NAIDOC Week (5-12 July 2026) is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about our First Nations Peoples and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth.
The origins of NAIDOC Week can be traced back to the Aboriginal rights movement. On Australia Day 1938, protestors marched through the streets of Sydney about the status and treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. This protest was one of the first major civil rights gatherings in the world and it became known as the ‘Day of Mourning’.
Between 1940 and 1955 the Day of Mourning was held annually on the Sunday before Australia Day and was commonly known as ‘Aborigines Day’. In 1955 it was decided that Aborigines Day should include a celebration of Aboriginal culture, heritage and achievement. This is now celebrated as NAIDOC Week, which highlights the achievements of Indigenous people all over Australia.1
Today, NAIDOC Week is a thriving celebration of First Peoples and its cultures. 2026 marks five decades of NAIDOC Week - a significant milestone and statement of survival – with the theme being ‘50 Years of Deadly’.
There are many different ways to engage with and learn more about First Nations cultures during NAIDOC Week. We’ve compiled some resources for you below to help you begin your planning!
Language
- Learn some First Nations words through the 50 Words Project.
The written word
A wonderful way to begin learning about Australia’s First Nations is through the written word, and there are some great resources online to help you begin your journey:
- NAIDOC Week reading list from the City of Melbourne
- Books by UQP’s First Nations authors
- Goodread’s NAIDOC Week reading list.
On-screen storytelling
- SBS and NITV have put together a powerful week of First Nations storytelling, culture and connection
- A curated list of First Nations stories on screen from the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTR)
- The ABC will host NAIDOC celebrations on both screen and radio, with a translation of five episodes of Bluey into Yolŋu Matha, the First Nations language of Northeast Arnhem Land, being a feature highlight. They also have their First Nations Cinema accessible for free on iView.
In person
- The Wheeler Centre is hosting a NAIDOC Week exhibition, My Special Place, with all artworks available for purchase (5-11 July)
- Belgium Avenue Neighbourhood House is running a free screening of The Sapphires, 2pm-4pm, Mon 6 July
- From a reading party to an upcycling workshop, the City of Melbourne is hosting several activities at their libraries across the CBD between 6-10 July
- ACMI has some special storytelling, including:
- Micro-talks with First Nations artist Mick Harding (10.30am & 2.30pm, Tues 7 July)
- NAIDOC Week shorts (7pm, Thurs 9 July), and
- A matinee viewing of Top End Bub (10-12 July)
- Maribyrnong City Council is hosting a Family Day and Blak Market at Braybrook Community Hub, 10.30am-2pm, Wed 8 July
- The Melbourne NAIDOC Week March is also back! It starts at 12pm, Fri 10 July, beginning at the VAHS building in Nicholson Street, Fitzroy
- Federation Square has a number of exciting activities, including:
- NAIDOC in the City concert (12pm-5.30pm, Fri 10 July), and
- NAIDOC Week Market (1pm-6pm, Fri 10 July)
And many more can be found on the NAIDOC website.
1 Source: https://www.reconciliation.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Five-Fast-Facts-NAIDOC-Week.pdf