NAIDOC Week in Sydney 2026

Sydney's NAIDOC Week celebrations officially kick off in Darling Harbour. At 8pm on Saturday, July 4, the week of celebrations will begin with a Welcome to Country, a traditional Smoking Ceremony and cultural dance performances by the acclaimed Jannawi Dance Clan. The evening concludes with Darling Harbour's signature fireworks display, choreographed to a special NAIDOC soundtrack celebrating 50 Years of Deadly.

One of the key highlights of NAIDOC Week will return to Barangaroo, with the National Indigenous Art Fair showcasing works by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from across Australia. Browse and shop original art, fashion, jewellery and homewares while meeting the makers and celebrating First Nations creativity in one of Sydney's most wildly impressive venues.

Aboriginal Australia has a rich culture that’s survived more than 60,000 years. Aboriginal people have survived catastrophic changes to their cultures and ways of life brought about by Europeans since 1788, and there’s a lot that visitors can learn from the oldest living culture in the world. Really get to know the city of Sydney through the connection to land that its First Nations peoples have and continue to uphold through these Sydney tours.

Once you start investigating Aboriginal art, you'll realise dot paintings and bark paintings are just the very tip of the iceberg. There is plenty of beautiful, meaningful and diverse Indigenous art to see around Sydney – here are just some spots to explore.

Back in 2024, Western Sydney welcomed a new 11km walking track, with spectacular views and audio-enhanced artwork from Aboriginal artists. The walk winds its way through the southern part of Western Sydney Parklands, an area that's eight times the size of Centennial Park. To celebrate and honour the Dharug Aboriginal culture, six trees along the walk have been transformed with Aboriginal artworks that represent Dharug seasons – with audio experiences that bring the artwork to life and share educational insights into the Dharug language.

Issues of race-related injustices and institutionalised racism are ongoing in modern Australia, so it's important that all Australians take the time to learn about our country’s fractured history, educate ourselves about the ongoing legacy of colonialism, and together, take big steps forward towards real change. In case you feel like you want to help direct this change, we’ve gathered together a list of some of the charities and organisations supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and PoC voices in Sydney, as well as around Australia.