Celebrate NAIDOC Week
05
Jul
12
Jul
The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy

Celebrate NAIDOC Week

NAIDOC week is a chance for Australians to come together and learn more about each other’s culture.
When
Saturday,
05 Jul 2025
Saturday,
12 Jul 2025

NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year to celebrate and recognise the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It presents an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories, and to participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living culture on earth.

The 2025 theme, "The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy," celebrates not only the achievements of the past but the bright future ahead, empowered by the strength of our young leaders, the vision of our communities, and the legacy of our ancestors. 

To celebrate, Darling Harbour will be putting on a special NAIDOC themed fireworks, Welcome to Country, Smoking Ceremony, and more!

What's On
Discover the best things to do in Darling Harbour to celebrate NAIDOC Week.
7PM SAT 5 AND SAT 12 JUL
Welcome to Country & Smoking Ceremony
Fire up NAIDOC Week on Sat 5 and 12 July as First Nations elders take you through a Welcome to Country, Smoking Ceremony and special cultural dance performances at Cockle Bay Green.
8.30PM Sat 5 & Sat 12 Jul
Fireworks
We're kicking things off with a bang! To celebrate in Darling Harbour enjoy a spectacular fireworks show on Sat 5 and Sat 12 Jul at 8.30pm in Cockle Bay.
Find Out More
MARITIME MUSEUM
NAIDOC Week Open Day
From dance workshops to bush drinks, live performances to face-painting - The Australian National Maritime Museum is kicking off NAIDOC week with a FREE Family Fun Day.

The Canopy

Learn about the Wangal and Gadigal clans who have cared for the land that Darling Harbour is built upon, through the eyes of Aboriginal Artist, Jacob Nash at the site of his work, Canopy.

Portrait of Jenny Munro

Jenny Munro is an Australian legend. As a Wiradjuri Elder, she’s been at the forefront of activism for the rights of Aboriginal Australians for several decades now. Next time you’re wandering around Darling Square keep an eye out for her. You just might spot a gorgeously rendered 10 story high mural of her face painted on the side of the Novotel building.

Cockle Bay's First Nations Heritage

Discover the history of Cockle Bay, once a bountiful treasure trove for the Gadigal people, and how it weaves into the modern-day Darling Harbour

ONLINE EXPERIENCES

Deepen your understanding of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture by enjoying cultural experiences at the Maritime Museum, learning one of the oldest languages in the world or by taking a virtual tour or watching a film on the history of the Gadigal Aboriginal people.

Celebrate NAIDOC Week with guided virtual tours
Take a virtual tour from expert guides who will tell the real history of the Gadigal Aboriginal people.
Find out more
Learn one of the oldest languages in the world

Teach yourself the basics of a variety of Aboriginal languages with these downloadable language sheets. Ever wondered how someone said hello 65,000 years ago? Learn the basics of the revitalised languages of the First Nations of Australia with these downloadable resources.

Download the language sheet
Aboriginal Film Occupation: Native

Occupation: Native is an Aboriginal Film that aims to engage all Australians in a national conversation about Australian history and what has been missing from our history books.

Watch Now