Several hundred people have gathered on the steps of Parliament House in Adelaide, calling for the date of Australia Day to be changed.
Aboriginal elder Tauto Sansbury told the crowd that recognising the hurt caused by celebrating on the day the first fleet arrived must be the start of a wider conversation.
"People have said there's other issues to deal with, well no there's not," he said.
"This is the first one that breaks down the barriers. Then we can move onto all of the other things that are not right for Aboriginal people."
Mr Sansbury said he believed change was inevitable.
"January 26 means nothing to us except that we've got to break it down and get rid of it," he told reporters.
"It's the wrong date and the wrong time to celebrate.
"Just like the Berlin Wall went down, I believe we'll knock this down too."
Greens MP Tammy Franks said changing Australia Day was about recognising Australia had a "really awful history".
"This day is divisive. January 26 is actually about a NSW landing of the first fleet.
"We have a history here that we've forgotten and to have a future that is positive and uniting we need to talk about our history and come together."
Also unveiled at the protest was a poster designed by Aboriginal artist Elizabeth Close which hoped to encourage all Australians to start listening to the concerns of the indigenous community.
"It's a call to action for everyone to sit down and genuinely and meaningfully listen to Aboriginal people and their elders about what they want with regards to Aboriginal rights," she said.
"With regards to treaty, with regards to changing the date. All those things."
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