Celebration of NAIDOC Week in Gunnedah

What a wonderful week of activities we’ve had in the Gunnedah Shire in celebration of NAIDOC Week.

I am thankful to the Red Chief Local Aboriginal Land Council for inviting me to participate in the NAIDOC Unity Street March last week. It was fantastic to see so many schools, organisations and individuals come together for this important community event, which was the first on a long list of activities.

The presence of so many youth embodied the 2025 theme of ‘The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy’.

Locals also came together on Friday for this year’s NAIDOC Week Art Exhibition at the Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery. Thanks to councillor Ann Luke for stepping in and officially opening the annual exhibition which features a diverse range of vibrant and creative works from local schools, and local and regional artists. This exhibition is on display until Friday, July 8.

Unfortunately, while many locals were coming together in unison this past week, some individuals were up to no good. Disappointingly, some individuals have vandalised a number of council facilities including our wonderful Livvi’s Playground.

Last week, safety rails were forcibly removed from play equipment and thrown into vegetation. CCTV footage of this incident has been given to Gunnedah Police.

Brock’s Court was also a victim of vandals – a door handle to the one of the disabled toilets was ripped off twice in a week – and at Kitchener Park, toilet paper was spread throughout the facilities.

I am very disappointed to see our community spaces being treated so disrespectfully and I urge residents to report any suspicious activity to Gunnedah Police. If you come across any vandalism, please contact council.

Now that the second school term is over, our senior students will be looking towards the end of the year and their future plans.

For those seeking support to further their studies, the Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund is a wonderful resource. The fund is a long-running partnership between council and the community, and helps young people with costs including textbooks, tuition fees, relocation and travel, and living expenses.

The 2025/26 round will open in spring and is an ideal opportunity for all local students under 25 years who want to further their training and education at university, TAFE, or an accredited training organisation.

Of course, this fund only exists thanks to the generous people in our community whose donations have enabled Council to help more than 500 students since 2003.

If you are passionate about our youth and would like to give them a helping hand, you can chat to Council staff about making a donation by phoning (02) 6740 2100 or emailing [email protected]