NAIDOC Week 2025
Welcome
National NAIDOC Week (6–13 July) celebrates the histories, cultures, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
This year, NAIDOC Week 2025 marks a powerful milestone: 50 years of honouring and elevating Indigenous voices, culture, and resilience.
The 2025 theme – 'The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy' – celebrates not only the achievements of the past but the bright future ahead, empowered by the strength of our young leaders, the vision of our communities, and the legacy of our ancestors.
Keynote Lecture
When: Wednesday 9 July, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Where: GHD Auditorium, Advanced Engineering Building
Joshua Creamer is Waanyi and Kalkadoon with connections to North-West Queensland and the Gulf of Carpentaria. He is a barrister who specialises in native title, human rights and class actions. He has appeared in landmark cases across Australia involving stolen wages and the stolen generations. He also represented the community of Palm Island following the death of Mulrunji Doomadgee.
Mr Creamer is the former Chair of the Truth-Telling and Healing Inquiry in Queensland and has formerly held the roles of a member of the Board of Legal Aid Queensland and a Commissioner of the Queensland Law Reform Commission.
Join us for his inspiring address, How do we embrace the future when we can't acknowledge our past? Where Mr Creamer will share his personal and professional experience with truth-telling and healing.
Indigenous Knowledges: co-creating our own futures
When: Friday 4 July, 9am to 4:30pm
Where: St Leo's College
Interest in Indigenous knowledge has increased considerably over the last few decades. For quite some time longer, Indigenous scholars, activists, and communities have been working to revitalise, reclaim, and regenerate them. What can we learn from these ongoing efforts? What learnings are there for the purpose and practice of knowledge-making and philosophical inquiry (broadly understood)? How does Indigenous knowledge relate to other knowledges (such as, for instance, though not limited to modern scientific knowledge)? How are indigenous knowledges embedding and creating flourishing futures for indigenous communities?
This one day symposium brings together established and emerging indigenous scholars and practitioners to explore Indigenous knowledges.
Coming of the light
When: Saturday 5 July, 9:30am to 3:30pm
Where: Dreamtime Cultural Centre, Rockhampton Qld 4702
The Rural Clinical Medical School is partnering with local Torres Strait Islander woman, Aunty Annie Gela, a respected Elder of our Learning Community. In hosting the Coming of the Light, which usually takes place on 1 July each year, we aim to commemorate the London Missionary Society missionaries who brought the Christian faith to local leaders.
This celebratory community gathering will include a church service, hymn singing, lunch, and traditional dancing to honour the faith and enduring strength of Torres Strait Islander culture.
No registration required.
Health Matters: The next generation of Indigenous health
When: Tuesday 8 July, 5:30pm to 8:15pm
Where: River Room, Custom's House
Join a powerful NAIDOC week discussion on the future of Indigenous health, led by emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers from UQ. Grounded in community, culture and Country, this dynamic panel is shaping bold, culturally informed pathways toward health equity and systems transformation.
*Artwork: 'Consolidate’ by proud Kalkadoon artist Sid Domic.
Living lines: Colouring First Nations STEM stories
When: Tuesday 8 July, 9am
Where: The Grassy Knoll
Join us for a mindful and inclusive colouring-in experience that celebrates the rich legacy and visionary future of First Nations contributions to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Inspired by the 2025 NAIDOC theme, “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy”, this event invites participants of all ages and backgrounds to explore Indigenous STEM stories through art.
Whether you're a curious young person, a thoughtful student, or a reflective adult, you'll find space to slow down, connect, and colour your way through narratives that honour Country, culture, and innovation. Each artwork is designed to spark conversation, celebrate diversity, and promote wellbeing through creativity and conversation.
BYO coffee and come together in a welcoming environment where every line tells a story, and every colour affirms strength, vision and legacy.
No registration required.
Walking art tour: First Nations art on campus
When: Wednesday 9 July, 10:30am to 11:30am or 1pm to 2pm or 2:30pm-3:30pm
Where: UQ Art Museum
Join UQ Art Museum for an Art Walking Tour highlighting some of the incredible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Artworks on campus at UQ St Lucia.
This tour will explore this year’s NAIDOC theme, 'The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy', which champions honouring and elevating Indigenous voices, culture and resilience. Visitors will travel to artworks across 4 locations on campus all by First Nations artists from the UQ Art Collection. The tour will involve light to moderate walking, with portable stools and wheelchair accessible routes available throughout.
*Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visitors are advised that tour discussions and artworks may contain names of people who are deceased. In these circumstances families of the artists’ have granted permission for these works to be discussed at UQ St Lucia.
APS NAIDOC Week BBQ
When: Wednesday 9 July, 11am to 3pm
Where: Central Sizzle BBQ, Campbell Place
In celebration of NAIDOC Week, the UQ Association of Postgraduate Students (APS) invites all students and staff to a free community BBQ.
