Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website may contain images and voices of deceased people.
Dr Stacey Kim Coates, a proud Wiradjuri woman and recognised Aunty in her community, is an accomplished Indigenous academic, executive leader and education sector specialist passionate about driving improved educational and employment outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Consequently, Dr Coates is recognised for her achievements in education and her determined efforts to improve the educational outcomes First Nations Australians.
Dr Coates completed her PhD, researching senior Indigenous leadership in higher education. Dr Coates has published extensively, building a strong catalogue of research that promote the importance of senior Indigenous leadership within the education system. Significantly, her research also resulted in a newly developed Indigenous methodological framework entitled Indigenous Institutional Theory. Dr Coates’ framework presents a global vision for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to work together to decolonise academia, improving the freedom and cultural safety of staff, students and their community in the field of Indigenous research. In addition to her own academic work, Dr Coates has worked closely with numerous Indigenous students, assisting them in their studies through high school and beyond.
Dr Coates is a committed advocate for the recognition of First Nations peoples and cultures. Dr Coates personally campaigned for the NSW Department of Education to introduce mandatory 'Indigenous cultures and histories' training for all public school teachers. Dr Coates presented the concept at many conferences across the Nation, doing so at her own expense. As a result of the campaign, the ‘Aboriginal Cultural Education – Let’s take the first step together’ mandatory online training module was rolled out across the NSW Department of Education in October 2021.
Dr Coates has also influenced several government and international institutions to improve their representation of Indigenous Australian peoples and cultures, including the British Museum and every Australian Foreign Embassy.
Dr Coates has long been a force for positive change, impacting Australian society at large as well as changing the lives of the individuals she has mentored.
Stalls, community resources, food vendors, herbal teas, live artist demonstration, live music and kids activities and games
Dr Stanley 'Stan' Grant Senior AM is an Elder and a warrior of the Wiradjuri people from south-west New South Wales. Dr Grant grew up in Griffith, NSW and spent time with his grandfather Wilfred Johnson (known as Budyaan) who spoke seven languages and taught Dr Grant the Wiradjuri language.
Starting his career as an actor on Neighbours in the 1980’s, Tony Brigg’s career in the arts has gone from strength to strength.
Over the past 25 years he has performed on both stage and screen, gaining a reputation as one of Australia’s leading Indigenous performers.
The State Library hosts a free online event for schools featuring First Nations authors Adam Goodes, Ellie Laing and illustrator David Hardy. This amazing team will talk about their Welcome to Country books for primary school students. Register for the zoom link.
Welcome to NAIDOC.
We acknowledge all First Peoples of the beautiful lands on which we live and celebrate their enduring knowledge and connections to Country. We honour the wisdom of and pay respect to Elders past and present.