There was a jovial atmosphere among the crowd of young and old gathered at Ted Scobie Oval as they celebrated Indigenous food, culture and dance.

But despite the mood among the Griffith locals, the day was still a sombre reminder of how far society has come, only 50 years on from a time when Aboriginal people weren’t even recognised as citizens.

As a counsellor for the Griffith Bringing them Home project Stephen Collins knows first hand the significance of ‘Sorry Day’.

He says the scars left on Aboriginal communities in Griffith still run deep.

“This day is so important for so many people, even for me, my grandparents were removed from their families as part of the stolen generation,” he said.

Having worked for sometime now helping reunite separated families Mr Collins said there was one thing standing out.

“We can’t forget that our elders have lived through all of this,” he said. “The way they moved forward and the resilience they showed is a testament to their strength.”

It was something he says weighed heavily on his mind as he debated whether to take on his role with the Bringing them Home project.

“I saw this role advertised three times and my grandparents and other elders were one of the things I thought about before I took it on,” he said. “I wanted to make sure I could do it properly, out of respect for everyone.

“Seeing people reunited with their families for the first time, including my own, you can’t describe it.

“When you see people searching for their families for years and years and then when they finally find them, they get a lot of questions answered they wouldn’t have otherwise.”