After a 30-year battle the Aboriginal flag was flown for the first time on top of Anzac Hill in Alice Springs as part of NAIDOC week.

The man who designed the flag was born in Alice Springs, but until today it hadn't flown from the town's most prominent landmark.

Geoffrey Shaw, an Indigenous Vietnam war veteran from Alice Springs, described the occasion as "quite significant".

"I have to commend the people who got together and made the decision to put the flag up here," he said.

For decades the Alice Springs Town Council rejected calls to fly the flag on top of Anzac Hill, which is both a sacred site and a war memorial.

Indigenous war veteran Geoffrey Shaw carries the flag up Anzac Hill. ( ABC News: Nick Hose )

In March, the Council narrowly agreed to fly the flag for ceremonial occasions like NAIDOC week.

The motion was bought forward by Councillor Catherine Satour and gained the crucial support of fellow councillor Matt Paterson.

"I'm feeling really happy, really happy that so many people in the Alice Springs community came up to Anzac Hill today to witness the speeches and the flag raising on Anzac Hill," Ms Satour said.

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Some critics have labelled flying the Aboriginal flag on top of ANZAC Hill an act of symbolism, but that claim was rejected by Ms Satour, who is Arrernte and from Alice Springs.

"It's a very meaningful step towards reconciliation because today is the first day that the community is going to lead conversations about how we are going to address complex issues … youth on the streets, issues around alcohol and family and domestic violence," she said.

Mr Shaw said today was an important moment to reflect on the past, and to move forward with a more unified country.

"Every year we make people Australians who come from overseas, so now we have to bring forward the treaty and an inclusion within the constitution [of Indigenous people] and then we really will be a multicultural society in Australia," he said.

The flag will be raised on top of ANZAC Hill for the remainder of NAIDOC Week.

'These deaths have not been in vain'

Celebrations started off strong in the Top End, with a flag raising ceremony at Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation in Darwin.

A small crowd gathered for the ceremony, with the Chief Minister and Indigenous leaders paying their respects to Indigenous women in the Territory.

A flag raising ceremony was held at Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation in Darwin. ( ABC News: Mitch Abram )

"Sitting in front of me today is my mother … Because of you, I can," Corporation chairman Richard Fejo said.

"And because of so many of our mothers, we can."

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said it was important to acknowledge the "often invisible" victims of domestic violence.

"Women like Kwementaye Murphy and McCormack, whose appalling treatment at the hands of men have promoted ongoing community and government reform," he said.

"Women like Kwementaye Green, whose death exposed significant flaws in the investigation processes of police.

"These deaths have not been in vain … because of them, we can."

Larrakia Nation promised the celebrations were just beginning.

"This year, we're into double figures for Larrakia Nation events alone," Mr Fejo said.