Lake Wendouree's prominent Australian flag at View Point will soon be joined by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags with the construction of two new flagpoles at the popular lookout.
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The flags are being installed as part of an agreement between the City of Ballarat and the Koorie Engagement Action Group.
Temporary fencing currently surrounds the site and will remain until the project is completed in the coming weeks.
The site has been chosen due to the historical cultural significance of the lake to the Wadawurrung people and its current use as the site of the annual Survival Day dawn ceremony on January 26.
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The flags were originally planned to be installed before the 2020 Survival Day ceremony, but suffered from various delays over the past 12 months.
Koorie Engagement Action Group co-chair and City of Ballarat councillor Belinda Coates said the group members and council's Aboriginal liaison officer Nikki Foy advocated for the flagpoles.
"There were some unfortunate delays and we hoped to have them up before this year's Survival Day, so to finally get them up is incredibly exciting for us and it's really important to have First Nations flags flying in significant locations," she said.
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"What is also significant about Lake Wendouree is that for First Nations peoples, waterways are incredibly culturally important as well.
"Given the City of Ballarat has had such a strong commitment to its Reconciliation Action Plan for a number of years, a strong position that we're committed to is delivering things that really visibly demonstrate this commitment and raise awareness of the cultural significance of First Nations peoples and their cultures."
Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative chief executive Karen Heap said the installation was a 'great initiative' by council.
"It's a really positive move. I think where there's a flagpole, there should be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags as well," she said.
"I think it's a good thing to do and recognises the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in this community that have lived here for thousands of years and the descendants of those people too."
