Sunshine Coast Invasion Day march ends in family-friendly Cotton Tree
An Invasion Day protest attracted hundreds to a family-friendly Sunshine Coast park as many celebrating Australia Day pitched a temporary city of cabanas on a nearby beach. GALLERY
Sunshine Coast
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sunshine Coast. Followed categories will be added to My News.
An Invasion Day protest on the Sunshine Coast has attracted hundreds who marched into a popular park where families had gathered to celebrate Australia Day.
The protest, which began outside the new Sunshine Coast Council town hall in the Maroochydore central business district, attracted at least 300 on January 26.
Chants from the group included “always was, always will be, Aboriginal land”, “not the date to celebrate” and “no pride in genocide”.
A smoking ceremony took place before the march at 10am.
The protesters walked from the central business district to the Cotton Tree Park, a place that had attracted hundreds more families and friendship groups who had set up a city of cabanas on the beach outside the Cotton Tree Holiday Park for the Australia Day public holiday.
It took about 30 minutes for the protesters, who paused at several places including outside the Maroochydore Courthouse, to converge on the park.
Sunshine Coast Police Chief Inspector Jason Overland said the march had also occurred last year and there were no conflicts as the protesters marched into the park.
“We provide a security bubble for them and make sure they cross the road safely and they can carry on their rally with no danger to themselves or the public,” the police officer said.
As the rally continued, about 600 others gathered at the Maroochydore RSL to watch about 270 people receive their Australian citizenship.
Journalist Jo Maureschat was among them.
“Being able to sing our national anthem for the first time as a citizen in almost 17 years was an incredible moment of pride,” she said.
“Whether I hold a Woolies flag in my hand or not, Australia Day will forever be the time to celebrate I finally belong here, in the land of the ‘fair go’.”
Ms Maureschat’s family moved to the Sunshine Coast from Germany in 2007.
She said Australian citizenship was what her mother had wanted for her family since the move.
“I am the last person in my family to receive my dual-citizenship and I’m incredibly grateful to officially be a part of the land I grew up in,” Ms Maureschat said.
The journalist’s mother Heidi Quednau said it was a “good feeling to know that we finally belong officially to the country” that they chose to live in.
“It’s the best country in the world,” Ms Quednau said.
“It feels just amazing because we were hoping and fighting for this for a long time.”
Ms Quednau said the ceremony was a touching moment for her.
“The moment she was saying the affirmation and then singing the national anthem, that was very touching and I was a little bit close to tears,” she said.
“Is there any better day to become Australian? I don’t think so.”
Family, friends gather in Cotton Tree Park
Invasion Day protest in pictures
More Coverage
Woman and child injured as car flips on Mary Valley Hwy
A car has flipped south of Gympie a week after, and not far from, the scene of a tragic crash that took the like of a young woman.
Two cheat death in horror motorway collision
Two drivers are lucky to be alive after their vehicles collided on one of the busiest roads on the Sunshine Coast. SEE THE PHOTOS