A family fun day held in Raymond Terrace for the whole community wrapped up the Port’s NAIDOC Week celebrations on Friday.
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The day capped off a big NAIDOC Week in Port Stephens which saw Port Stephens Council sign a first of its kind agreement with the Worimi and Karuah local Aboriginal land councils, councillors endorse the Birubi Point Aboriginal Place Management Plan and the community take part in marches, ceremonies, sport and the family day.
With this year’s NAIDOC theme ‘because of her, we can’, celebrations and ceremonies held in Port Stephens during the week focused on the Aboriginal women who are a strong presence in the community.
Due to the growth of the family fun day, traditionally held at Murrook Culture in Williamtown, the event was moved to King Park in Raymond Terrace this year.
Between 10am and 2pm the community was entertained by live music, rides, enjoyed a free Lions barbecue, and had the opportunity to speak with organisations such as police, PCYC, Raymond Terrace Men’s Shed, St Vincent de Paul Society and integratedliving.
Artists including Worimi man David Kirk and Zona Kelly also showed their Aboriginal artworks.
The Port Stephens NAIDOC Week celebrations included marches through Raymond Terrace and Nelson Bay, a touch football tournament and the family fun day.
NAIDOC Week was opened with a welcome to country, flag raising and smoking ceremony plus the signing of the Road to Tomorrow agreement, or in the Worimi language of Gatung, Yabang-Gu-Butunga, at Port Stephens Council’s administration building in Raymond Terrace on Monday morning.
The agreement will guide the councils in achieving a set of “mutually beneficial objectives”, or projects, each have agreed is important for Port Stephens.
At Tuesday’s council meeting, councillors endorsed the Birubi Point Aboriginal Place Management Plan which aims to ensure the protection of Worimi cultural and spiritual values and the enhancement of the environment at Birubi Point.
A march and NAIDOC ceremony was held in Nelson Bay on Wednesday.
The fourth annual NAIDOC Touch Football Tournament was run in Medowie on Thursday. For a third year, the RAAF claimed the winners trophy.
NAIDOC Week 2018
- Your guide to NAIDOC celebrations in Port Stephens | photos, videos
- Opinion | Celebrating NAIDOC Week is to celebrate strength of indigenous women
- Councils sign agreement to kick start Port’s NAIDOC Week celebrations | photos
- Friendly rivalry flares for annual NAIDOC Week touch football championship | photos, videos
- RAAF win 2018 NAIDOC Touch Football Championship | photos, videos
Ellie-Marie Watts
A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features.
A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features.
