January 26 rally a 'turning point' after referendum, says organiser

The event, which is organised by advocacy organisation Justice Aunties, is in its fifth year and will take place at Newcastle foreshore on the day known as Australia Day, Invasion Day and Survival Day.

The event celebrates and reflect upon Indigenous culture and history through speeches, a march, markets and this year for the first time, a festival of live music and performances.

Justice Aunties founder Aunty Tracey Hanshaw said the original aim was to create a safe place for First Nations and non-Indigenous people on January 26, and that was particularly important this year after the No vote succeeded in last year's Voice to Parliament.

"People are devastated," she said. "So it'll be good for everybody to come back again this year to say 'hey it's okay. Let's all come together'.

"Nothing's changed for us. We've still got the same fights we've always had."

Ms Hanshaw said she tried to organise a rally not long after the referendum, but realised it may have been too soon.

"People were still hurting too much," she said.

"But I think January 26 is going to be the turning point for everyone.

"The referendum might have gone down by 61 per cent, but we are no longer 3 per cent of the population on our own.

"39 per cent of the population walked with us and showed us that our lives do matter.

"Newcastle was one of the very few cities that the yes vote got across the line and I think that's relevant to the activism that we've invested in.

"We had 5000 people last year, every year it grows. So that tells me there's a need for this.

"I think this year will be bigger because of the referendum and the result."

Ms Hanshaw said she had experienced an increase in online trolling after the referendum result, and believed there could be a potential for some of that to be reflected at the event.

"We have people on social media attacking us all the time, saying 'we're sick of this crap'. I just block them.

"We do normally get a few protestors on the day and they walk through with their Australian flags in an attempt to try and provoke or antagonise us, but we just invite them to join us.

"We're not anti anyone, we're trying to be inclusive of everybody.

"I don't think we need to change the date. We can't change the date of what happened, it's on the calendar every year.

"What I think we need to do and what we've been trying to do in Newcastle on January 26 is change the narrative and change people's mindsets - even if it's one person at a time, one year at a time.

"We try to use it as a truth-telling platform. January 26 is a day that all First Nations people's lives changed. That has been ongoing for 236 years and we shouldn't be celebrating in that."

The event will begin at Customs House fountain at 9.30am with speeches from Greens leader Adam Bandt, Greens MP David Shoebridge and Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp, before the march to Foreshore Park, where the AwabiMi festival will take place with acts such as Tripple Effect, Ezekiel Ox and Baraya.

A fundraiser will be held at the Lass O'Gowrie on January 14 to help fund the January 26 event.

Elsewhere in the Hunter, citizenship ceremonies and Citizen of the Year awards will take place in Port Stephens, Maitland and Cessnock on January 26.

Cessnock and Maitland councils are offering free entry to public pools on the day with a free barbeque and lamingtons, lawn games and music at Cessnock swim centres and a dive-in cinema at Maitland Aquatic Centre featuring a double feature of beloved Aussie films Paper Planes and Red Dog, plus food, lawn games and free popcorn.

There will be activities across Port Stephens in Nelson Bay, Raymond Terrace, Lakeside Leisure Centre, Tilligery and Karuah.