NAIDOC Week program across Barangaroo, Darling Harbour and The Rocks
Barangaroo, Darling Harbour and The Rocks honour First Nations culture through NAIDOC Week program
Official Media Release posted Tuesday 30 June,2026
Sydney, July 2026: To mark 50 years of NAIDOC Week (5 July – 12 July 2026), Sydney’s harbourside destinations Barangaroo, Darling Harbour and The Rocks will present a program inviting visitors to reflect on the history, culture, achievements and enduring contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The program includes a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony, the National Indigenous Art Fair, free Aboriginal cultural tours, fireworks set to a NAIDOC soundtrack, and a wide range of family-friendly experiences.
Guided by this year’s national theme, 50 Years of Deadly, the week pays tribute to the people who have shaped the movement over the past five decades, while celebrating the strength, resilienceand cultural pride of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Barangaroo
Barangaroo will mark NAIDOC Week with a program of free events, public art and cultural experiences that acknowledge the enduring strength of First Nations cultures and the precinct’s deep connection to Country.
Event Highlights:
- National Indigenous Art Fair: At The Cutaway from 3–5 July, the National Indigenous Art Fair will showcase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and creativity.
- Free Aboriginal Cultural Tours: During NAIDOC Week, visitors can join Barangaroo’s Aboriginal Cultural Tours for free, immersing themselves in native history of Barangaroo Reserve, and Sydney Harbour’s significance to the First Nations peoples of the area.
- Wellama: Visitors can experience Wellama (meaning ‘to come back’), in a contemporary reimagining of Welcome to Country, commissioned for the entrance to The Cutaway in Barangaroo Reserve.
- Public Art Tour: The public is invited to venture through the precinct, and observe public art pieces by First Nations artists, including Remembering, Barangaroo Ngangamaym, Mermer Waiskeder and more.
Darling Harbour
Darling Harbour will mark the beginning of NAIDOC Week with an evening of cultural performances and fireworks on Saturday 4 July, before a week-long program of First Nations art, storytellingand cultural experiences across the precinct.
Event Highlights:
- Welcome to Country & Smoking Ceremony: First Nations Elders will open celebrations at Cockle Bay Lawn on Saturday 4 July at 8pm, with Welcome to Country, a smoking ceremony and cultural dance performances by the Jannawi Dance Clan.
- Fireworks: On Saturday 4 July from 8.30pm, visitors can stroll down to Cockle Bay for a fireworks display accompanied by NAIDOC soundtrack.
- The Australian Maritime Museum: On Sunday 5 July, the Maritime Museum will host a free NAIDOC open day, featuring cultural activities, live performances, art-making workshops and storytelling.
- The Canopy: Visitors can honour the Wangal and Gadigal clans who have cared for the land Darling Harbour is built on through this art installation created by Aboriginal artist Jacob Nash.
- Portrait of Jenny Munro: In Darling Square, visitors can view the striking 10-storey mural of Wiradjuri Elder and activist Jenny Munro, in recognition of her decades of advocacy for Aboriginal rights.
The Rocks
- NAIDOC Week Badge Making Workshop The Rocks Discovery Museum will host free Badge Making Workshops, offering families the opportunity to engage with First Nations culture through a creative, hands-on activity. Children aged 5-12 can make Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flag badges while learning about the history, meaning and cultural significance of each flag. The drop-in workshops will run from 11am to 1pm, Monday 6 to Friday 10 July and Monday 13 to Friday 17 July.
- Giba-Nura: The Rocks Cultural TourGiba-Nura, meaning Rock Country, explores Gadigal history through first contact, resistance and colonisation throughout The Rocks. Participants learn bush tucker, language, astronomy, ceremonies and stories of leaders, visiting significant sites like Dawes Point, Campbell’s Cove and Hickson Reserve.
- NAIDOC Week School Art Competition Exhibition Entries from The Rocks Discovery Museum’s NAIDOC Week School Art Competition will be showcased as part of NAIDOC Week celebrations. Created by local school students in response to the 2026 National NAIDOC Week theme, 50 Years of Deadly, the artworks will be displayed at The Rocks Discovery Museum and on its website throughout July.
Getting there
The Rocks, Barangaroo and Darling Harbour are all easily accessible by train, ferry, light rail and bus, making it easy for visitors to explore during NAIDOC Week.
About Placemaking NSW
Placemaking NSW creates, manages, and cares for many of Sydney’s unique iconic harbourside locations including The Rocks, Barangaroo and Darling Harbour, Luna Park, Ballast Point Park, and waterfront areas in Pyrmont, as well as unique venues such as the Chinese Garden of Friendship and major event facilities at the International Convention Centre.
