To commemorate National Sorry Day 2025, Link-Up Victoria hosted an event on Dja Dja Wurrung Country in conjunction with VACCA, Djaara, Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation, and Connecting Home. The event featured a Welcome to Country from Traditional Owners, speakers from each organisation, and stories from Stolen Generations survivors.
“On National Sorry Day we reflect on the shared, true history of Australia in remembrance of the parents, families, clans and tribes whose children were taken since colonisation,” said VACCA CEO, Muriel Bamblett. “It is a day that acknowledges the damage caused, and recognition of how far there is to go to restore and fully repair what was taken from us.”
A day for Stolen Generations and their families to reflect on their journey, and for many to mourn a loss that can never be fully healed, National Sorry Day provides us all with the opportunity to ensure their stories of survival and resilience do not fade with the passing of time.
Speaking at the event, Aunty Bev Murray, Executive Manager Link-Up Victoria, said, “We tell our stories not to dwell on the past, but to shape a better future. A future where the mistakes of the past are never repeated, where our culture is respected, and where every child grows up safe, connected, and proud of who they are.”
For 35 years, VACCA has supported members of the Stolen Generations to return home through Link-Up Victoria, which provides support for members of the Stolen Generations to help them find and reunite with family, and reconnect with culture. It is the only service in Victoria to provide these reunions, which help to rebuild connections broken through government policies of forced child removals.
“It's about supporting Stolen Generations to establish a connection with their Traditional Owner group, so that they can maintain that connection forever for themselves, their children, their grandchildren,” said Aunty Bev. “In that way the bonds that were broken when they were taken, can never be broken again.”
In closing, Aunty Bev remarked, “As we acknowledge the pain of the past, let us all look ahead with strength, with honesty, and with unity. Let us commit to healing, to remembrance, and to never letting the stories of the Stolen Generations be forgotten.”
We encourage all Stolen Generations who are eligible to apply for compensation through the Stolen Generations Reparations Scheme. For more information or support to apply, please contact Link-Up Victoria.