Sunday, July 2, marks the start of NAIDOC Week which will see a huge calendar of events surrounding this year’s theme – For Our Elders.
Held across Australia in the first week of July each year (events can also be held over the weeks before and after), the week celebrates and recognises the history, culture, and achievements of First Nations Australians.
NAIDOC stands for National Aboriginals and Islanders Day Observance Committee with the original day declared a week-long event in 1975. The week provides an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories, and to participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth.
Mercy Community’s General Manager, First Nations, Barry Lenihan, said: “Here at Mercy Community we see NAIDOC Week as an important time for our organisation to engage in a deeper way with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
“We acknowledge and thank the many Elders who work alongside us in support of our service streams helping vulnerable members of our community. We thank them for their guidance, and we urge our Teams to continue to build their knowledge and understanding of First Nations cultures and histories by participating in the many celebrations being held during NAIDOC Week.”
“As we all move forward in a spirit of reconciliation, Mercy Community is committed to growing the cultural competency of all employees and carers as we broaden our partnerships and relationships with First Nations people in particular Elders”.
Mr Lenihan said members of Mercy Community’s 1,500 strong workforce were already taking part in a wide range of significant NAIDOC Week activities.
Below are some significant NAIDOC Week events:
Friday, 30 June
- 11am – Toowoomba Elders Lunch
Saturday, 1 July
- 8.30-11am – Northside Men’s Group Gathering – ACU Banyo
- 9am-2pm – Caboolture Snakes NAIDOC Flag Raising Ceremony – Caboolture Snakes Rugby League Club
- 10am-3pm – Kawana NAIDOC Day – Lake Kawana Eastern Foreshore, Sportsman Parade Bokarina
Sunday, 2 July
- 8am-11.30am – Townsville Flag Raising Ceremony – Jazzine Barracks, North Ward
- 9am-1.30pm – Redlands Coast NAIDOC Cultural Celebration – Cleveland Library Square
- 9.30am-9.30pm – Chinchilla NAIDOC Community Day – Chinchilla Botanical Parklands
- 10am-6pm – Indigenous Wild Foods and Cultural Festival – Oxley Creek Common Sherwood Road, Rocklea
- 10am-11.30am – Combined Church Service – Cairns Cross Culture Church, 186 Irene Street, Mooroobool
Monday, 3 July
- 9am – Toowoomba Community NAIDOC Day – Good Shed, Victoria Street, Toowoomba
- 10am-3pm – NAIDOC Block Party – Boreham Park, Avenell Heights
- 2pm-5pm – Come Together for YES – Fogarty Park, The Esplanade, Cairns
Tuesday, 4 July
- 7.15am-9am – NAIDOC Breakfast – Grand Ballroom, Pullman International, Cairns
- 9am-2.30pm – Logan District NAIDOC Day – Kingston Butter Factory Community Arts Centre
- 10am-2pm – Gindaja NAIDOC Celebration – Yarrabah Community Hall, Yarrabah
- 10am-2pm – Treaty & Truth Telling Information Session, Civic Reception Room, Cairns Regional Council
Wednesday, 5 July
- 9am-12pm – Elders Morning Tea – Oonoonba Community Hall, Townsville
- 9am – Suncare Community Services NAIDOC Day – Suncare Community Centre, Maroochydore
- 9am-3pm – Pinangba NY-KU BYUN Elders Village NAIDOC Day – Cherbourg
- 9.30am-11am – First Nations Women only NAIDOC Event – Caloundra Community Centre, 58A Queen Street, Caloundra
- 10am – Warwick NAIDOC – Warwick
- 11am-1.30pm – CKW Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group – Caboolture Hospital Main Entrance
- 11am-1pm – NAIDOC Event – Caloundra Community Centre – 58A Queen Street, Caloundra
- 11am-3pm – Gold Coast Titans NAIDOC Community Event – Firth Park, Mudgeeraba
- 1pm-5pm – Wuchopperan NAIDOC Community Day – Wuchopperan Health Service, Manoora
Thursday, 6 July
- 10am-2pm – Ipswich Family and Culture Celebration NAIDOC Day – Briggs Road Sports Complex, Flinders View
Friday, 7 July
- 9am – Musgrave Park Family Fun Day – Musgrave Park, West End
- 9.30am – Townsville Community March – Start at Roundabout Hinchinbrook Drive & Thuringowa Drive, Townsville
- 9.30am – Cairns Community March – Start at Munro Parklands, Corner of Florence & Grafton Streets
- 10am-5pm – NAIDOC in the Park – Fogarty Park, Cairns Esplanade
- 11.30am-4pm – NAIDOC Deadly Day – Riverway Precinct, Townsville
- 11.30am-3pm – Mackay NAIDOC Family Fun Day – Queens Park
- 3.15pm-5pm – Keynote Lecture with Professor Marcia Langton AO – UQ Advanced Engineering Building (49-200), Learning Theatre
Saturday, 8 July
- 11am-3pm – Mapoon NAIDOC Community Day – Mapoon Arts and Cultural Centre
- 5.30pm-9pm – See the Sapphires at the Outdoor Cinema – Sunshine Coast Stadium
Sunday 9, July
- 9am – Oakey Bears RLFC Indigenous Round – Oakey Junior Rugby League Club, Oakey
Tuesday, 11 July
- 10am – Cairns NAIDOC – North Cairns Football Club
Wednesday, 13 July
- Anniversary of the Aboriginal Flag
Friday, 14 July
- 10am – Murri School NAIDOC Day – The Murri School, Acacia Ridge
Wednesday, 19 July
- 10am-12pm – Jagera Hall, South Brisbane Elders Panel Discussion (Department of Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities and the Arts)
Friday, 21 July
- 10am-2pm – Goompi NAIDOC – Dunwich State School
Saturday 22, July
- 9am-3pm – Mindle Bygul Aboriginal Corporation NAIDOC Day – APEX Park, Deception Bay
- 2pm-11.30pm – NAIDOC Destination Dinner – Secret Location, Cairns
For more information about NAIDOC Week activities or to record your event, visit the website.
