![Ruth Davys, pictured in a T-shirt with Wiradjuri language and English translations, will be at Albury's Noreuil Park on Australia Day. Ruth Davys, pictured in a T-shirt with Wiradjuri language and English translations, will be at Albury's Noreuil Park on Australia Day.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/XJLgPnEdnKaFugZzKyL6Sw/c03b22ca-e080-4798-98b0-3fe17ed6164b.jpg/r0_0_4989_3326_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
An informal chance to chat about Australia Day and its meaning is being offered to those who head to Albury's Noreuil Park on Friday, January 26.
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While Albury Council will not have any ceremonies at the reserve, Wiradjuri leader Ruth Davys says she will set up a big mat and plans to have five to eight colleagues join her.
"It's just a low-key informal opportunity to come and have a yarn if people choose to," Ms Davys said.
"We generally gather at Noreuil Park on Saturdays for weaving, so we will be taking some weaving down and doing that."
Ms Davys contrasted her activity with those elsewhere in the Riverina.
"Griffith they've got posters saying 'Survival Day', I don't think we're ready to do that yet," she said, referring to the Albury Indigenous community.
"I don't think we've had enough conversations to see how we can make an event happen."
The Griffith Local Aboriginal Land Council is running a Survival Day occasion at the local pool with an elders' tent and singing and dancing.
It is being promoted as a "spectacular celebration where we will stand together in solidarity".
Albury Council opted this year to remove citizenship ceremonies and its community awards from Noreuil Park on Australia Day.
However, it will still have family activities at that location from 10am to 3pm on Friday with food trucks and games, while the Albury and Lavington swimming pools will have free admission.
Part of the council's reasoning for removing the formalities was out of respect for Indigenous citizens with city general manager Frank Zaknich describing it as a "very challenging day for our Aboriginal community".
"It's not a day that you have your barbies and you all get on the drink, it's a day that we survived all evil and we still stand strong," Mr Oldman said.
Ms Davys concurred with that viewpoint.
"I agree with his sentiments," she said.
"I think it's a day of reflection, it's a day where all Australians should reflect on our history and how we got to where we are today."
Whether Albury Council continues its new Australia Day approach is set to be influenced by community feedback.
Forms seeking the thoughts of citizens on the changes will be available to fill out at Noreuil Park on Friday, as they were at the awards on Friday night.
Already there has been around 300 responses since a relevant questionnaire went live on the council's website last Wednesday.