Aboriginal flag to be flown permanently on West Gate Bridge

The Aboriginal flag will fly permanently alongside the Australian flag atop the West Gate Bridge in Melbourne.

The Aboriginal flag flying on the Sydney Harbour Bridge during NAIDOC week in 2021. Picture: Damian Shaw

The Aboriginal flag will fly permanently alongside the Australian flag atop the West Gate Bridge in Melbourne.

Since 2019, both the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags have been displayed at the bridge on a rotational basis during Reconciliation and NAIDOC weeks, but the state government has announced the Indigenous flag will remain a permanent fixture after NAIDOC week ends on Sunday.

Victorian Road Safety Minister Ben Carroll and First Peoples Minister Gabrielle Williams confirmed the flag would be flown with permission from traditional owners. It would be a symbol of “unity, identity and resilience” for First Nations people across Victoria, Ms Williams said.

The government is also planning on permanently displaying the Torres Strait Islander and Victorian state flags alongside the Australian and Aboriginal flags on the bridge, with work under way to determine the requirements. “The West Gate Bridge is one of our most visible landmarks – now, the thousands of motorists who use the bridge every day can view the Aboriginal flag flying proudly above our city,” Mr ­Carroll said. “We are continuing work looking at how we can also fly the Torres Strait Islander and Victorian state flags above the West Gate Bridge at some point in the future.”

Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation chair Kelly Lehmann said the move was a significant step in demonstrating Victoria’s commitment to Aboriginal communities.

“We look forward to seeing ways in which the Torres Strait Islander flag can also be flown in the future,” Ms Lehmann said.

Victoria will become the second state to permanently fly the Aboriginal flag on a major bridge.

Premier Daniel Andrews has previously said he was unsure how much it would cost to install the flag. It comes after the NSW government was quoted $25m to install the Aboriginal flag on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.