Council
10 July, 2026
Marking 50 years of Deadly
CORANGAMITE Shire Council marked NAIDOC Week with a special gathering at the Wombeetch Puyuun Reconciliation Garden on Tuesday.
NAIDOC Week is held across Australia each July to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
It provides an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures, take part in local events and support community.
In honour of the occasion, an afternoon of activities was planned for the park in Camperdown and saw 40 people gather to celebrate NAIDOC Week.
The afternoon began with a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony, which was performed by Gunditjmara/Kirrae Whurrong man Brett Clarke and his sons.
Mr Clarke spoke about the importance of smoking ceremonies across a variety of Indigenous tribes as well as across the world, including how smoking ceremonies are used to cleanse an area of negative energies.
Corangamite Shire deputy mayor Cr Laurie Hickey said the event was a meaningful opportunity to recognise this year’s NAIDOC theme – 50 Years of Deadly – and the culture, community and leadership it represents.
“This year’s theme invites us to reflect on the stories, languages, art and strength that have shaped NAIDOC over the past 50 years, while looking ahead to the next chapter,” he said.
“NAIDOC is more than a week of celebration.
“It is an opportunity to listen, learn and strengthen our shared commitment to reconciliation.”
The afternoon also saw residents try their hand at making damper, learning which Indigenous ingredients could be added to add extra aroma and flavour to the bread.
The event also included the launch of the Bush Kinder book, a resource developed by Corangamite Shire’s Early Years team to support children participating in Bush Kinder activities.
Coordinator education and care Vicki Dobson said the Bush Kinder book is both an educational tool and a celebration of the program’s impact.
“The book brings together images and prompts from the past 12 months that highlight how our Early Years Services, and the children, connect with Country,” she said.
“As part of our Bush Kinder program, we explore the idea of ‘footprints’ – that we take away memories and experiences and leave only footprints behind.
“We capture children’s learning through photos, drawings and nature journals during each exploration session.
“This book showcases those learnings and will support both children and educators in our services for years to come.”
The Camperdown Clocktower was also lit up in red to mark NAIDOC Week.