A welcome message from our CEO
Adrienne Barnett
Wadda Mooli All –
Mackay really showed up for our NAIDOC once again. I reckon we have one of the best NAIDOC Family Day celebrations in Queensland with our Deadly Street Parade and big day at Queens Park. A massive THANK YOU to the NAIDOC Committee for 2026 – Aunty Sonetta, Syed, Karlie, Jackson, Nikki and Aunty Mulum from Mackay Regional Council helping us all out. It wouldn’t have happened without you and I know from personal experience, it is a demanding and mentally challenging time dealing with all of the requirements of Government agencies and individual community members. We thank you for your dedication to ensuring that all of Mackay got the opportunity to celebrate with us in the Annual Street Parade and Family Day at Queens Park.
A massive thank you also to all of the community members and community organisations and agencies that arranged and held NAIDOC Week events throughout NAIDOC Week that included the Curtis Bobongie Memorial Bro-Am, the Senior and Junior Mr & Mrs NAIDOC Quests, Mackay NAIDOC Awards Night, Murrioke, ATSICHS NAIDOC Day @ MSHS and PCYC NAIDOC Celebrations just to mention a few. It’s always fantastic to see our mob out and about enjoying themselves and celebrating our community and culture and being proud in who we are and how far we’ve come.
The NAIDOC Committee will be holding an AGM soon and are looking forward to having interested community members attend and put their hands up for Committee positions for the coming year. If you feel you can contribute and would like an opportunity to help mob celebrate, please don’t hesitate to make contact with one of the Committee members to find out further details, or keep an eye and ear out for the Annual General Meeting details as these will be announced on my105fm and posted on the Mackay NAIDOC facebook page.
MARABISDA is continuing to help our regional communities celebrate NAIDOC by attending at Moranbah’s celebrations on Sunday 26 July 2026. This will be the first time we’ve been out to Moranbah for their NAIDOC Parade and Market Day and I hope that we can make it out there annually to support our Isaac brothers and sisters in their festivities.
Regards,
AB
Aunty Sonetta’s Recipe
Curried Beef
Ingredients
- 1.5kg Rump Steak
- 1 Onion
- Garlic & Ginger
- Old Cathay Soya Sauce
- Carrots
- Potato
- Pumpkin
- Beans
- Keens Curry Powder
- Gravox
Method
1. 1.5 kg Rump Steak. (depending on how many your feeding) Cut off fat and cut into cubes. (Small pieces)
2. Put Onion, a tablespoon of garlic and ginger in pot and fry lightly in a bit of oil.
3. Place rump steak in the pot and fry lightly until brown then cover with water.
4. Cook until meat nearly tender.
5. Add half a cup of soya sauce to meat.
6. Add carrots and beans.
7. Cook until carrots are tender.
8. Add potatos
9. Put 3 heaped tablespoons of gravox and 2 heaped tablespoons of curry in a cup. Mix together. Add to pot.
10. Stir until slightly thick. Not too thick. We want to have curry zura.
11. When potatoes are almost cooked add pumpkin. Mix all together.
Program Updates
Family Participation Program (FPP) and Indigenous Family Wellbeing Service
Marabisda had an invite from Barada Barna to attend their NAIDOC Celebrations on Sunday 26/07/26 by having a stall at the Moranbah Markets. 8 staff attended and had a great day. Staff participated in their NAIDOC March and some attended the formal gathering to listen to speeches by Barada Barna Chairperson Graeme Budby, Mayor Kelly Vea Vea, and other speakers from the Moranbah community. It was also great seeing other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dancing performances. Marabisda provided our organisation information as well as free give-aways which everyone appreciated. The day was completed by attending the beautiful art display in the Library which was another highlight of this trip.
Mackay Connected Beginnings (Badi Yalobaga Yuribaya)
July was a busy and exciting month for Team Badi Yalobaga Yuribaya as we joined families, services, and Community in celebrating NAIDOC Week across Mackay. A highlight was proudly walking together in the NAIDOC Street Parade and connecting with everyone at the Family Fun Day in Queens Park. We are also excited to welcome Uncle Patrick Thaiday to playgroup this term, where our deadly little learners will connect to culture through song, dance, storytelling, and language.
Piccaninny Kinship & Foster Care
This month, the Piccaninny team is excited to share that our Family Contact Centre is almost ready to open, creating a welcoming space for families to connect.
Our team also attended the two-day Strengthening the Frontline training with Walk About Barber, focusing on mental health and wellbeing. The training equipped staff with valuable tools to support their own wellbeing so they can continue providing the best possible support to our community.
Delegated Authority
The DA Team was proud to be part of the 2026 NAIDOC celebrations, joining the community on Yuwi Country for a wonderful day of connection, culture, and celebration. A big thank you to the NAIDOC Committee for their hard work and dedication in organising such a successful event. Our next community engagement event will be Child Protection Week – 12th-16th September “Every Conversation Matters: Shift Conversation to Action“
Aboriginal Torres Strait Island Domestic Family Violence Service (ATSIDFVSS)
Lyndon and Lee attended the She Is Not Your Rehab – How to Do the Work professional development workshop facilitated by Matt Brown, founder of the global anti-violence movement She Is Not Your Rehab. The training focused on understanding the impacts of intergenerational trauma, promoting accountability, fostering healthy masculinities, and strengthening trauma-informed responses when working with individuals and families affected by domestic and family violence. The workshop provided practical strategies for engaging with victim survivors and people using violence through a lens of compassion, responsibility, and healing. Key learnings included recognising the role of unresolved trauma, building authentic therapeutic relationships, encouraging personal accountability, and supporting long-term behavioural change while maintaining victim safety as the highest priority. Attendance at this training has strengthened the team’s capacity to deliver culturally safe, trauma-informed, and evidence-informed services within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family & Domestic Violence Support Service, enhancing engagement with clients experiencing complex trauma and contributing to improved outcomes for individuals, families, and communities.
Trading Tracks
There’s lots happening at Queensland Trading Tracks (QTT)! We’re excited to welcome back Kerri Bickey 💍 and introduce our newest team member Shae Ridgeway, who has hit the ground running supporting our NAIDOC Week celebrations and continuing to strengthen connections with our First Nations business community. A special shout out to Venita Mooney from Ochre Lens for working tirelessly over the past few weeks capturing NAIDOC celebrations. Vee, we are so proud of you and the amazing work you do! QTT proudly celebrated the NAIDOC Business Awards alongside the Mr and Miss NAIDOC Awards Night, an incredible evening recognising the achievements, resilience and contributions of our local First Nations community.
Congratulations to our award winners,
Hale Tass Business Solutions – Small Enterprise Winner
Budby Yaga Group – Large Enterprise Winner