Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Projects and Events

On 13 February 2008 the Prime Minister of the day, Kevin Rudd, delivered a formal apology to Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, especially those who lives were impacted by past government policies of forced child removal and assimilation, known as the Stolen Generations.

Each year communities across Australia commemorate this momentous event in different ways, such as screening the Apology in the workplace or at home with their families or community gatherings.

National Close the Gap Day is held on the 3rd Thursday in March each year.

The National Close the Gap Day campaign resulted from the Australian public support to improve the inequality in health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and the broader population. The movement to improve these outcomes has shaped Government policy to address the gap.

National Close the Gap Day is led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations with support from non-Aboriginal organisation health and advocacy organisations.

Appin Massacre Memorial Service is an annual event held to remember the Dharawal people who were annihilated in a massacre in the Macarthur Region on 17 April 1816.

The massacre was a result of conflict between settlers and Aboriginal people which saw the majority of the local Dharawal people perish during confrontation with military forces at Appin on the 17 April 1816.

For more information, please contact:

• Council on 02 4645 4359 or email Council@campbelltown.nsw.gov.au
• Peter Jones from Winga Myamly Reconciliation Group, on 0418 297 056

National Sorry Day is an Australia-wide observance held on 26 May each year. This day gives people the chance to come together and share a journey together towards healing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, particularly for the Stolen Generations survivors. Stolen generations refer to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people forcibly removed from their families and communities due to past government policies and practices.

National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is celebrated across Australia annually between 27 May and 3 June. The dates commemorates two significant milestones in our nations reconciliation journey:

• the beginning of the week marks the anniversary of the successful 1967 referendum
• the end of the week marks the High Court Mabo decision.

National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements.

National Reconciliation Week events 

We encourage organisations, groups and families to celebrate and discuss Reconciliation.

More information and ideas on how to commit to and celebrate Reconciliation can be found on the Reconciliation Australia Website.

Each year, in the first full week of July, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and broader communities across the nation celebrate the biggest cultural event of the year, NAIDOC Week.

NAIDOC Week 2026

NAIDOC Week will be celebrated from 5 - 12 July 2026. This year's theme is "50 Years of Deadly," marking five decades of strength, culture, and community leadership.

Everyone is invited to show your support for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community of Campbelltown Monday 8 July - there's a range of activities planned. We are hosting a Flag Raising Ceremony and Community Connection Day.

The celebrations also include Youth Justice Art Exhibition at Campbelltown Arts Centre Tuesday 7 July, an annual NAIDOC Touch football competition, hosted by Campbelltown Local Area Command and Campbelltown City Council at Seddon Park Glenfield on the Wednesday 8 July.

Thawaral Aboriginal Corporation will be holding their annual NAIDOC Family Fun Day on Thursday 16 July, starting 10am at Campbelltown Sports Stadium. 

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day held on 4 August every year is our national day dedicated to celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

The day is a chance for us all to show our support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and learn about the importance of culture, family and community in the day to day life of every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child. 

International Day of World's Indigenous People is celebrated every year on 9 August. There are around 476 indigenous people in world living in 90 countries. We celebrate Indigenous people on this day, each with their unique inherited cultural practices and connection to each other and the environment.

In December 1994 the United Nations General Assembly by resolution decided the International Day of the World's Indigenous People would be observed on 9 August every year.

We encourage you to celebrate this day with your workplace, your community or your family by creating indigenous inspired meals, highlighting an indigenous culture you have a connection to or know about and sharing it or by researching a couple of indigenous peoples and sharing what you've learned.

Don't forget that in Australia, we have the oldest living indigenous culture in the world.

NSW Aboriginal Languages Week will take place in October 2026, date to be confirmed. The event includes activities, resources and community events across NSW to celebrate and showcase Aboriginal Languages.