Join us as we share a meal and honour the histories, cultures, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
No registration required.
Aligning with community: Matching research strengths to community needs
When: Wednesday 9 July, 12pm to 1:30pm
Where: UQCCR Seminar Room, Herston or Online
Francis Nona is a proud Torres Strait Islander man from Badu Island. He is a lecturer in the Carumba Institute at QUT. Francis is a qualified nurse and has worked in the health system included as Clinic Manager in an Aboriginal Controlled Community Health Organisation. Francis’ academic profile is available at QUT - Academic profiles - Mr Francis Nona
This seminar will provide an overview of the most pressing health challenges for First Nations people, and advice on how researchers at can seek to align their current research strengths with these challenges. This will assist researchers to better engage with First Nations communities on priorities and help ensure that First Nations research projects are community led.
No registration required.
If attending online please join us via zoom
Educating the next generation of lawyers to achieve justice for mob
When: Wednesday 9 July, 1pm to 2pm
Where: Online
Join this 1 hour online Zoom panel discussion chaired by UQ Senior Lecturer in Law, Dr Dani Linder.
The panel will include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander law students discussing contemporary legal issues that impact Indigenous peoples and communities and why it's important for law schools to engage with Indigenising the Curriculum initiatives.
Bundyi: Changing how First Nations stories are told
When: Wednesday 9 July, 1pm to 2pm
Where: Online
Bundyi, a Wiradyuri word meaning ‘to share with me’, is a new First Nations imprint from Dr Anita Heiss and Simon & Schuster. In her role as Publisher at Large, Author and UQ Professor, Anita Heiss commissions across fiction and non-fiction. Focusing on cultivating First Nations talent in the book industry, Bundyi’s publications are written, edited, and designed by First Nations people.
Join Anita Heiss and author Tasma Walton for a free Q&A session, which will celebrate Bundyi, provide inspiration to First Nations authors, and demonstrate to our local community of authors, illustrators, editors, and publishers why Bundyi’s work is so vital to the Australian book industry.
Can't make it to the live session? No problem! Everyone booked in to this event will be emailed a link and passcode to access the recording afterwards.
History of NAIDOC and bush tucker morning tea
When: Thursday 10 July, 10am to 11am
Where: St Lucia, Campus
Join the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Network for delicious bush tucker morning tea followed by an engaging presentation on the history and significance of NAIDOC, delivered by Chris Levinge, Senior Manager of Indigenous Employment at UQ.
Limited spots available!
Musgrave Park Family Fun Day
When: Friday 11 July, 9am to 5pm
Where: Musgrave Park, South Brisbane
Everyone is welcome to attend the annual Musgrave Park Family Fun Day, a family-friendly festival of live entertainment and activities that showcases First Nations People, culture and heritage through performing arts, education, traditional foods, arts and crafts, and contemporary aspects promoted by Indigenous Entrepreneurs. This is the largest event of its kind in Australia and brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities from near and far across Brisbane, Queensland and New South Wales. UQ will host a few stalls, so drop by and say ‘Hi’.
No registration required.
Celebrate NAIDOC with Anita Heiss and Magpie Goose!
When: Friday 11 July, 5:30pm to 6:30pm
Where: Magpie Goose, Bowen Hills QLD
To mark NAIDOC Week, we’re hosting a special in-store event with celebrated Wiradyuri author and UQ Professor, Anita Heiss. Come along to meet Professor Heiss, get your books signed, and take part in a hands-on creative session where you’ll make your own bookmark using Magpie Goose fabric off-cuts.
Enjoy a complimentary glass of bubbles as you browse our latest MG collections, get crafty, connect with community, and celebrate Blak excellence in literature, fashion and design.
Writing for Truth Telling: Dr Jackie Huggins in conversation with Cheryl Leavy at Sun Stadium
When: Saturday 12 July, 3pm to 4:30pm
Where: Sun Stadium, UQ Lakes Precinct
We invite you to an engaging afternoon of conversation and reflection with esteemed author and historian Dr Jackie Huggins AM FAHA and Cheryl Leavy, as they delve into the power of truth-telling through both published and forthcoming works. Together, they will explore the enduring legacy Dr Huggins has built, and how emerging voices are continuing this vital work.
This special event will highlight the intergenerational strength of First Nations advocacy, and how current projects are shaping a future grounded in justice, culture, and truth.
Afternoon tea will be provided.
Lighting up Forgan Smith & Mayne Medical School
During NAIDOC Week, both the Forgan Smith building (St Lucia) and Mayne Medical School building (Herston) will be lit at night in the colours of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.
Contact
For more information on UQ's NAIDOC Week events, please email Indigenousengagementevents@uq.edu.au