ABORIGINAL and Torres Strait Islander flags have been raised next to Bendigo Town Hall in recognition of the significant achievements and contributions of Indigenous communities across the country.
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This year's NAIDOC Week kicked off on Monday with a ceremony in central Bendigo, featuring speeches from Dja Dja Wurrung community leaders and a smoking ceremony.
Dja Dja Wurrung and Yorta Yorta man Trent Nelson said the ceremony turnout was "remarkable".
"The first ceremony I did about 10 years ago, there were probably a handful of people there," he said.
"But it's getting to a point now, every time we do something there's now big crowds, people turning up and taking time out of their busy days to be here and witness our celebrations."
Mr Nelson also said it was important to recognise the difference between NAIDOC and Reconciliation weeks.
"A lot of our people in Reconciliation Week talk a lot about the hard times, the history and the sadness," he said.
"But NAIDOC Week is more about celebrating the good things and the achievements of our community."
This year's NAIDOC Week theme 'Get up! Stand up! Show up!' is to empower Indigenous people in their culture and heritage.
"This year's theme is around leadership," Mr Nelson said.
"It's also about people being proud enough to stand up, a lot of our people still struggle with being out in the front-and-center talking about their own feelings as an Aboriginal person - talking about the struggles that they go through.
"A lot of our people are really shy to actually stand up and do that."
Mr Nelson said the week was also significant for people from stolen generations to find "somewhere to connect".
"It gives them a platform here in central Bendigo to own a bit of that culture for themselves," he said.
The City of Greater Bendigo is in the process of completing several different projects in collaboration with local Dja Dja Wurrung corporation DJAARA, including Galkangu and the law courts.
Mr Nelson said while there was some way to go, he was proud that council and the state government were supporting the Dja Dja Wurrung community.
"We are so lucky here in the City of Greater Bendigo in central Victorian goldfields, the amount of work that's going on between us all," he said.
"We're lucky because we see our neighbours across the state of Victoria where they don't have those opportunities with their local councils, state governments, their local government agencies.
"All we're asking for is to be supported and included."
NAIDOC Week runs from July 3 to July 11, to view the full central Victorian events schedule head here.
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