A practical, date-ordered guide to significant public events involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community organisations, active Elders, cultural leaders and First Nations ally organisations. Priority is given to Brisbane and South-East Queensland, followed by selected national dates. Its partner page, the First Nations Newsfeed, tells you who reports these stories and who owns the outlets.
Priority dates at a glance
Ten dates stand out for community connection, cultural participation and public visibility. Tap any date to jump to its full details further down the page.
- 24 JulyBlak Day Out 2026 Major First Nations music and community gathering at the Princess Theatre.
- 26 JulyReconciliation Walk on Country Greenslopes Reconciliation Action Group morning walk and community gathering.
- 31 JulyClancestry First Gathering The most concentrated free community opening event in the calendar.
- 1–2 AugGATHAA First Nations Markets Artists, makers, bushfoods, community enterprise, workshops and cultural demonstrations.
- 2 AugMitchelton Truth Telling Community truth-telling with Aunty Sharron mirii Bell at Mitchelton Library.
- 4 AugNational Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day A major national date for services, schools, community groups and allies.
- 8 AugYothu Yindi, 40th Anniversary A major cultural closing event for Clancestry at QPAC.
- 23 AugYarning Circle with Remah Naji Uncle Bill’s own gathering at St John’s Cathedral, Brisbane.
- 12–13 SepQuandamooka Festival 2026 Two days of culture on Minjerribah, in whale season.
- 21 SepBrisbane Peace Lecture Youth justice and First Nations futures, at St John’s Cathedral. Free.
If you can only protect one stretch in your diary, make it Friday 31 July 2026 and the weekend of 1 and 2 August 2026: the Clancestry opening and markets offer the highest concentration of artists, community groups, cultural workers, families and First Nations allies in one place.
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Walking Together, Learning Together: Mentoring Partnerships
Brisbane. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mentoring partnership program intended to establish longer-term culturally grounded relationships. Expression-of-interest process and participant fee apply.
Traditional Indigenous Games at Hillbrook
Hillbrook, 45 Hurdcotte Street, Enoggera. Traditional games of Keentan (Kalkadoon) and Buroinjin (Kabi Kabi) played by eight schools from across the district, with an opening ceremony and Welcome to Country at 9 am, an Elders’ tent, and a marquee hosted with the Teralba Park Stolen Generations Support Group. Visitors can drop in for an hour, a half day, or the full day; family and friends welcome. Rescheduled from an earlier date.
Blak Day Out 2026
Princess Theatre, Woolloongabba. Curated by Alethea Beetson and Blak Social, featuring Dan Sultan, Beddy Rays, Becca Hatch, Jem Cassar-Daley and Rox Lavi. Tickets from $29.
Still Deadly: In Conversation
Ipswich Community Gallery, d’Arcy Doyle Place, Ipswich. Elder Uncle Errol (Earl) Davidson, cultural liaison Lowana Walker and photographer Jim Filmer discuss the making of the Still Deadly exhibition, in conversation with Katina Davidson, Curator of Indigenous Australian Art at QAGOMA. RSVP online.
Reconciliation Walk on Country
Hosted by the Greenslopes Reconciliation Action Group. A morning walk past sites of significance to the Turrbal and Jagera people. Full walk meets at Glindemann Park (near Nursery Road) at 7.30 am for a 7.45 am start; join later at Mott Park (Victor Street entrance) at 9 am. The walk finishes at Holland Park Sports Club, 49 Abbotsleigh Street, Holland Park, at about 9.45 am, followed by a relaxed community gathering with an Indigenous guest speaker, entertainment, coffee from the onsite cafe, a gold coin barbecue and a raffle. Non-walkers are welcome to meet the group at the club. Walkers register online.
Weaving on Yarun
Bribie Island Library, Bongaree. Cultural weaving and conversation with First Nations residents and Elders, delivered with the Pumicestone Indigenous Education and Employment Council. Free; no booking required.
Official information →Character Portraits: House of Gold Art Kids
Caboolture Regional Art Gallery. Activity inspired by Bidjara artist Dr Christian Thompson's House of Gold. Primarily suitable for children and families.
Official information →Building Meaningful Connections with First Nations Learners
Queensland Museum Kurilpa. Lecture by First Nations Engagement Project Officer Erin-Taylor Healey on relationships, belonging, community engagement and culturally stronger education.
First Nations Headliners
Good Chat Comedy Club, Petrie Terrace. National First Nations comedy showcase using storytelling, cultural pride and political and social commentary. Adults only.
Official information and booking →Camp Culture
Cremorne Theatre, QPAC. Interactive First Nations circus by Dale Woodbridge-Brown, opening the Clancestry festival program.
Official information and booking →Ya’Djin Spirit Women
Cremorne Theatre, QPAC. Dance, theatre and film addressing storytelling, sisterhood and speaking out.
