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Smith Street Dreaming is proudly supported by:

© Copyright 2015Neighbourhood Justice Centre

241 Wellington Street in Collingwood, Victoria, Australia, 3066

T: (+61 3) 9948 8777E: [email protected]

www.neighbourhoodjustice.vic.gov.au

In 2012, the Crime Prevention Team at the Neighbourhood Justice Centre began a concerted program to build trust, respect and harmony for those who use, work and live on Smith Street. The aim was to build relationships and bring peace to people who were in protracted conflict with each other.

This hard work paid off, and today local police, traders, and Aboriginal community enjoy fruitful and respectful relationships.

Smith Street Dreaming music festival is an expression of this relationship, and celebrates all that is good about each other and all that is good about Smith Street.

The inaugural Smith Street Dreaming was held in 2013.

By 2014 Smith Street Dreaming won City of Yarra’s Community Event of the Year award.

The dreaming continues.

SMITH STREETDREAMING

Portrait of a festivalSmith Street Dreaming 2013-14A project of the Neighbourhood Justice Centre Smith street Working Group

Smith Street sits on the land of the Wurunderjeri people.

Around 320 Aboriginal people live in the City of Yarra and each person has deep familial and social belonging to the land.

To this day, Smith Street remains an important meeting place for Aboriginal people living or visiting the area.

The Smith Street Working Group is chaired by the Neighbourhood Justice Centre and is composed of Elders from the Aboriginal Community, City of Yarra, Victoria Police, Smith Street Business Association, Cohealth, Eastern Health, the Salvation Army, Charcoal Lane and Executive officers of the Regional Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee.

The aims of the SSWG include:

1. Build respect and good will between those in conflict - including traders, visitors and the Aboriginal Community

2. Build pride and celebrate all that is good about Smith Street

3. Building peace and harmony for our community

4. Make Smith Street a safe and harmonious street for all - a destination for visitors

5. Reduce crime and increase economic outcomes.

Photographs kindly provided by Anthony Ket, Uncle John Brown, Troy Austin, Hieng Lim and Maree Foelz.

In 2013 the SSWG hosted the inaugral Smith Street Dreaming, an Indigenous music festival that celebrates the cultures and diversity of Smith Street.

“The festival was great, fantastic.It’s helped relationships on SmithStreet. The shop people nowwave to us, instead of ignoring us.The festival showed people in agood way. We’re not just hopelesspeople with problems.” Tracie, aCollingwood ‘Parkie’.

Since the formation of the SmithStreet Working Group, policecall-outs to Smith Street havefallen from around 10 per day tobetween 6 and 10 a month.

Additionally, crime in Smith Streethas dropped by about 33 per centover the last two years.

Smith Street Dreaming 2014 wonthe City of Yarra’s CommunityEvent of The Year.

With these laurels and clearresults, the stage is set for SmithStreet to keep on dreaming.