Ballarat to unite for Survival Day Dawn Ceremony

The Ballarat Survival Day Dawn Ceremony will once again transform Lake Wendouree into a space of reflection and healing on the morning of Monday, January 26.  

The annual dawn ceremony is hosted by the City of Ballarat's Koorie Engagement Action Group (KEAG) Advisory Committee in collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.    

The event is a solemn acknowledgement and recognition of the continuity and survival of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island cultures, commemorating First Peoples who fought in the frontier wars and those who died in widespread massacres across Australia.  

The ceremony also aims to remember the Stolen Generation and to bring the community together to start January 26 in a meaningful, healing, and respectful journey.  

The four key themes for this year’s ceremony will be: reflection, truth-telling, healing and unity.  

Last year’s ceremony welcomed more than 1,300 attendees and featured representation from more than 26 Aboriginal nations, with performances, speakers, and ceremonies led by Traditional Owners, Stolen Generations descendants, and local Elders.  

The event received a high commendation at the LG Pro Awards for Excellence in 2025, noting how it has become a model for inclusive, community-driven reconciliation.  

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves said the Survival Day Dawn Ceremony was an important way to recognise that January 26 was a difficult day for many people.  

“January 26 is a day when many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples mourn and reflect, as well as a day for all Australians to learn a more complete history of this country,” she said.  

“We are committed to creating an inclusive city where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are respected, proud, and heard.  

“The Survival Day Dawn Ceremony exemplifies how local government can lead with cultural respect, truth-telling, and collaboration.  

“We welcome everybody to attend this event and unite in solidarity.”  

KEAG co-chair Deb Lowah Clark said the event was crucial in building understanding about January 26.

"All of Ballarat and its surrounding communities are welcome to come reflect in solidarity with its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community at the Survival Day Dawn Ceremony," she said.

"The pulse of this community beats stronger when we listen to each other to understand, which is why the ceremony is so significant for our community."

The delivery of the annual Survival Day Dawn Ceremony is a key action within the City of Ballarat’s newly endorsed Reconciliation Action Plan 2025-2027.  

The event will start at 5.30am at View Point and is expected to run until about 6.45am, with a Yarning Circle gathering place until 9am.