Jayda had a light that made people stop. Hundreds just gathered to make sure it stays burning

This story contains the name and images of an Indigenous person who has died.

Hundreds of people gathered for a smoking ceremony and marched to Parliament House honouring 21-year-old Jayda Allen Bonner, who was allegedly murdered by her partner.

At least 300 people gathered on Saturday afternoon at Cardigan Street, Carlton, in front of a growing memorial with dozens of bouquets and messages of love, for an emotional smoking ceremony, where family, friends and community members remembered Bonner and called for change.

The 21-year-old, who was born in Melbourne’s inner north, was found dead in an apartment complex on Cardigan Street at about 1.45am on Saturday, October 10. A 31-year-old man turned himself into police on Wednesday and was charged with murder.

The young woman with a “heart of gold” – who dreamed of moving to Queensland to help Indigenous children – had allegedly been kept isolated in the unit on Cardigan Street for months.

Earlier this week, Bonner’s aunt, Kellie Carter-Bell, said the family was not allowed to see her body to say goodbye due to the nature of the injuries. But Bonner’s mother was granted one last embrace.

“Enough is enough,” yelled Wurundjeri woman Kathleen Terrick, a treaty assembly member for the metro region who was performing the ceremony. After a minute of silence, some in the crowd called “justice for Jayda”.

As they walked through the smoke and had ash applied to their faces, family and friends sobbed, comforting each other. They invited other mourners to share in their cultural tradition

“Let’s take a stand today against domestic violence, for this young woman who deserved so much better,” Terrick said.

As gatherers marched along Lygon Street, down to the State Library and then back up to parliament they chanted “not one more” and called for men to “stop killing our women”.

On parliament steps, Carter-Bell said there was something about Bonner that was “difficult to explain”.

“She had a special aura, a presence, a light that you felt when she was around you, and that light should not be dimming today.

“Our family will spend the rest of our lives carrying the pain of knowing that someone we love so dearly is never coming home.”

Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Djirra said in a statement, endorsed by Jayda’s family and co-signed by leading Victorian Aboriginal organisations, that it was “a horrifying disgrace”.

“Jayda’s death was entirely preventable, not inevitable,” the statement said.

“While her death is now a criminal investigation, it is also a widespread systems failure, especially of the management of high-risk family violence offenders, the management of offenders leaving prison and how we support Aboriginal women and their families to be heard and believed.”

There have been 55 women killed as a result of gendered violence in Australia in 2026, of whom Bonner was the seventh Indigenous woman allegedly murdered, according to advocacy body Australian Femicide Watch.

Carter-Bell said that she thought Bonner would have been “very embarrassed but extremely proud” by the number of people who turned out to remember her.

“I just wish we could have let her know how much we loved her, and [how much] he didn’t love her.

“If victims just had the chance to realise how many people care, because the perpetrator’s biggest goal is to make us feel like no one cares.”

If you or anyone you know needs support, you can contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732), Lifeline 131 114, 13YARN (13 92 76), Yarning Safe’N’Strong (1800 959 563), or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636.

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