The sun came out for the annual NAIDOC family fun day, drawing in hundreds of locals and visitors to Services Club Park.
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Run by the Burrun Dalai Aboriginal Corporation, the annual event was a day of fun filled with education, games, painting and food.
Burrun Dalai CEO Dana Clarke said it was great to work with other services.
"For us, NAIDOC is about inviting the rest of the community into our lives and our culture," she said.
"I think it's about sharing."
This is the 18th year that the NAIDOC family fun day has run with 2021 events delayed and later cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Ms Clarke remembers the first fun day that Burrun Dalai ran.
"We did cultural games, sausages on the barbecue and we had a few kids come," she said.
"But it's massive now and everybody in the community wants to get involved.
"[It's] something that everyone looks forward to every year."
This year's theme 'For Our Elders' is putting a focus on the Elders of the community who have often led the path for future generations.
Uncle Bob Smith emphasised the importance of sharing stories.
"We didn't have a written history but it was passed down orally to the next generation," he said.
"Every Elder here today has that responsibility... to ensure that stories of their life experiences, stories of living on reserves and missions, the difficulties, the hardship... the impact of the Aboriginal Protection Board on our culture [is shared]."
"All those things are important for our next generation, our next lot of elders."
Ms Clarke also acknowledged the role Elders have played in preserving the culture of First Nations.
"We would not be where we are today without [the Elder's] sacrifice and I think it's good to remind young people and the non-Aboriginal community about that."
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Emily Walker
Reporter at Macleay Argus and Port Macquarie News.
Reporter at Macleay Argus and Port Macquarie News.
