The National NAIDOC Committee is marking five decades of NAIDOC Week from 5-12 July 2026, with the theme ‘50 Years of Deadly’.

NAIDOC Week is dedicated to amplifying and celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures.

In 2026, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are leading change across every field. From tourism to health and education, media, business and the arts — telling their own stories, in their own way, on their own terms.

NAIDOC Co-Chair Steven Satour said: "50 Years of Deadly recognises the leadership and cultural authority that carried this movement forward and affirms that NAIDOC’s next chapter will be shaped by community leadership, long-term vision, and a stronger, more sustainable future."

NAIDOC Co-Chair Aunty Professor Lynette Riley said: "NAIDOC has always belonged to mob.

"This theme honours the people who stood firm, who kept organising, creating and leading, and who ensured culture and community remained at the centre of everything NAIDOC stands for."

Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy said: “I encourage all Australians to get involved with NAIDOC Week this year. Whether you attend or host a local event, or nominate someone deserving for a NAIDOC Award, it’s a meaningful way to celebrate and recognise the positive contributions First Nations people have made to their communities and our country.”

Elevating Aboriginal tourism in NSW

As we celebrate NAIDOC Week, Destination NSW is proud to be supporting Aboriginal tourism growth across the state.

Aboriginal tourism offers a profound connection to the world’s oldest continuous living culture, with 1.2 million visitors to NSW participating in an Aboriginal experience in 2025.

The Australian & NSW Governments are investing $3.6 million in the NSW Aboriginal Visitor Experience Accelerator, led by Destination NSW in collaboration with Create NSW and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, to accelerate the growth, capability and reach of Aboriginal-led experiences and events. Learn more here.

Destination NSW has also partnered with research agency FiftyFive5 to develop Aboriginal experience-focused research, which provides insight into the experiences that appeal to Australian visitors in NSW. View the research here.

NSW Government supports deadly NAIDOC week celebrations

the Minns Labor Government is committing more than $522,000 in grant funding to help communities across NSW celebrate the histories, cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The NAIDOC Grants Program empowers community-driven celebrations that provide opportunities for people across NSW to connect to Aboriginal culture and country.

Across the state 116 community organisations and groups have received between $1500 and $5000 of funding to support local activities aligned with this year’s NAIDOC Week theme: ‘50 Years of Deadly’.

Learn more here.