The day was deadly.
From start to finish, this year’s Canberra Community NAIDOC event was a stand-out celebration—marking both 50 years of NAIDOC and the highest attendance in the event’s history.
Inside the Tuggeranong Community Centre’s main ballroom, a full-day line-up of performers lit up both the stage and the dance floor, including Jerikye Williams, Johnny Huckle, the Ykembruk Dance Group, Jayde Mitchell and many more. Stall holders showcased an incredible array of items, from art and artefacts to jewelry and jerky.
The centre’s balcony room offered encounters with snakes and lizards under the safe supervision of Canberra Reptile Zoo staff, and Harry’s Clarry ran a colourful yarning stick workshop for kids. Meanwhile, across the hall, boys and girls lined up for fresh haircuts and NAIDOC-themed hair braiding.
Sausages and coffee—and the sunny weather—also drew crowds outdoors, where youth workers and ACT Policing joined young people in games of badminton, corn hole, and giant Jenga.
As the lead organisation for this year’s event, Anglicare was thrilled by both the turnout and the strong sense of community connection on display. In his address to the gathering, CEO Trevor Ament shared what he considered the organisers’ biggest learning:
“Success comes from listening more than leading”, he said. “Listening to community. Listening to Elders. Listening to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices. When we do that well, we create events, services and partnerships that are stronger, more meaningful and more responsive to the people we serve.”
Morris Walker, Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body, and Caitlin Tough MLA (on behalf of Suzanne Orr MLA) also spoke about the importance of NAIDOC celebrations, and events such as this, in fostering identity, connection and progress.
The Canberra Community NAIDOC event is a collaborative effort involving representatives from multiple community service organisations. Anglicare would like to thank all committee members for their contributions in making the day a success.
We also thank the ACT Government, the Canberra Foundations Collaborative and AutogenAI whose financial support helped make the celebration possible.
Finally, we extend our gratitude to Aunty Mary Atkinson and the Elders who attended, for their presence, guidance and generosity in sharing culture and knowledge.
In her Welcome to Country, Aunty Mary explained why such ceremonies continue to matter:
“We are all Australians”, she said. “We are not welcoming you to Australia. We are welcoming you to this land and continuing a tradition that has always been a part of Aboriginal culture. When we talk about traditional Country we mean something beyond the dictionary definition. For us, Country is a word for all the values, places, resources, stories and cultural obligations associated with an area.
As a community service organisation Anglicare is blessed to play a role in the lives of many community members and privileged to learn from the different perspectives and experiences of all the people who call this region home.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this day a success and to everyone who joined in the celebration.
