Today marks the commencement of NAIDOC Week, a significant occasion celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture across Australia. In Macquarie Park, there are a variety of events running to acknowledge and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture.

This year’s National NAIDOC Week theme, ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud’, underscores the enduring resilience and vitality of First Nations cultures. Fire symbolizes the deep connections to Country, community, and the diverse traditions that shape Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identities.

Did you know the electoral division of Bennelong - which includes Macquarie Park - is named after one of the most renowned Indigenous people, who was a central figure at the beginning of English settlement in Australia?

Woollarawarre Bennelong (1764 - 1813) was a young Aboriginal man who was captured by Governor Arthur Phillip in 1789. He was later taken to England where he met the king, and ultimately became a figurehead for relations between First Nations people and colonialists. You can discover his story this NAIDOC week via the City of Ryde’s Finding Bennelong story site.

Among the highlights in Macquarie Park are:

Craft Corner

Macquarie Centre

Level 1, The Cubhouse

9 & 10 July 2024

10:00am - 1:00pm

Aboriginal Cultural Experience Workshop

Ryde Library

1 Pope Street, Ryde 2112

12 July 2024

Walangari Diramu Dance and Didgeridoo Company

Ryde Library