2 June 2026

Aquinas College, Ringwood, hosted its 15th Long Walk event for National Reconciliation Week on Monday 1 June.

Thirteen schools joined the Aquinas community to honour Michael Long’s 2004 walk from Melbourne to Parliament House in Canberra, famously asking then Prime Minister John Howard: ‘Where is the love for Aboriginal people?’

The college was joined by Jack Peris from The Long Walk, who delivered an inspiring speech to remind the thousands in attendance that ‘reconciliation is an ongoing journey that requires all of us’. Representatives from the Mullum Mullum group and Opening The Doors Foundation also participated in the event.

With this year’s National Reconciliation Week theme being ‘All In’, it was fitting to have so many schools come together in recognition of Indigenous history and reconciliation. As an Aquinas College student said: ‘We’re all in. Reconciliation is not a spectator sport. It will not happen by itself.’

Thank you to the students and staff who joined Aquinas College from:

• Great Ryrie Primary School
• Holy Spirit School, North Ringwood 
• Our Lady of Lourdes School, Bayswater 
• Sacred Heart School, Croydon 
• St James’ School, Vermont 
• St John’s School, Mitcham 
• St Joseph’s Primary School, Boronia 
• St Jude The Apostle, Scoresby 
• St Peter Julian Eymard, Mooroolbark 
• St Richard’s Primary School, Kilsyth
• Our Lady of Sion College, Box Hill
• Mount Lilydale Mercy College
• Our Lady of Mercy College, Heidelberg.