Official information and booking →QUT Meanjin Oration: Pride for our People
QUT Gardens Theatre, 2 George Street, Brisbane City. Cathy Freeman AC in conversation with Dr Amy McQuire, the Darumbal and South Sea Islander journalist and author of Black Witness. Hosted by the Carumba Institute, QUT’s premier annual address on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander excellence, this year aligned with the NAIDOC theme 50 Years of Deadly. Free to attend, but now sold out. Waitlists are open and worth joining. Note there are two separate waitlists: one for Mob tickets, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, and one for general public.
Clancestry First Gathering
Cultural Forecourt, South Bank. Free official opening featuring Brisbane First Nations community groups, dance, song, culture and intergenerational continuation of Elders' legacies. Hosted by Tony Armstrong.
Clancestry Mob Music
Cultural Forecourt, South Bank. Free performances by LanGwij, ZIPPORAH and Say True God?, combining music, hip-hop and First Nations storytelling.
Official information →GATHAA First Nations Markets
Cultural Forecourt, South Bank. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, makers, bushfoods, businesses, workshops and demonstrations, including cooking and weaving activities.
Clancestry for Kids
Cultural Forecourt, South Bank. Free performances, cultural activities, art, TribalLink's Cultural Discovery Van, Queensland Museum's Dilly Bag Lab and activities for Jarjums and families.
Official information →Kambu Health 50th Anniversary Gala Ball
Ipswich Showgrounds. Celebrates 50 years of Aboriginal community-controlled health care and honours Elders, founders, staff and leaders. Entertainment includes Kevin Kropinyeri, Sean Choolburra, Olivia Coe Fox and The Fringe Dwellers. Bookings were reported to close Friday 17 July 2026, so book early.
Jessica Mauboy: The Story of Me
QPAC Concert Hall. Music and personal storytelling as part of Clancestry.
Clancestry program and booking →Mitchelton Truth Telling
Mitchelton Library. A community truth-telling session with guest speaker Aunty Sharron mirii Bell, a Wiradjuri Gamilaraay woman, performer and educator, and the founder of Indigenous Insights, a cultural education initiative she has led since 2005. Flyer and full details to follow.
Clancestry Mob Music: Three Fires
Cultural Forecourt, South Bank. Free performance featuring Jungaji, Radical Son and Candice Lorrae, preceded by rapper and producer trials.
Official information →Greenslopes Reconciliation Action Group: weaving with Ainslie and Kate Thompson
Holland Park Sports Club, 49 Abbotsleigh Street, Holland Park. Ainslie and Kate Thompson, Gooreng Gooreng and Yuggera women, share their knowledge of traditional weaving. Craft something under their guidance, or simply come along for a yarn. A donation of $5 per person is appreciated to cover the cost of materials. Everyone welcome.
Solidarity in Action: Trade Unions with Indigenous Workers
Online, via the International Trade Union Confederation. Examples from Australia, with Lara Watson (Birri Gubba, ACTU First Nations Workers Alliance), Joanne Kerr (Community and Public Sector Union), Wayne Kurnorth (Larakia, United Workers Union), Maria Tapim (Torres Strait Islander, Together Queensland) and Dr Sharlene Leroy-Dyer (Awabakal and Darug, National Tertiary Education Union). Free; registration required.
Register →National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day
National observance led by SNAICC, focused on children's voices, truth-telling, identity, belonging and knowledge passed between Elders and younger generations. Local event listings may continue to be added close to the date.
Gunawarra Re-Creation
Cremorne Theatre, QPAC. ILBIJERRI Theatre Company work dealing with culture, memory and healing.
Clancestry program and booking →Troy Cassar-Daley
QPAC Playhouse. Personal music and storytelling presentation within Clancestry.
Clancestry program and booking →Barragga Yangga: Many Songs
QPAC Playhouse. Intergenerational Yuin choir Djinama Yilaga with collaborating musicians, celebrating First Nations language, story and song.
Standing Together: Active Bystander and Anti-Racism Workshop
Baringa Community Centre, 20 Edwards Terrace, Baringa. An experiential allies workshop co-facilitated by Christine Thomas, a proud Wakka Wakka woman, and Richard Hood, using Yarning Circle processes, scenario-based learning and practical skill development. A partnership between the Sunshine Coast Reconciliation Group and the Cygnet Centre for Peacebuilding and Transformation. Places were capped at 30 and the event is now sold out.
Yothu Yindi: 40th Anniversary
QPAC Concert Hall. Closing event of Clancestry and a rare Brisbane performance by one of Australia's most consequential First Nations bands.
Who’s Your Mob? Family History Workshop
State Library of Queensland, South Brisbane, for National Family History Month. An introduction to the resources and collections for tracing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family history, in a friendly, culturally supported space. Free; bookings essential.
Official information →Feeling Colour: House of Gold Art Kids
Caboolture Regional Art Gallery. Family activity linked to Dr Christian Thompson's exhibition.
Official information →National First Nations Education Conference
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane. A national gathering for educators on First Nations teaching, learning and resources, presented by TIPIAC and Riley Callie Resources. Ticketed; registration required.
