Tens of thousands gathered in the country's major cities to mark January 26, in a day of protest, reflection, and solidarity with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
This year’s rallies saw passionate calls for justice, recognition, and reparations as demonstrators rallied against the celebration of Australia Day.
Gadigal Country/Sydney
People march during the Invasion Day rally in Sydney. Source: AAP / STEVEN MARKHAM/AAPIMAGE
Thousands of protesters then marched to Victoria Park where the annual Yabun Festival was held.
Naarm/Melbourne
In Naarm, a massive crowd gathered on the steps of Parliament House before walking to Flinders Street.
25,000 people took part, with some posting on social media that it was the biggest Invasion Day rally turnout that Melbourne has ever seen.
Meanjin/Brisbane
Supporters march over the Victoria bridge to Southbank during an Invasion Day rally in Brisbane. Source: AAP / JONO SEARLE/AAPIMAGE
Community leaders led a moment of reflection and remembrance for those lost to violence and systemic oppression.
A significant number of non-Indigenous allies attended to show solidarity.
Tarntanya/Adelaide
Adelaide's Invasion Day protest brought together diverse groups in solidarity with First Nations people, with rallying speeches at Victoria Square.
Organisers highlighted South Australia's recent state-level moves toward acknowledging land rights but emphasised that real change requires more than symbolic gestures.
A 25-year-old man from South Australia was charged for displaying a Nazi symbol during a disruption of Adelaide’s Invasion Day march.
He was one of 16 people arrested for various offences, including loitering and resisting arrest, all linked to a neo-Nazi group.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young condemned the actions as 'sickening'.
South Australian Police Commissioner Grant Stevens warned of strong action against right-wing extremism at protests. No arrests were made at Invasion Day events in Melbourne or Sydney.
Boorloo/Perth
In Perth, the Sovereignty Day protest had strong messages of resistance, land rights and liberation.
Around 1,000 people attended, calling on the date of the national holiday to be changed.
Nipaluna/Hobart
Hobart’s rally at Parliament Lawns saw a significant turnout, with protesters marching in a peaceful yet powerful demonstration.
Members of the Tasmanian Aboriginal community gathered to read aloud stories of massacres and injustices committed against Indigenous people.
Garramilla/Darwin
Hundreds of people gathered at Nightcliff Foreshore, with this year’s rally focusing on the Northern Territory government's recent decision to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 12 to 10.
Crowds gathered at Hobart's Parliament Lawn.
Ngambri and Ngunnawal/Canberra
Protesters march past Parliament House during an Invasion Day rally in Canberra. Source: AAP / MICK TSIKAS/AAPIMAGE
Around 1,000 people gathered at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, with community leaders urging the federal government to change the date of Australia Day.
Rallies across the nation have increasingly united Indigenous communities and their allies in a shared call for justice, recognition, and reconciliation.
The ongoing movement continues to challenge the country to confront its colonial history and its impact on First Nations peoples.
For many, the rallies are a reminder that the journey toward equality, justice, and true reconciliation is far from over, with a demand for governments to take meaningful action in closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
As the sun set on another Invasion Day, the message was clear: the fight for a fairer, more inclusive Australia is far from finished.
