Sutherland Shire's NAIDOC Community Festival will return to Gunnamatta Park, Cronulla on Thursday 9 July 2026, celebrating 50 Years of Deadly with culture, music and community.
The shoreline at Cronulla has long been a place where stories meet. Waves arrive from the Pacific with steady rhythm, families gather beneath the shade of established trees, and the open lawns of Gunnamatta Park provide space for people to come together. On Thursday, 9 July 2026, that familiar landscape will become the setting for a celebration that looks both to the past and the future as Sutherland Shire's NAIDOC Community Festival marks a significant milestone.
Held during NAIDOC Week, this free community gathering will celebrate the 2026 theme, "50 Years of Deadly," recognising five decades of honouring the history, achievements and enduring cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. More than an annual event, Sutherland Shire's NAIDOC Community Festival will offer an opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds to learn, listen and share in one of Australia's oldest living cultures through music, storytelling, art and community connection.
Presented by Sutherland Shire Council in partnership with Kurranulla Aboriginal Corporation, the festival will continue a long-standing collaboration built on respect, reconciliation and cultural recognition.
Sutherland Shire's NAIDOC Community Festival Honours 50 Years of Deadly
The 2026 NAIDOC Week theme carries particular significance. "50 Years of Deadly" acknowledges half a century of recognising the strength, leadership and contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples while celebrating the communities, Elders, artists, activists and organisations who have shaped the movement.
Within Aboriginal English, the word "deadly" is a celebration. It speaks of excellence, pride and achievement. As Community Elder and Founding Member of Kurranulla Aboriginal Corporation, Aunt Deanna Schreiber has reflected, reaching fifty years of NAIDOC is itself something truly deadly – a milestone that honours resilience across generations while inviting future generations to continue that journey.
That spirit will be woven throughout Sutherland Shire's NAIDOC Community Festival, creating a day where cultural celebration becomes both shared experience and living tradition.
Sutherland Shire's NAIDOC Community Festival Brings Culture to Gunnamatta Park
From 10.00am until 2.00pm, Gunnamatta Park will transform into a vibrant gathering place overlooking the waters of Cronulla.
The day will begin with a Welcome Celebration and Smoking Ceremony, followed by a Welcome to Country delivered by Aunty Lola Ryan, establishing a respectful foundation for the festival that follows.
Throughout the day, visitors will experience Aboriginal cultural dance performances, while live music from the Green Hand Band will provide a soundtrack that carries across the park.
More than forty market stalls and cultural displays will offer opportunities to engage with Aboriginal artists, makers and community organisations, while workshops in basket weaving, drumming and rock painting will invite visitors to learn through participation rather than observation alone.
Rather than presenting culture from a distance, Sutherland Shire's NAIDOC Community Festival encourages meaningful engagement through shared experiences that welcome people of all backgrounds.
A Festival for Families and Community Connection
One of the enduring strengths of Sutherland Shire's NAIDOC Community Festival is its accessibility.
The program has been designed to encourage families to spend the day together, with activities that appeal across generations. Children will be able to enjoy traditional Aboriginal games alongside face painting, arts and crafts, inflatable attractions and reptile displays, while adults can explore cultural exhibitions, market stalls and live performances.
A free community barbecue and complimentary coffee will create opportunities for conversation between neighbours, visitors and community members, reflecting the festival's emphasis on gathering rather than simply attending.
These shared moments often become the most memorable part of community festivals. A conversation sparked over coffee. A child discovering traditional weaving for the first time. Music drifting through the park while families pause beneath the winter sunshine.
It is within these ordinary moments that cultural understanding often grows most naturally.
Sutherland Shire's NAIDOC Community Festival Reflects a Continuing Journey
Beyond the celebrations, Sutherland Shire's NAIDOC Community Festival also reflects an ongoing commitment to reconciliation.
The festival continues the partnership between Sutherland Shire Council and Kurranulla Aboriginal Corporation, reinforcing shared efforts to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture while creating opportunities for genuine community connection.
The event also aligns with Council's recently adopted Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan, reaffirming a commitment to working alongside First Nations communities and supporting a more inclusive future for the Sutherland Shire.
For visitors, this broader context may not always be immediately visible. Instead, it is expressed through welcoming spaces, opportunities to learn directly from community members and an atmosphere that encourages listening alongside celebration.
In this way, the festival becomes more than a single day on the calendar. It forms part of an ongoing conversation about respect, recognition and shared understanding.
Event Details
Event: Sutherland Shire's NAIDOC Community Festival 2026
Theme: 50 Years of Deadly
Date: Thursday, 9 July 2026
Time: 10.00am – 2.00pm
Location: Gunnamatta Park, Cronulla NSW
Cost: Free
Festival Highlights:
- Welcome Celebration and Smoking Ceremony
- Welcome to Country by Aunty Lola Ryan
- Aboriginal cultural dance performances
- Live music by Green Hand Band
- More than 40 market stalls and art displays
- Free cultural workshops including basket weaving, drumming and rock painting
- Traditional Aboriginal games
- Face painting, reptile display and inflatable attractions
- Free community barbecue and coffee
Official Information: https://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au