• Home
  • Articles
    • Front Page
    • General Interest
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Snippets
  • Competitions
  • Our Community
    • Our People
    • Question of the Week
    • Be Seen
    • Jobs in The Central West
  • Features
    • Rural Round Up
    • Loving Local Living
    • Wellness Wise
    • My Place
    • Real Estate
    • Recipe of the Week
  • Sports
    • Canowindra Bowls Club
    • Canowindra Junior Rugby League
    • Canowindra Senior Rugby League
    • Cricket
    • Footy Tipping Competition
    • Golf
    • Rugby Union
    • Swimming Club
    • Touch Football Results
    • Tennis
    • Other
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Page
    • Advertise with Us
    • Testimonials
    • Subscribe to the Phoenix
    • Submit an Article

The Canowindra Phoenix

Your free weekly guide to what's happening in and around Canowindra.

You are here: Home / Articles / Staying ‘Home’ For Australia Day

Staying ‘Home’ For Australia Day

21 January, 2021 By editor

Newspaper clipping showing the “Day of Mourning and Protest” held by Aboriginals in Sydney on 26th January 1938, 150 years since the arrival of the First Fleet.

It seems fitting that the name Canowindra comes from the Wiradjuri word meaning home. Canowindra has been home to European settlers from 1829 onwards, when 640 acres were granted to James Collits by Governor Ralph Darling. Yet our town sits on ancient land, home of the Wiradjuri people for tens of thousands of years. The Wiradjuri were known as the “people of the three rivers” and lived peacefully upon the rivers.

The people of Canowindra are a diverse group in 2021, weary from ten months of COVID restrictions and looking for hope in a new year. Every year, Australia Day marks the end of the summer holidays and calls for one last celebration. This year, the usual Australia Day ceremony will be held at 1:30pm at the Canowindra Services Club with the yearly yabby race starting at 3pm.

Celebrating Australia is a time honoured tradition, yet some would rather celebrate our nation on a different day. For First Nations people, the 26th of January, which marks the day the First Fleet arrived in Sydney Cove in 1788, is seen as the start of losing land, culture and family.

Brad Draper, a proud member of the Wiradjuri nation who spent his childhood in Canowindra, spoke to the Phoenix about the challenges of the day.

“Australia Day is a controversial day,” Brad said. “For me, I am a proud Australian Aboriginal but that day is a day that is looked upon by some Aboriginal families as a day of sadness.”

When asked how non-indigenous Australians could support Aboriginal Australians on this day, Brad’s answer was simple. “Recognition,” Brad said. “I challenge people to go on a process of discovery and research Aboriginal history. Once this history is recognised it will send people on a path of reconciliation and understanding.”

Canowindra and its surrounds are blessed with incredible ancient history. The Age of Fishes Museum showcases that history beautifully with fossils 360-70 million years old.

Brad encourages all Australians to uncover the fascinating history right on our doorstop, urging locals to read up on Stan Grant Senior’s work on the history of the Wiradjuri people, contact the Aboriginal Land Council in Cowra or even visit one of the oldest structures on earth, the Aboriginal Fish Traps at Brewarrina.

 

Filed Under: Articles, Front Page

More News

Walking With A Cause

4 March, 2021 By editor

A fundraising walk will be run from Cargo to Grenfell beginning next Thursday in Cargo. The Cargo to … [Read More...]

Snippets…

4 March, 2021 By editor

Birthday Wishes: Red headed Alba Pearl Maere celebrated her first birthday on 22 February. Alba is … [Read More...]

Canowindra Public School’s Brilliant Start To 2021

4 March, 2021 By editor

Last Friday, 32 students from Canowindra Public School competed in Cowra at the district swimming … [Read More...]

More articles in this section

  • A Taste Back In Canowindra
  • Proposed Bus Service To Cowra
  • We Are The Champions

More Food & Wine

ANZAC Treat

23 April, 2020 By editor

Caramel ANZAC Slice SLICE • 2 Cups Plain Flour • 2 Cups Brown Sugar • 2 Cups Rolled Oats • 1 … [Read More...]

Enjoy a Cold Christmas Pudding!

16 December, 2015 By editor

Ingredients 2.25 litre vanilla ice cream 2 x 125 punnets of pistachio kernels 1 teaspoon … [Read More...]

The Bite…Coffee Culture

8 July, 2015 By editor

It is a fair generalisation that Australians are culturally obsessed with their coffee. Across the … [Read More...]

More articles in this section

  • The Bite…Winter Warmers
  • In The Vines…Philip Shaw’s New Cellar Door
  • The Bite…Orange Cafe Culture

More Sport

Men’s Bowls

4 March, 2021 By editor

Last Saturday, the Phillip (Cheesy) Makin Memorial Golf/Bowls Day was held where 44 players competed. It was a good day for interaction between the two clubs. Last Sunday, the fourth round of pennants was played. The number 6s played Parkes Railway winning 9-1. Congratulations to them as they now progress to post sectional playoffs at […]

Latest Print Edition

Click here to download the recent issue (623) of The Canowindra Phoenix (2.9mb PDF) 4th March 2021

AWARDED 2018 BEST BUSINESS IN CABONNE

Stay Connected

The Canowindra Phoenix would like to thank you, our Facebook friends, for your continued support and readership!

likeusonfacebook

Canowindra Booklet

Click here to download the 2018 Canowindra Booklet – Explore “The Place You Call Home” Like a Local

Central West Rural Round Up Booklet

Click here to download the Central West Rural Round Up Booklet

Search the Phoenix

Recent Articles

  • The Way We Were 4 March, 2021
  • Over The Fence Chat For Farmers 4 March, 2021
  • Walking With A Cause 4 March, 2021

Contact the Phoenix

Street Address: 84 Gaskill Street Canowindra NSW 2804 Postal Address: PO Box 203 Canowindra NSW 2804 Phone: (02) 6344 1846 Email: editor@canowindraphoenix.com.au or sales@canowindraphoenix.com.au View our Privacy Policy. View our Conflict Resolution Process. View our Ethics and Complaints Policy. Want to advertise with us? Information on our Community Promotions.

Submit an Article

We are always looking for new articles of interest to the local community.

Please feel free to submit an article for possible inclusion in a future issue.

To submit an article, click here to use our online article submission form.

Receive The Phoenix via Email

* indicates required

Copyright © 2021 · Website setup and support: CompleteWPCare