Celebrating NAIDOC Week: Keep the Fire Burning

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respect to them and their Elders - both past and present.

Each year during the first week of July, national NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia. NAIDOC Week is a time for all Australians to learn about and celebrate the oldest continuing cultures on earth: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It’s an opportunity to connect with and give recognition to the histories, cultures, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the important role they play in Australia’s story.

Lendlease is a company with strong values in Environmental Sustainability, Community Engagement, Social Impact and our commitment to our Elevate RAP and we aim to thread these values through everything we do. Lendlease has a long and proud history of supporting First Nations’ recognition and reconciliation. There are only a few organisations in Australia with an Elevate RAP and we’ve proudly been one of them since 2011. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for us create, share and integrate these values into our marketing program.

This year, Lendlease collaborated with artist Ryhia Dank, Nardurna to create the artwork for NAIDOC Week 2024. Rhyia Dank is a Gudjani/Wakaja woman and Indigenous Australian artist who grew up in a remote community in the Northern Territory. Now based on Kubbi Kubbi Country, Ryhia tells stories through pattern and design.

In addition, we engaged First Nations talent, public figure Brooke Blurton & artist Ryhia Dank (Nardurna), to develop a Good Yarns video series, to actively drive awareness of First Nations reconciliation and support our commitment to the Lendlease Elevate RAP. Good Yarns captured unscripted and authentic voices of prominent First Nations women and educated our shopping centre audiences on the importance of reconciliation and unity. The content series successfully delivered increased awareness and engagement of National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week, and importantly also provided opportunities to educate audiences on reconciliation throughout other times of the year.

Our Centre Teams were inspired to develop in-centre experiences to compliment the Good Yarns video content series and bring The Good Day Collective to life in the physical space. The goal was to encourage visitation to centre and provide immersive experiences and educational First Nations cultural experiences for our customers.

At Erina Fair, we were honoured to partner with Tim from Girra Girra who is committed to sharing his knowledge through first-hand experiences, guiding people through our ancient country, it’s history and customs through storytelling, song and art.

Macarthur Square collaborated with Campbelltown Arts Centre and welcomed Elders to the centre to weave bracelets, decorate wooden pendants and boomerangs with our visitors.

Sunshine Plaza and Plumpton Marketplace elevated our NAIDOC Week illustration by The Good Day Collective campaign artist, Ryhia Dank, Nardurna through an educational immersive experience that included colouring your own take-home Nardurna artwork featuring this years NAIDOC theme; Keep the Fire Burning. 

To view more of the Good Yarns video content series please click the links below:

Reconciliation Week

Book Week