Dr Kelvin Kong Named 2023 National NAIDOC Person Of The Year

 BY IAN CROUCH

Renowned surgeon and Newcastle University Professor, Dr Kelvin Kong has been named the 2023 National NAIDOC Person of the Year.

As an Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist, Dr Kong, who's a proud Worimi man, has dedicated much of his work to addressing hearing loss in young indigenous children, which he says is often at chronic levels especially in remote communities.

Dr Kong hopes to use his award as a platform to speak about ear disease in Australian children.

 

Dr Kelvin Kong

 

Indigenous artists commissioned for new Fernleigh Track artwork

BY OLIVIA DILLON

In line with NAIDOC Week, two local Indigenous artists have been commissioned by Lake Macquarie Council to install an artwork along the new Fernleigh Awabakal Shared Track (FAST). 

Shellie Smith and Daniella Chedzey, alongside fellow artist Julie Squires, will create a work featuring sculptures of traditional 'gunya' shelters, bark canoes and Aboriginal campsites. 

Lake Macquarie Mayor Kay Fraser, said commissioning the work puts Council closer towards completing the FAST project. 

"This will be a meaningful acknowledgement of the traditions and daily lives of Awabakal people, who called this area home for thousands of years before European settlement," she said.

"Commissioning this artwork is another step towards this significant active transport project, linking the end of the Fernleigh Track and Belmont to Blacksmiths."

Once completed, the track will create the longest active transport route in the Hunter region, stretching 27km from from Murrays Beach to Adamstown. 

Manager of City Projects at Lake Macquarie Council Adam Wakeman, said the new installation has been designed  to be interactive and engaging for both locals and tourists, by passing on Awabakal knowledge and culture.

"Being a significant environmental area, we're conscious of the Indigenous heritage of the area, so we've engaged with some Indigenous artists to help us interpret some of the history, not only through architectural works in the bridge, but also the bus shelters and the like that we're opening," he said.  

"We're hoping that once this is opened, it'll help with tourism, activation of the area, as well as being an iconic, recreational pathway for people tp use to get out and get active." 

Image: Lake Macquarie City Council Website

Virtual Reality Celebrating Aboriginal Heritage

BY ARIANA GATTI

In honour of NAIDOC celebrations this week, Lake Macquarie City Council have launched a new virtual reality experience, shining a light on the region's extensive and diverse Indigenous heritage.

The virtual technology provides an insight for users into when the Awabakal people were the sole inhabitors of land, providing an immersive, cultural experience.

The software will allow users to view and explore Lake Macquarie's Aboriginal history, dating back some 250-years-ago, showcasing three native stories.

These stories include: 'Niridiba' - about Moon Island; 'Malangbula' - the story of two sisters at Swansea Heads; as well as 'Kurrurkurraan' - which is the story of Blackhalls Park and the Petrified Forest area.

The virtual reality experience has been created in partnership with Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery's Aboriginal Reference Group, to provide the most real and accurate experience possible.

Aboriginal Reference Group Member, Doug Archibald, says these stories are essential pieces of history in which the public should all witness.

"These sites have been chosen because they're very significant to Aboriginal people here in Lake Macquarie - they span from Dreaming stories, daily life, right through to first European contact", he says.

"Through this project, now as our community moves throughout the City, they can be aware of these sites and stories, and their significance to the Awabakal people and our Aboriginal communities of Lake Macquarie today".

Image Sourced:https://www.lakemac.com.au/news/2018/07/09/lake-macquaries-aboriginal-heritage-comes-to-life-through-vr

NAIDOC Week Celebrations Begin - Port Stephens, Lake Macquarie

BY HOLLIE HUGHES

NAIDOC week celebrations in Port Stephens have begun with the signing of an historic agreement between the regions City Council and Karuah and Worimi Local Aboriginal Land Councils.

The Road to Tomorrow Agreement (or Yabang-Gu-Butunga Agreement in Worimi Gutang language), has been many years in the making and sets out shared objectives and projects between the councils.

Port Stephens Mayor, Ryan Palmer, said the agreement signifies a commitment by the councils to work together to achieve outcomes which will improve the lives of Aboriginal people living in the region now and into the future.

"This [agreement] has been in the works for a number of years, even before my time on council, so I am proud to be here and sign this agreement with both land councils," he outlined.

"I'm also proud of the relationships that we have, and I'm looking forward to working together through our Aboriginal Strategic Committee to strengthen these relationships and achieve great things together."

The landmark agreement was signed by Mayor Ryan Palmer and Wayne Wallis from Port Stephens Council,  Len Roberts and Fiona Manton from the Karuah Local Aboriginal Land Council and Andrew Smith and Leigh Ridgeway from the Worimi Local Aboriginal Land Council.

Meanwhile, NAIDOC week celebrations in Lake Macquarie have kicked off with the launch of a new Virtual Reality (VR) experience shining a light on the City's rich Aboriginal heritage.

Council's Manager for Cultural services, Jacqui Hemsley, said the immersive VR experience gives users the opportunity to take a journey back in time 250-years to when the traditional owners, the Awabakal people, were the sole inhabitants of Lake Macquarie land known as Awaba.

"We're thrilled to announce that this new and exciting cultural experience as part of Council's NAIDOC week celebrations," Ms Hemsley said.

VR Awaba was created by Indigenous Cultural Artist, Brett Leavy, in partnership with the Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery Reference group.

Artist Brett Leavy said he was pleased to be able to work with members of the Gallery's Aboriginal Reference Group to bring these stories to life using a new medium.

"It is essential that we continue to share these stories, which are of such significance to Aboriginal people. They capture not only Aboriginal history but the history of the whole Australian nation," he explained.

"Over the last six months, we've worked closely with the Aboriginal Reference Group and the local Awabakal People of Lake Macquarie to take their First Nations knowledge and present it in a way that is visually engaging and educational."

The community is able to access VR Awaba on mobile devices due to the instalment of a plaque on the Warners Bay foreshore near Rotunda or by visiting Oculus Rift at Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery and Swansea Library.

For more information, visit http://www.visitlakemac.com.au/virtual-awaba