Join us this Saturday at Bushman’s Hill for the 2025 NAIDOC Family Fun Day.

Central West Lachlan Landcare (CWLL) are thrilled to be working with representatives from the Parkes Wiradjuri community to deliver the 2025 Parkes NAIDOC Celebration.

The Parkes NAIDOC event will be held on Saturday, 20 September 2025, between 10am and 2pm at Bushman’s Hill Wiradjuri Amphitheatre.

We look forward to welcoming Spicy Mercury to kick off the day from 10am, followed by the NAIDOC Award presentations at 11am. The Parkes High School Guwal Dance Group will then be performing and there will be a free sausage sizzle lunch. For your entertainment pleasure, Shane Riley will provide music for the afternoon until 2pm.

A special inclusion for the event will be the presentation of NAIDOC Awards to local people who have been supporting and encouraging building a rich cultural framework within our community as well as celebrating young and emerging leaders within our community.

Awards will be presented in the following categories: Youth (Primary); Youth (Secondary); Elder; Non-Indigenous; Sportsperson; Creative Talent; Caring for Country & Culture; Education; and Innovation.

Northparkes Evolution Mine are the major sponsor for the event, which will welcome all members of the community to celebrate aboriginal culture and achievements. We are also fortunate to have received funding through Aboriginal Affairs NSW and much in-kind support from our local community.

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. You can support and get to know your local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities through activities and events held across the country.

NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. Its origins emerged with Aboriginal groups in the 1920′s, seeking to increase awareness in the wider community of the status and treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

The Parkes NAIDOC event will provide free activities for families, including face painting, weaving, jumping castles, performances and other activities. We will also have lots of food to share on the day. To top off our day, we will be sharing beautiful NAIDOC cupcakes made by Johnson’s Bakery.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the Parkes NAIDOC Family Fun Day organising committee who have contributed consistently to our meetings and contributed ideas to bring this event together.

For further information on this article, please go to www.centralwestlachlanlandcare.org, twitter, facebook or Instagram @cwllandcare