National Walk for Values in Melbourne
On Saturday, March 24, 2007, National Walks for Values were conducted in Capital Cities right across the Nation. Walkers carried banners, placards, balloons, brochures and handouts in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Here is the account of the National Walk for Values in Melbourne.
Between 500-600 walkers gathered at Edmund Herring Oval, nearby the Domain Interchange, on a wet and cold Saturday morning for the 24th of March. There were many umbrellas in sight. Inclement weather was not to deter the walkers.
Pre-walk Program
Welcome to Country
The pre-walk program commenced with a welcome speech by Annette Xiberras, Elder of the Wurundjeri Tribe. In her welcome talk Annette Xiberras said,
We believe that if you live on Wurundjeri Country, you take food and water from your country and you too become part of that country, that extended family; you are adopted. Basic values are important, they are part of the social fabric, and without them you would not get anywhere in society. So on behalf our our Wurundjeri people, we thank you for keeping your values close to your heart and walking for them today. Welcome to Country. Let's walk today.
National Anthem
Jessica Probert leads the National Anthem
Guest of Honour
Judith Graley, MP for Narre Warren South
Judith Graley, Member of Parliament for Narre Warren South, spoke about how the walkers were blessed by sudden sunshine in what had been a rather cold and miserable morning of Melbourne rain. Judith Graley addressed the range of values on display with banners and placards, and commented on one placard in particular, Peace begins with a smile. "If you could bottle that and give that out to everyone during the walk then we would make the world a much better place to live in". After speaking some more, and giving best wishes for the success of the walk, the Member for Narre Warren South then proceeded to the front of the Walk and, accompanied by a countdown, cut the ribbon to start the National Walk for Values in Melbourne.
Cutting the Ribbon
The Police closed Domain Road, and moved to position. The road is wet, it is cold, but the walk is under way, under blue skies. Banners, Placards, balloons, strollers, children, walk marshals, all stream down toward the St Kilda Road intesection, the main thoroughfare into the City of Melbourne.
Proceeding along Domain Road
The walk distance is 3.25 kms, and there are several busy and large intersections to negotiate. Domain Road Interchange is the first intersection. The Police moved ahead of the walk to stop traffic and get the walk across a very large intersection at an incredibly fast pace.
Crossing the Domain Interchange
Moving across the Domain Interchange so quickly somewhat stretched the walk out and had everyone just about breathless in St Kilda Road. Fortunately, the Police called a rest at Dorcas Street, so we can get ourselves back together and catch our breath. Behind us, the Police were doing another job, moving all traffic to the centre lanes and leaving the service road completely to the National Walk for Values. This gave a really safe place to walk, with a tree lined meridian strip separating the Walk from trams and traffic.
Walking along St Kilda Road
There was a camera and interviewer moving through the National Walk for Values; some walkers were being interviewed as they walked; "Why are you walking for values? Why is it important to walk for values? What changes have these values made in your life? In your family? What impact do you feel this walk will have on the people seeing this walk? What impact will this walk have on the people of Melbourne, generally?" were the questions that many walkers answered.
Walker being interviewed during the walk
The walk passed Victoria Barracks, and the Victorian College of the Arts as it neared the city. People on the footpath on St Kilda Road are asking questions:
Why are you walking?
What is this all about?
Walkers pause and answer.
Passing Victoria Barracks
The Walk moves across several intersections, Wells St, Nolan Street and pauses beside Southbank and the Arts Centre, immediately prior to crossing Princes Bridge and entering the City of Melbourne. Walk monitors move up and down and distribute drink to walkers, cups of water, bottles of water, cans of soft drink. The Police hold the Walk to manage traffic, fit the walk in and get us across Princes Bridge.
A Pause beside the Arts Centre at Southbank
Finally, the Police close the inbound side of Princes Bridge and bring the National Walk for Values across Princes Bridge towards Flinders Street Station and one on Melbourne's busiest intersections. Trams trundle across the Bridge beside the Walkers.
Crossing Princes Bridge as trams trundle past
The National Walk for Values pauses for some time at several sets of traffic lights as the busy Flinders St traffic moves along; taxi's leave the taxi rank, trams arrive and cross the intersection in each direction; the National Walk for Values is at the entrance of a very busy City of Melbourne. The Police cyclists ride out and block the vehicular traffic; Police cars park across tram lines, halting trams, and the National Walk for Values is guided by the Police into Swanston Street (sometimes called Swanston Walk), the main pedestrian throroughfare in Melbourne. Crowds at this busy place look across to the walk. Holding the trams in both directions, the Police bring the National Walk for Values into the city of Melbourne.
Entering the City of Melbourne!
Along Swanston Street, Sai Youth are handing out brochures and pamphlets on the walk to people who stop to observe the walk. Tram drivers sit idly in the front of their trams, (there had about five trams banked up as we entered the city) and the banners Truth, Right Conduct, Love, Peace and Non-violence are moving through the city. More busy intersections to cross and many trams coming in the opposing direction. At the Collins Street intesection walkers are giving their balloons to children.
Crossing the Bourke Street Intersection
Walkers say that values have transformed their lives, that living with values is not something static, that we will strive to know and integrate human values into our lives right up to the very end of life itself. Crossing Bourke Street, one young adult is carrying a sign, Love as Thought is Truth. He is walking because he wants to make a difference, human values have made a powerful, positive difference in his life, and he wants to stand up and tell the world how good it is.
Happy Walkers in the City
Walking with us today we have the Melbourne Girls School, from Richmond. These girls bring up the rear of the walk, and are a happy crowd, speaking of the need for harmony and peace between peoples. According to some of these girls, harmony has several components and what our society needs now, today, is values which lead us towards tolerance and harmony, and the ability to live together in society.
Representatives from the Melbourne Girls School
After 3.25 kilometers of Domain Road, St Kilda Road and Swanston Street, the Melbourne National Walk for Values reaches its destination, the forecourt of the State Library of Victoria. As the Walk turns away from Swanston Street into the Forecourt, the rain starts.
Turning into the State Library Forecourt
Rain pelts down momentarily. The clouds thin, outside, snacks and drinks are being given out and the program begins at Forecourt to the State library. The rain eases off. Crowd at the Forecourt grows larger. Public are joining in. Tourists take photos. Police stay for our talks, listening.
Melbourne Girls School students give talks
Hannah Biers, Chloe Sinclair, Jamilla McCoy, from the Melbourne Girls School take the microphones, wearing school uniform, and read out their prepared talks. Musical interludes, didgeridoo, songs, talks. Children put on a human values play. Sunshine, clouds are gone, the crowd gets larger and larger.
Musical presentation at the Forecourt of the State Library
Walkers said they were not aware of the distance walked, there was no fatigue, they were only aware of happiness, peace and bliss during the walk. Walkers are still holding their placards, happy to stand and present a message.
Crowd at the Forecourt of the State Library
The First National Walk for Values in Melbourne is over. You may view a web album with photographs from the Melbourne Walk.
Interviews with Walkers will be added to this page as they become available.
©National Walk for Values. This site last updated 8 April 2009
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