Kuranda Paper  – PDF version with photos (Page 21)

Kuranda Community Celebrates 50 Years of Deadly: NAIDOC Week 4–14 July 2026

The Kuranda community proudly marked 50 Years of Deadly during NAIDOC Week 2026, honouring the legacy, strength and achievements of those who came before us. Their efforts continue to set a powerful precedent, inspiring our people today and keeping culture strong for generations to come.

Ngoonbi hosted a vibrant program of events and also joined NAIDOC celebrations in Kuranda, Cairns, Mareeba, Atherton and Mt Garnet throughout the week.

The celebrations began with a Talent Quest at the Kuranda Amphitheatre, followed by an Elders Luncheon and Traditional Indigenous Games. A group of young people travelled to the Cairns
Tigers AFL grounds to compete in the EDOR competition, proudly representing Kuranda. The team played the game exceptionally well – winning their games and connecting with new and old
friends along the way.

The NAIDOC Family Day began with a NAIDOC March on Thursday 9 July at Centenary Park. This event brought the community together proudly to celebrate cultural and contemporary performances. We extend our gratitude to Elders Barry Hunter and Dianne Brim for their Welcome to Country, Mayi Wunba and Kupua’s TSI cultural performers. Rising local artists Cloud 9, Will Brim Jnr and Sylvia Rose also shone, showcasing the talent within our community and we look forward to seeing more from these talented performers in the future.

Food served and enjoyed by all, included damper with syrup and jam.

Ngoonbi extends heartful thanks to all of the services who contributed to the day’s event. A huge thank you to the following services; Buluwai, Mayi Wunba, TRACQS, Mulungu, Kuranda Neighbourhood Centre, Mareeba Shire Council, Rise Ventures, Mr Bubbles, Mareeba Community Centre, Tenants Queensland, Services Australia, our local cultural weavers – Suella Wason, SES, the Kuranda community, Qld Police Service and Ngoonbi staff, for leading our NAIDOC March from 40 Coondoo Street to Nyuwarri Park, (Centenary) Kuranda.

As always, the message is clear – keep NAIDOC alive. Ngoonbi looks forward to planning next year’s celebrations and continuing to honour culture, community and Country.

The photos shared capture just some of the highlights from Kuranda’s NAIDOC Week 2026.

See YouTube Kuranda TV channel for further highlights of Kuranda’s 2026 NAIDOC week.