GWW proudly supports The Long Walk

The Long Walk celebrated its 20th anniversary at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Saturday 25 May, and Greater Western Water (GWW) was proud to be there in solidarity and support.

The event provided the opportunity to share in conversations on reconciliation and the journey of healing.

As part of pre match activities at the MCG, we created a space to share meaningful ideas about how we can all look after Country, recognising that First Nations people have been healing and caring for Country for tens of thousands of years.

From using reusable water bottles to putting rubbish in the bin, visiting a national park to learn about native flora and fauna and learning about Traditional Owners, there’s simple things we can all do.

We invited Melburnians to write their own commitment to Country on hand-shaped cards in colours of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags. These included:

"Take time to learn, understand and appreciate the land we live on."
"Recycle. Only take what you need."
"Plant native plants in my garden."
"Don’t leave the tap running."

We’ll be displaying these commitments for GWW people and visitors to our office to reflect on what caring for Country means to our communities, and how our work is connected.

Learn more about how GWW is working towards achieving genuine change and reconciliation.

About the Long Walk

The Long Walk was born out of a powerful act of advocacy in 2004, when AFL legend Michael Long walked from Melbourne to Parliament House in Canberra to highlight the plight of First Nations people. The Long Walk continues to support First Nations communities by raising money for education programs across Australia.

The 2024 Long Walk - Naarm included the now traditional ‘Walk to the G’, which attracts hundreds of footy fans and has become an integral part of the Dreamtime match between Essendon and Richmond. Pre-match activities included music performed by First Nations artists, family sport and art activities, and food trucks.