The Yorta Yorta community are preparing to honour their ancestors and continue the legacy of Uncle William Cooper in exercising their sovereign rights with a mourning ceremony on Country this weekend.
A Day of Mourning event has been organised at Queens Gardens in Shepparton to coincide with January 26 on Sunday.
The site, opposite local city council building, is also home to Uncle William.
Born on Yorta Yorta country, Uncle William was an instrumental figure advocating First Peoples' rights and held the original Day of Mourning on January 26, 1938.
It's since evolved, through name and date changes, to NAIDOC Week.
The Mourning Ceremony comes after Greater Shepparton City Council voted in December to reinstate their official "Australia Day" celebrations in December.
"It is crucial for us to honour our ancestors," event founder and Yorta Yorta Shepparton Aboriginal Working Group chair Neil Morris said.
"We will do this through holding space to mourn together which is our Sovereign right to practice as Indigenous peoples.
Mr Morris added the community have a "right to mourn in peace".
The council had previously scrapped events and celebrations on the date in recent years before an 8-1 vote by councillors on December 17 to host an Australia Day Event and awards ceremony.
Citizenship ceremonies will be reintroduced from 2026.
In April 2024, Greater Shepparton City Council voted for the establishment of a local Australia Day committee while announcing continued advocacy for changing the date.
It was announced Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags would be lowered to half-mast on January 26, and Survival Day Dawn Ceremony's would continue to be supported.
"We know that Australia Day has different meanings for people in Greater Shepparton. For some, the day holds a lot of hurt and is not a day for celebration. However for others, the day holds a special meaning and is one they choose to acknowledge," Mayor Shane Sali said in April.
"By Council reinstating funding for events held on 26 January, it gives community members the opportunity to celebrate Australia's national day however they choose."
At December's meeting, Councillor Sam Spinks was the sole vote against a return to January 26 events.
"The Aboriginal community have been very clear in telling us that the date of January 26 causes them harm, and they understand the risks that comes with change," she said, Shepparton News reports.
"This motion essentially says we hear you, but we know better."
Levi Power, from Yorta Yorta Shepparton Aboriginal Community Working Group, said on Friday: "It is profoundly painful for our people to be told every year, 'We don't care about your feelings on this day—you should celebrate and party with us regardless'".
"This mindset is both dismissive and deeply unjust. We'll continue to ask Australians to change the date so we can embrace a genuine day of unity—a day that brings everyone together, where no one feels excluded or unwelcome".
Working Group member and Day of Mourning Event co-founder Michael Bourke reiterated the date is about honouring his ancestors.
Both Mr Bourke and Mr Power advocated for changing the date.
"We'll continue to ask Australians to change the date so we can embrace a genuine day of unity—a day that brings everyone together, where no one feels excluded or Unwelcome," Mr Power said.
