National Reconciliation Week 2025
Landcare SA were proud to be able to support Reconciliation SA by investing in a table at the 2025 Reconciliation Week Breakfast in May. With an incredible Welcome to Country and lineup of speakers, performers and entertainers, it was a powerful morning of deep connection and learning.
LASA were also fortunate to host an information stall at this prestigious event, which attracted around 3,000 attendees. It was a great opportunity to speak with people about ways to get involved with Landcare in SA.
A reflection by Natalia Diaz – State Landcare Coordinator:
I’m fortunate to work in an organisation that values inclusivity, respect, and listening. Although we’re a small team, we take pride in listening and walking alongside our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander friends. I believe it’s vital that we continue learning from the world’s oldest continuing culture, and deepen our understanding of their knowledge, stories, and connection to Country.
I was grateful to attend several events during Reconciliation Week this year, including learning about the use of native bush foods in cooking, sharing with community at the Living Kaurna Cultural Centre, and joining Kaurna and Ngarrindjeri man Allan Sumner as he spoke about the cultural significance of the Minda dunes and surrounding coastal areas.
By the end of Reconciliation Week, while attending the Cultural Gathering with Allan Sumner, I found myself sitting and listening to his words and paying deep attention to our surroundings. After a few moments of reflection, I felt hope. I recognised the resilience and strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their deep connection to Country. This resilience, grounded in culture and care for land, reminded me how truly powerful people can be, and how nature, too, endures all in its beauty and strength.
Reconciliation Week invites us to reflect on our shared histories, cultures, and relationships -and to acknowledge the truth of the past while working towards a more just and respectful future. This year’s theme, Bridging Now to Next, urges us to look ahead and continue the push forward, guided by lessons of the past. When we are on Country and take time to truly reflect and notice how it makes us feel, it becomes something quite powerful.
These moments offered a deeper insight into the profound connections between land, culture, and community – reminding me how much there is still to learn, and how important it is to keep showing up, listening, and reflecting.
We’re deeply grateful to the volunteers of the LASA Indigenous Engagement Working Group for their selfless and ongoing commitment in talking with, listening to, supporting, and advocating for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in South Australia and across the country. Their tireless efforts to build meaningful connections are a powerful example of what true allyship and walking together in truth, respect, and reconciliation can look like.
Gallery photos by Natalie Sommerville, Samuel Graves and Tyler Barker
