NAIDOC
NAIDOC week celebrations are held across Australia to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) celebrations started in the 1920’s and sought to increase awareness in the wider community of the status and treatment of first nations Australians.
NAIDOC celebrations are held across Australia to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of first nations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) peoples. All Australians are welcome to celebrate not only those in first nations communities. It is a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and to support your local first nations community.
NAIDOC originally stood for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. This committee was once responsible for organising national activities during NAIDOC and its acronym has since become the name of the week itself. Find out more about the origins and history of NAIDOC.
Each year, there is a different focus city for the national NAIDOC awards ceremony. The focus city, national NAIDOC poster competition and the NAIDOC awards recipients are selected by the National NAIDOC Committee.
Local community celebrations during NAIDOC are encouraged and often organised by communities, government agencies, local councils, schools and workplaces.
NAIDOC is usually held in the first week (a Sunday to Sunday) of July. It incorporates the second Friday – which historically was celebrated as 'National Aboriginal Day'.
The 2023 National NAIDOC Theme was For Our Elders.
More information
Please visit the National NAIDOC website for further information.
Customer enquiries relating to the region’s Traditional Custodians, council’s Reconciliation Action Plan or other First Nations Projects supported by Council, can be emailed to the First Nations Partnerships team.