AFL legend Michael Long brought ‘The Long Walk’ to Mooroopna and Shepparton at the weekend as part of his campaign to support the Voice to Parliament.
Varying slightly from his 2004 walk, which was continuous from Melbourne to Canberra, Mr Long’s route from Melbourne to the nation’s capital is being undertaken in different stages to maximise the amount and safety of people walking with him.
On Saturday, September 2 he walked from Chinaman’s Gardens in Mooroopna to Shepparton’s Victoria Park Lake and on to Rumbalara Football and Netball Club, with a crowd of people in support.
Community Elder Aunty Pam Pedersen was one of the walkers.
“It was so wonderful to see people come along,” she said.
“I even got chatting with a lady from Geelong who travelled here just to join us!
“At the club, there were so many community members and people who walked with Michael from Melbourne and will continue walking to Canberra.
“Some participants were also the original walkers from Michael’s first walk back in 2004.”
Like many other Indigenous Australians, Ms Pedersen said the walk made her hopeful that she would see the Voice enshrined in the Constitution.
“It’s been both a pleasure and emotional for me walking with Michael Long and Uncle Paul Briggs and other Aboriginal people,” Ms Pedersen said.
“I just hope that everything goes our way and that we get the Yes vote because there’s a lot of negativity, and this concerns me.“
Inspired by her father, Pastor Sir Douglas Nicholls, Ms Pedersen said she knew taking part in this walk and supporting the Voice was what he would have done.
"If my father, Pastor Sir Douglas Nicholls, were here today, he would be walking with Michael for support to Canberra, as in 1967 he worked hard for the referendum alongside other Aboriginal people,“ she said.
"A quote of my father’s that I like to say is: ‘We want to walk with you, we don’t want to walk alone.’“
Check out some of the photos taken from the event by Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project’s Amy DePaola.
– The Long Walk is expected to arrive in Canberra and its surrounds on Wednesday, September 13, and conclude on Thursday, September 14.