Media release
22 August 2025
Some of the Elders and team behind the Galup Arts Project (produced by Same Drum) with Reconciliation WA Co-Chairs photo credit Marnie Richardson
MEDIA RELEASE Galup (Lake Monger) to Host Walk for Reconciliation – Karni Walbiriny Koorliny | Walk of Truth and Healing
New Date Confirmed: Thursday, October 30
Reconciliation WA is pleased to announce the rescheduled date for the Walk for Reconciliation – Karni Walbiriny Koorliny | Walk of Truth and Healing, now taking place on Thursday, October 30 at Galup (Lake Monger).
Originally planned for June 3, the walk was postponed due to wet weather conditions. The new date aligns with Kambarang (Spring), a season of renewal and reflection, offering a meaningful opportunity to gather safely on Country and walk together in truth and healing.
This annual walk marks the culmination of Reconciliation WA’s 2025 Reconciliation Week activities and aligns with the national theme, “Bridging Now to Next.” It invites the community to acknowledge the violence of the past and walk toward a more equitable and reconciled future.
Galup (Lake Monger) is a well-loved community space, yet its deeper history remains largely unknown. In 1830, Galup was the site of a colonial massacre of Noongar people. Curated by the Elders and team behind the Galup Arts Project (produced by Same Drum), this year’s walk builds on that work and highlights the power of truth-telling for First Nations people and the wider community.
Dr Glenda Kickett, Whadjuk Noongar Elder and contributor to the Galup Arts Project, said:
“This walk honours the storytelling passed down to Doolann-Leisha Eatts (Garlett) by her grandmother Yurleen Bennell (Garlett) and acknowledges all the Carriers of the Galup massacre story. We are at a point as a nation to really start to acknowledge First Nations peoples and the histories of colonisation and dispossession. That acknowledgement is an important part of healing.”
Reconciliation WA Co-Chairs, Nolan Hunter and Debra Zanella, emphasised the walk’s role in truth-telling and community connection:
“Truth-telling is at the heart of reconciliation,” said Nolan Hunter. “It’s about confronting our shared history honestly, even when it’s uncomfortable. We can’t build a united future without understanding the past and its impact on our communities today.”
Debra Zanella added, “Reconciliation invites a collective effort from all of us. It’s about creating opportunities and building respectful relationships that lead to real change. When we walk together, we create a future where all Australians can thrive.”
About the Galup Arts Project
Galup, meaning “place of fire” or “place where the home fires burn” in Noongar, identifies Galup (Lake Monger) as a significant Whadjuk Noongar campsite prior to colonisation. The Galup Arts Project shares the oral history of the 1830 massacre, passed down through generations. For more information, visit www.galuptruth.com.
About the Walk for Reconciliation
This year’s walk, Karni Walbiriny Koorliny | Walk of Truth and Healing, will be held in three waves:
Wave #1 – 11:30 AM: Koolangka (children under 12), their moort (families), and teachers
Wave #2 – 1:00 PM: Ages 13+ and adults (1km walk)
Wave #3 – 2:30 PM: Ages 13+ and adults (1km or 3.5km walk)
Each wave offers a unique experience of truth-telling and healing, guided by the stories and advocacy of the Galup Arts Project.
Mayor Gary Mack, Town of Cambridge, said:
“We are proud to host Reconciliation WA’s 2025 Walk for Reconciliation at our beautiful Galup (Lake Monger) Reserve in October this year. Galup plays an important role in our community by providing a beautiful, natural place for our community to connect with each other, with Galup and its natural beauty. On 17 June this year, our Council took an important step in our reconciliation journey with the official restoration of Lake Monger to its traditional Whadjuk Noongar name, Galup, meaning “where the home fires burn”. We see the restoration of the traditional name as a tangible commitment to recognising and respecting the traditional owners of the land and acknowledging the history of this place, that means so much to all of us. Our community showed strong support for the name restoration and I hope to see many members of our wonderful Cambridge community taking part in the Walk and step forward together on our path towards reconciliation.”
Join Us
What: Walk for Reconciliation – Karni Walbiriny Koorliny | Walk of Truth and Healing
Where: Galup (Lake Monger) and Goomburrup (Bunbury)
When: Thursday, October 30
Who: Everyone is welcome
Register: Walk for Reconciliation – Galup
or Walk for Reconciliation – Goomburrup (Bunbury)
–ENDS–
About Reconciliation WA Reconciliation WA (RWA) is the not-for-profit organisation providing leadership, advocacy and support to people and organisations driving the movement for reconciliation in Western Australia (WA). We promote acknowledgement, truth telling and a voice for First Nation peoples in our social, economic and political systems.
Media Contact
Alicia Boudville
General Manager Marketing,
Communications and Digital
Phone: 0424 393 868
Email: alicia@recwa.org.au
