Today is National Sorry Day, and SSR amplifies this year’s clear call: From Sorry to Action. On Sunday morning, around 30 people gathered quietly in Kurnell for our sunrise vigil focused on reflection, truth-telling and reconciliation. With soft music playing in the background and smoke from burning leaves drifting gently across the shoreline, the gathering unfolded in a calm and deeply respectful atmosphere as the sun slowly rose over Dharawal Country - beautiful. Five stori

NAIDOC Week is a time for Australians to learn about and celebrate the oldest continuous living culture in the world, but learning about and celebrating our First Nations Peoples should not be limited to one week a year. That was the sentiment behind the creation of St John Bosco parish’s NAIDOC-inspired liturgical garments: a chasuble and a stole. The chasuble is adorned with artwork that tells the story of St John Bosco College’s connection to the Country on which it sits

A dozen community leaders took up a unique opportunity on Saturday to craft an authentic story that moves people to reflect or take action on issues they care about. Over morning tea, participants who advocate for First Nations justice, as well as environmental and social issues, reflected on the power of storytelling in creating change. “A story is the only way to activate parts in the brain so that a listener turns the story into their own idea and experience... it's the o

SSR had a visible and engaging presence at the Sutherland Shire Council’s "Meeting of Two Cultures" commemorative event on Wednesday. During a sunny autumn day in Kamay Botany Bay National Park in Kurnell, SSR volunteers had dozens of conversations with attendees about our community efforts towards understanding and reconciliation. Attendees were keen to take the time to plait Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flag-coloured wool to wear on their wrist whilst reflecting o

We were thrilled to hear more about Dtharowal man and SSR committee member, Mark Rice, at our recent AGM. Conceived and raised on Noron-Gera lands (Black Rock, Woronora River) and Born on Gwea lands, Mark has been immersed in Aboriginal teaching sites since childhood. Initially guided by his father and now alongside his cousin and a full-blood Arnhem Land Elder, he continues to respectfully visit, record, and learn from these sacred places. Mark’s extended family includes Abo

Sutherland Shire Reconciliation (SSR) is a not-for-profit community organisation which will trade as Southern Shores Reconciliation from early 2026. Our organisation was originally formed in 1997 by local volunteers and became incorporated in 2022. We are an organisational member of the NSW Reconciliation, and as such are part of a broader people’s movement for Reconciliation. Reconciliation Australia states: At its heart reconciliation is about strengthening the relationshi

An Acknowledgement of Country is a simple important act. It recognises that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the Traditional Custodians of the land, and that this connection to Country — land, waters, and skies — has been maintained for tens of thousands of years. It is not a just a script. It is an act of respect, truth-telling, and recognition. Acknowledgements are different from a Welcome to Country, which can only be performed by Traditional Owners or El