to walk for justice, healing and hope. Each step has been a commitment: to listen, to reckon with truth, and to build a more just future.
At Environmental Justice Australia, we are proud to have joined this journey, walking not just in solidarity, but in active listening and learning. Now, we encourage you to join us on the final day of the Walk for Truth, as we step into the heart of Melbourne.
Once arriving at Parliament, the final Yoorrook Submission will be formally presented, marking a major milestone in Victoria’s truth-telling journey.
Don’t miss this momentous opportunity to come together for justice, for Country, for a better future.
