The former Telstra store in the heart of Horsham has become a primary site of the city's 2020 NAIDOC Week celebrations.
Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-Operative has opened its 2020 NAIDOC Art Exhibition, featuring creations by Aboriginal residents.
NAIDOC week was officially postponed from July to November in 2020, due to the coronavirus lockdown restrictions in place.
Goolum Goolum community engagement worker Deanne King, a Wotjobaluk woman, opened the exhibition with daughter Tyra at a flag-raising ceremony on Monday morning.
"We have creations by Yorta Yorta women Kylie and Michelle Taylor, who have moved here, and Rachael Bywaters from Nhill," she said.
"Each work has a personal story."
This year's NAIDOC Week has the theme 'Always was always will be Aboriginal Land'. DeAnne said to her this meant acknowledging how much the country meant to Traditional Owners. "We don't own it, we look after it," she said.
The co-operative won the Tidy Towns 2020 Indigenous Culture Award for the inaugural 2019 exhibition at Horsham Town Hall.
Public viewing times for the artworks will be 11am - 4pm, Monday to Friday. DeAnne said all of the works were for sale, and people could get in contact with the artists by attending the pop-up gallery.
Australian Bureau of Statistics data suggests there are more than 800 Grampians and Wimmera region residents of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent.
If you are seeing this message you are a loyal digital subscriber to the Wimmera Mail-Times, as we made this story available only to subscribers. Thank you very much for your support and allowing us to continue telling the Wimmera's story. We appreciate your support of local journalism.
Alexander Darling
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
