Flag announcement: Uncle Jack Charles (1943 – 2022)

The Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet advises that a State Funeral Service for Uncle Jack Charles will be held at 2:00pm on Tuesday 18 October 2022, at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne, 100 St Kilda Road, Southbank, Victoria.

Uncle Jack Charles was a proud Boon Wurrung, Dja Dja Wurrung, Woiwurrung and Taungurung man. He was also a highly respected Elder, actor, musician, potter and gifted performer. A member of the Stolen Generation, Uncle Jack co-founded the first Aboriginal theatre company, Nindethana in 1972.

In 2009, he was awarded the prestigious Tudawali Award, honouring his lifetime contribution to Indigenous media. In 2014, he received a Green Room Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2016, he was named Victorian Senior Australian of the Year. In 2019, he won the Ochre Award and in 2022 he was award NAIDOC Male Elder of the Year.

Details regarding attendance at the service and livestreaming can be found on the Victorian Government website

As a mark of mourning and respect, the Australian National Flag should be flown at half-mast all day on Tuesday 18 October 2022 in Victoria only from all buildings and establishments occupied by Australian Government departments and affiliated agencies. Other organisations are welcome to participate.

  • When flying the Australian National Flag with other flags, all flags in the set should be flown at half-mast.
  • If a set of flags includes the flags of other nations, it would be appropriate to seek permission from the diplomatic representatives of that nation to half-mast their flag.
  • An acceptable half-mast position would be when the top of the flag is a third of the distance down from the top of the flagpole.
  • Information on flag protocol is available on the Department's website.

Your assistance is appreciated.

Commonwealth Flag Officer