Our Survival Day 2025

We would like to acknowledge and pay our respects to the Traditional Custodians across Australia, extending this acknowledgement to all our stolen children yet to find home, and to all First Nations people across the world. Thank you to all of our ancestors who protected and nurtured the land for us.

Who:

Our Survival Day is brought to you by Our Songlines, a 100% Aboriginal-owned and woman-led organisation that is passionate about making Indigenous culture accessible to First Nations and allies alike, in a supportive, safe environment.

Where:

We are honoured to be hosting Our Survival Day at The Briars, Mt Martha on Bunurong land, of the Boon Wurrung Language Group within the Kulin Nation, amongst Indigenous plants, trees, birds, and habitat for wildlife.

What:

With a focus on Indigenous education, cultural entertainment, food and sustainability through the theme of ‘Reignite our Spirit’, Our Survival Day 2025 will have something for everyone. Our Survival Day is a place to be proud, vulnerable and supported. It is a culturally safe and environmentally friendly space set amongst the hills of The Briars. You will feel the connection as soon as you walk onto Bunurong land: be welcomed by the trees, the birds, the First Nations musical voices, the smell of Indigenous bush foods, friends enjoying picnics and playing games, cultural workshops, dancing, families of diverse backgrounds and many activities to participate in at your leisure. This is an all-inclusive supportive space, so if you have any requirements you’d like us to accommodate please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

Ceremony:

The day will begin with a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony. by Jill & Josh West, Bunurong Traditional Owners.

Our Master of Ceremonies for the day will be the incredible Jony Berry. A man of Palawa and Portuguese heritage, Jony was the first Aboriginal person to represent Australia at the Mr World competition, using his platform as a model and performer to advocate for causes close to his heart. Jony is the 2024 Mr Universe.

Mother Earth:

Our 2022, 2023 and 2024 events were completely carbon positive, we intend on expanding our green initiatives to ensure we leave the land better then when we started.

Our Survival Day vendors, artists, stallholders and workshops will be caring for country by using environmentally responsible packaging, materials, and saying no single use plastics. We will also be planting trees to offset our carbon emissions from the event. You will find bins around the event including composting and recycling - with our aim to reduce our waste consumption as much as we can.

We are grateful to be on this land and we hope you will join us in gratitude by respecting the natural environment and leaving the site as clean as when you arrive. We encourage you to bring your reusable items with you including your keep cup, a drink bottle which you can fill up on the day, and of course - a bag to store your goodies purchased on the day supporting Blak businesses.

Important Information:

Our Songlines ensures that all activity selection, supervision and management practices are child safe.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will have access to FREE tickets.

Getting to the event/transport:

Limited free parking is available on site, however we encourage you to ride share with friends and family, bike to the event, catch public transport, or use other alternative transport options to reduce the environmental impact of the day and connect to the country you are on.

How:

Thank you to our early platinum sponsors;

First Peoples Health and Wellbeing

Monash University

Our planning team are all volunteers, coming together via the collective values they share with each other, and those of Our Songlines.

The grassroots event was only made possible with the incredible support, donations and volunteers.

Contact info / Connect with us:

Contact Person: Michael Stowers

Company: Coastal Cottage Creative

Phone: 0488 940 924

www.oursurvivalday.com

Winners of the 2024 NAIDOC Aboriginal Business of the year award and 2021 Reconciliation HART award.

Our Survival Day 2025 is an Indigenous-led community event providing a safe and culturally empowering space for First Nations people and their allies to gather on January 26th.

“This day is so important to me, like it was my elders of the past. It is a day of remembering and practicing the oldest living culture in the world. Creating the opportunity for people to experience Indigenous culture in its many forms is the mission of the day and in 2021 we were recognised as being leaders in this space. The Mornington Peninsula has never been a safe place for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people to be on January 26th and I’m glad that our team can start to change and challenge the conversation around this.”

- Kayla Cartledge, Founder of Our Songlines

“This event is so important, I love the fact that it’s community operated, it’s grassroots and it’s for our people”

- Mitch Tambo, musician and 2021 headline act.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Briars, 450 Nepean Highway, Mount Martha, Australia