On Monday 7 July, Newcastle came alive at the 2025 Awabakal NAIDOC Week Community Festival.

Marking the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC Week, the theme, “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy,” resonated throughout the day’s events, emphasising the importance of honouring the past while empowering future Indigenous leaders.

The festivities started at 9:00 am in Civic Park with Aunty Gloria Smith, Aunty Cheryl Yaramun, Mayor Ross Kerridge, Tim Crakanthorp MP and Sharon Claydon MP all speaking before the flag-raising ceremony, followed by a march to Foreshore Park.

The annual event, hosted by Awabakal Ltd, featured performances by traditional dancers, hip-hop group Street Warriors, and ARIA-nominated artist BARKAA, captivating attendees with powerful expressions of culture and resilience.

Over 10,000 community members gathered to enjoy a day filled with entertainment, food stalls, rides, and cultural activities.

The Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, a proud sponsor for a fourth year, hosted a tent showcasing the rich offerings our Diocese provides to the local community, with engaging experiences for all ages, including facepainting and sand art.

The stall was also an opportunity for the staff of the Diocese to volunteer as part of the continued Reconciliation journey with our First Nations brothers and sisters.

Ash Lee, Staying Home, Leaving Violence Case Manager with CatholicCare Hunter-Manning, joined the Diocesan planning team this year and experiencing the Newcastle Festival for the first time.

“It was awesome! The extent of the event and how big the Indigenous community is compared to the regional rural areas of the Diocese is remarkable,” she said.

“I was also impressed with the how staff from all agencies that came along to support the day, worked collaboratively to represent our good work.”

Bri McCarthy, Aboriginal Cultural Planning Consultant with CatholicCare, echoed Ash’s sentiments.

“This festival is a testament to our community’s resilience and commitment to preserving our rich cultural heritage for future generations,” she said.

“It’s inspiring to see our young people leading the way, embodying the strength and vision that our ancestors have passed down. This is my third year of involvement, and it just keeps growing – the crowds are the biggest I’ve seen yet and its heart-warming to see how many young teens are here celebrating Culture! ”

This year’s festival not only showcased the richness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures but also reinforced the collective commitment to a future grounded in unity, respect, and self-determination.

To echo Aunty Cheryl’s words “The theme is a beautiful theme about generations, and we are the oldest, unique people, generational people of the world. We are standing and will still be standing till our next generation’s come through. Regardless of race, colour, creed, or the backgrounds we come from, we walk this land together, hand in hand. So closing gaps, building relationships with one another. Building bridges.”

For more information on upcoming events and initiatives during NAIDOC Week, visit the Official NAIDOC Week website. To learn more about what Cultural Awareness events are taking place this year in the Diocese, such as the  Crossing Cultures, Hidden Histories education day or the week long 2025 NATSICC Assembly

Article by Kate Crncevic.