Residents across Redlands Coast are invited to mark the start of NAIDOC Week at a free NAIDOC Cultural Celebration at Raby Bay Harbour Park in Cleveland on Sunday 5 July 2026. Organised by Redland City Council in partnership with Yulu-Burri-Ba Aboriginal Corporation, the event will run from 9am to 2pm and is open to all.
This year’s national NAIDOC Week theme is 50 Years of Deadly — a milestone recognition of five decades of NAIDOC as a national celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, history and achievement. In many Aboriginal English contexts, the word “deadly” carries a positive meaning — it signals something excellent, strong, impressive or outstanding — making it a fitting tribute to the communities, Elders, artists and advocates who have shaped the movement over the past half-century.
The celebration on Quandamooka Country will open with a traditional smoking ceremony before rolling into a full morning of live performances from First Nations artists including the Joe Geia band, Rochelle Pitt, Ben Barker, Maibre Grenfell, and the Yulu-Burri-Ba Cultural Performers. Visitors can also get hands-on through weaving workshops and cultural demonstrations, while kids will find plenty to keep them busy with dedicated children’s activities, market stalls and giveaways.
Redland City Acting Mayor Julie Talty encouraged families to come along, describing it as a welcoming day of culture, learning and connection for the whole community.
Pack a picnic blanket or a fold-up chair — the harbour-side setting at Raby Bay is the perfect spot to settle in and take in the program.
Entry is free. For more information, head to redland.qld.gov.au/naidoc.
NAIDOC Week runs from 5 to 12 July 2026. The Quandamooka People have been Traditional Owners of much of the area now known as Redlands Coast for more than 21,000 years.
Redland City Council has also provided Community Celebration Grants funding to Minjerribah Moorgumpin Elders in Council (MMEIC) Aboriginal Corporation to hold NAIDOC community celebrations on North Stradbroke Island/Minjerribah, including a community film event, dinner, cultural performances, storytelling and cultural foods across three separate events.
Published 2-July-2026
