Yarra Ranges Reconciliation Week – Bridging Now to Next

Presented by the Indigenous Development Team at Yarra Ranges Council. 

This year’s National Reconciliation Week theme, Bridging Now to Next, urges us to look ahead and continue the push forward as past lessons guide us. 

At a time when Australia faces uncertainty in its reconciliation journey, this theme calls on all Australians to step forward together.

About the National Reconciliation Week 2025 Artwork

In the #NRW2025 theme artwork created by Kalkadoon woman Bree Buttenshaw, native plants − known for regenerating after fire and thriving through adversity − symbolise our collective strength and the possibilities of renewal. This is a time for growth, reflection, and commitment to walking together. 

Australia’s history of reconciliation is not a linear one but one that includes both great strides and disappointing setbacks. 

Twenty-five years ago, Corroboree 2000 brought together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous leaders in a historic call for reconciliation.  We continue that work in 2025, inviting all Australians to join us in Bridging Now to Next – building a more united and respectful nation. 

Corroboree 2000 and the Sydney Harbour Bridge walk were significant events in our long journey and our determination to continue that journey towards a reconciled Australia and justice for First Nations peoples is unstoppable.

Guest Speakers, Performances and Presentations 

• Ziggy Ramo - Rapper, changemaker and award-winning musician and producer of Wik and Solomon Islander heritage.

• Courtney Ugle - VFLW star, proud Noongar woman from Bunbury WA, who is leading voice in the fight against domestic violence

• Professor Richard J Frankland - Elder and Gunditjmara man, whose multi-faceted career spans justice, arts, and advocacy.

• Ash Dargan - Larrakia musician and storyteller from Darwin in the Top End. He is one of Australia’s premier performers and recording artists on the Yidaki.

• Oonah presentation

Content Warning: Courtney Ugle's keynote will contain depictions of violence against women and First Nations people, as well as the name and image of a deceased person.