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Pastor Sir Douglas Nicholls & William CooperPrint Page Print this page

17-December-2020
17-December-2020

Photographs supplied by Sandra Brown
The Council commissioned artist Matt Adnate to paint a mural dedicated to both William Cooper and Pastor Sir Douglas Nicholls KCVO OBE MBE. 

Both William Cooper and Sir Douglas Nicholls were chosen as part of the consultation process to recognise the local First Nations people, and both have been approved to feature in a mural by both the Rumbalara Elders Committee and also the Yorta Yorta Elders Committee. The families of both William Cooper and Sir Douglas Nicholls had also been consulted by Council regarding the mural and confirmed that they are honoured to have both individuals recognised as part of the project.

As part of this project, Council hoped to recognise additional local First Nations people and confirmed that it will next dedicate a mural to two First Nations females selected by the Aboriginal Elders. The two indigenous females will be announced later in the year.

Sir Douglas Nicholls was an Indigenous AFL player, pastor, Indigenous rights and reconciliation campaigner and the first Indigenous Governor in Australia as Governor of South Australia. He was also the first First Nations Australian to be knighted. In honour of his legacy, the AFL's Indigenous Round is named after Sir Douglas, who played for Fitzroy in the 1930s.

William Cooper was an activist and community leader who was instrumental in campaigns for indigenous rights. He was also known for his protest against the treatment of Jews by Nazi Germany, organising a petition with the Australian Aboriginal League to condemn the persecution of the Jewish population following Kristallnacht.

Location

Address:104 - 110 Fryers Street, Goulburn Valley Water , Shepparton, 3630
State:VIC
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -36.379674
Long: 145.402193
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
View Google Map

Details

Monument Type:Art
Monument Theme:People
Sub-Theme:Indigenous
Artist:Matt Adnate
Link:http://adb.anu.edu.au/

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Tuesday 23rd May, 2017
Left Side Inscription

Plaque :
Dana Djirrungana
Dunguludja Yenbena -1
(Proud, Strong, Aboriginal People)

Pastor Sir Douglas Ralph Nicholls MBE., OBE., KCVO ( 1906 -1988) was born on Cummeragunja Aboriginal Mission New South Wales on 9 December 1906 in Yorta Yorta Country, the land of the totemic long neck turtle and emu. 

[ List of Achievements ] 

" You can play a tune on the piano`s black notes and you can play a tune on the white notes, but if you want harmony you`ve got to play on both."   

For more information on Sir Douglas Nicholls visit
www.greatershepparton.com.au/council/ major-projects/ aboriginal-street-art project
#AboriginalStreetArtProject

Right Side Inscription
Plaque :
Dana Djirrungana
Dunguludja Yenbena -1
(Proud, Strong, Aboriginal People)

William Cooper (1860-1941) was born in Yorta Yorta tribal territory around the junction of the Murray and Goulburn Rivers.

[ List of Achievements ] 

For more information on William Cooper visit
www.greatershepparton.com.au/council/ major-projects/ aboriginal-street-art project
#AboriginalStreetArtProject
Source: MA, ADB
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au