For Our Elders - NAIDOC Week 2023

NAIDOC Week is back again, running from 2 - 9 July 2023.

The annual NAIDOC Week celebrates and recognises the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest continuous living cultures on earth. A range of events are taking place across local communities around the country. Head to the NAIDOC Week website to search, or check out some of the events below.

You can also find the excellent NAIDOC Week Toolkit to help you understand more about the week, or learn about NAIDOC Week’s historical timeline.

The 2023 theme ‘For Our Elders’ celebrates the role that First Nations Elders have played, and continue to play, in our communities and families. They are cultural knowledge holders, trailblazers, nurturers, advocates, teachers, survivors, leaders, hard workers and loved ones. We pay our respects to the Elders we’ve lost and to those who continue fighting for us across all our Nations and we pay homage to them.

In 2023, how will you celebrate For Our Elders?

Check out a few highlighted events:

NSW

• Screening of 'Ngaligumerra' at the Gai-mariagal Festival, Narrabeen Tramshed, Sunday 2 July, 4:30pm - 6:30pm
• ‘For Our Elders’ Exhibition at Curl Curl Creative Space (featuring performance by Noongar singer-songwriter and APRA AMCOS member Bumpy), Sunday 2 July, 1-3pm
• Shellharbour NAIDOC Community Day, Monday 3 July, 11am - 2pm
• Celebration with cultural activities, entertainment and food at Doonside Cottage, Doonside (Blacktown), Wednesday 5 July, 10-2pm
• No Fixed Address perform at the Art Gallery of NSW, Wednesday 5 July, 8:30pm
• NAIDOC Week @ Carriageworks Nights - performances by Sycco, Dobby, Kirli Saunders, Jazz Mooney and more. Thursday 6 July, 6-10pm
• Merrigong Theatre - NAIDOC Cabaret. Saturday 8 July, from 6:30pm
• Towri Bush Tucker Garden @ Wollongong Botanic Garden, ongoing
• Wollongong City Council - various events
• NAIDOC Week at MCA - various events

VIC

• Performance: ARETHA - A Love Letter to the Queen of Soul (feat. Emma Donovan & Ursula Yovich), 2 July, Hamer Hall Arts Centre, Melbourne
• Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Storytime, 3 July, 2:30pm - 3:30pm, Kinglake Library
• Kungari Comedy, 5 July, 7pm - 11pm, Fringe Common Rooms, Trades Hall, Lygon St Carlton
• Writing Blak Legacies: A First Nations Literature Gala, 6 July, 7pm - 9pm, The Capitol Theatre, Swanston St Melbourne
• Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) - Wangaratta Community Gathering, 9 July, 1pm - 4pm, Apex Park Wangaratta
• 'Shadow Spirit' - Rising Melbourne exhibition, ongoing, Flinders St Ballroom
• Art Exhibition: Reflections on Indigenous Landscape Photography, now until 15 July, West End Art Space, West Melbourne
• Colour of Time: Our Culture through Glass, now until 22 July, Australian Centre for Glass Design, Prahan
  
  

QLD

• Redlands Coast NAIDOC Cultural Celebration 2023, 2 July, 9am - 1:30pm, Cleveland Library Square
• NAIDOC Block Party, 3 July, 10am - 3pm, Boreham Park, Avenell St, Avenell
• Musgrave Park Family Fun Day, 7 July, Musgrave Park South Brisbane
  
  

SA

• Aunty Michelle presents: Theatrical Adaptation of Craibul, 6 July, 10am - 11am, City Hall, The Riddoch Arts & Cultural Centre, Mt Gambier
• NAIDOC March & Family Fun Day, Tarntanyangga (Victoria Square) Adelaide, 7 July, 11am (March), from 12pm (Family Fun Day)
• Concert - Nragi Muthar/ The Deadly Nannas, 9 July, 12pm - 1pm, Pacific Cultures Gallery, Mezzanine Level, The South Australian Museum
  
  

NT

• Tennant Creek Cultural Activities & Movie Night, 4 July, 10am - 9pm
• NAIDOC Runway, now until 5 July, Goyder Square Palmerston CBD
• Stories from Our Elders, 5 July, 5:30pm - 7pm, NT Library (inside Parliament House), Darwin
• Larrakia Nation - various events
  
  

WA

• Children's Theatre: 'Yirra Yaakin - Lingo Lah Lah', 3 July, 2pm - 3:30pm, Shenton Park Community Centre
• NAIDOC Festival, 4 July, 10am - 3pm, Bob Blackburn Reserve, Armadale
• Mookaroo Festival, ongoing until 7 July, True North Block Merriwa Cnr Jenolan Way and Connelly Drive
• 'Walk and Yarn', 7 July, 10am - 11:30am, Joondaloop
• NAIDOC Dinner Dance, 7 July, 6:30pm - 11:30pm, Belmont Sports and Recreation Centre
• Noongar Bushtucker Cultural Immersion, 9 July, Joondalup
• Performance: 'Songs For Our Elders', 9 July, 4pm - 5pm, Joondalup
• 'For Our Elders' exhibition, ongoing until 5 August, Wanneroo
• NAIDOC Perth - various events

ACT

• Nursery Rhymes in Ngunawal: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, 2 July, 10am - 12pm, Mugga Mugga Education Centre
• Canberra Community NAIDOC Week event, 4 July, 10:30am - 2pm, Woden Town Square and Woden Library

TAS

'Ablaze' - NAIDOC Week Film Showcase, 7 July, 5pm - 6:30pm, Derwent Valley PCYC Sports Centre Tas