“Invasion Day” for some indigenous locals is a mournful acknowledgment of their history that pre-dated Captain Cook’s arrival on Australian shores.

Local elder Uncle Bryon Powell said the 60,000 years of Aboriginal history in Australia was often overlooked on the national day of celebration.

“To some of them (Aboriginal population), it’s just another day. A lot of people get together and commemorate Invasion Day. It’s a hard one to define,” he said. 

“Maybe there needs to be a day put aside where we can all celebrate together rather than having celebrations for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians.”

Australia’s indigenous population has eight annual celebrations, including the National Apology to the Stolen Generation Anniversary (February 13) and National Reconciliation Week (May 27 to June 3). 

While Aboriginal activists held rallies throughout the country on Monday, Ballarat’s indigenous residents gathered together privately to commemorate elders and community members. 

“It’s about commemorating people that have gone before us and struggled in their fight for recognition of Aboriginal people,” Mr Powell said. 

Ballarat and District Aboriginal Co-operative chief executive officer Karen Heap said Australia Day was a day that marked a change in Aboriginal people’s lives as they knew it. 

“It’s always a difficult day for Aboriginal Australians and I don’t think that will ever go away from Aboriginal people,” she said. 

“There is a hell of a lot of work to do to ensure we have an equal standing in this country.”