Official information and registration →Yarning Circle with Remah Naji
Darnell Room, St John’s Cathedral, Brisbane. Uncle Bill Lemson hosts Remah Naji: linguist, community organiser, daughter of Palestinian refugees, and the first Palestinian woman to stand for the Australian Federal Parliament. Conversation, story and community in a welcoming setting. Free; all welcome; RSVP appreciated.
First Nations Art Tour
Gallery of Modern Art, Level 3, South Brisbane. Robert Preston (Kiwai, Kulkalgal) leads a tour through the stories and histories at the heart of the Gallery’s Indigenous Australian Art Collection. The tour touches on themes of colonialism, racism, violence and deaths in custody, and refers to people who have died. Free; bookings essential.
Official information and bookings →National Indigenous Black Death in Custody Conference
Brisbane. A national gathering on truth-telling, justice and systemic reform, placing at its centre the families whose loved ones never came home. Yarning circles, ceremony and evidence-based discussion, with families, Elders, legal and health professionals and advocates. This conference deals with deaths in custody, grief and systemic injustice, and refers to people who have died. Ticketed; registration required.
Official information and registration →Strong Women’s Health, Wellbeing and Leadership
Brisbane. An international gathering honouring the leadership of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and Indigenous women worldwide, held around International Indigenous Women’s Day. Yarning, storytelling, ceremony and community-led sessions with Elders, health practitioners, midwives, researchers and advocates. Ticketed; registration required.
Official information and registration →Bright Nights by ANZ
South Bank, as part of Brisbane Festival. A First Nations rock and pop symphony of water, light and sound, staged across the festival season. Free.
Official information →Fijian Flying Circus
Brisbane Festival. A Pasifika circus, music and dance work from Fiji company VOU, running across the festival season. This is a Pacific Islander production, presented within the festival’s First Nations and Pasifika program.
Official information →Living Sculptures: How the Birds Got Their Colours
Brisbane Festival. A First Nations circus and dance work for families, bringing a well-loved story to life. Free.
Official information →First Nations Art Tour
Gallery of Modern Art, Level 3, South Brisbane. Robert Preston (Kiwai, Kulkalgal) leads a tour through the stories and histories at the heart of the Gallery’s Indigenous Australian Art Collection. The tour touches on themes of colonialism, racism, violence and deaths in custody, and refers to people who have died. Free; bookings essential.
Official information and bookings →True Tracks: Pathway to Indigenous Engagement
University of Queensland, Herston campus, Brisbane. Workshop two in the True Tracks series on respectful Indigenous engagement, run by Health Translation Queensland. Free, by expression of interest, with a waitlist.
Official information and expressions of interest →Tiri: Te Araroa Woman Far Walking
Brisbane Festival. A theatre work mapping Aotearoa through the eyes of a Te Tiriti o Waitangi story. This is a Māori production from Aotearoa New Zealand, presented within the festival’s First Nations program.
Official information →Sunrise Ceremony: Bikki Wantimaa
Brisbane Festival. A First Nations sunrise ceremony of circle, dance and blessing, held across the festival season. Free.
Official information →Quandamooka Festival 2026
QUAMPI Arts and Culture Centre, 14 Ballow Road, Goompi (Dunwich), Minjerribah. Two days of Kunjiel (traditional dance), music, weaving, food, markets and panel discussions celebrating the continuing culture of the Nughi, Nunukul and Goenpul clans of Quandamooka, during the yalingbila (whale) migration season. Free; registration required.
Active Hope: Wise Responses for Uncertain Times
Northey Street City Farm, Windsor. A two day workshop in the Work that Reconnects, the Deep Ecology practice developed by Joanna Macy: navigating uncertain times with hope, resilience and creative power, including engagement with the ongoing traumas of colonisation. Facilitated by Emma Brindal, Em Maltby and Pam Blamey. A broad ecology and wellbeing workshop rather than a First Nations led event, listed for its explicit welcome: half price tickets for First Nations people and activists. Tickets $120 to $240. Shared potluck lunch each day, so bring a plate (easy plate ideas).
Official information and tickets →Generations and Dynasties: The Brady Family
Brisbane Festival. A First Nations night of story, song and cultural legacy with the Brady family.
Official information →Generations and Dynasties: The Briscoe Sisters
Brisbane Festival. A First Nations afternoon of music, conversation and storytelling with the Briscoe Sisters.
Official information →Dance with Tom
Brisbane Festival. A First Nations dance and yarn for families, warm and welcoming to all ages. Free.
Official information →Pasifika Made
Brisbane Festival. Where ancestral knowledge meets contemporary Pacific arts, in music, dance and workshops. This is a Pacific Islander program, presented within the festival’s First Nations and Pasifika strand. Free.
Official information →Brisbane Peace Lecture 2026: Youth Justice Reimagined
St John’s Anglican Cathedral, 373 Ann Street, Brisbane City, the same Cathedral that hosts the Yarning Circle. On the theme First Nations Futures Unbound, addressing the disproportionate numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children held in youth detention across Australia. Speakers are Dr Pekiri Ruska, a Goenpul woman from Minjerribah and Research Fellow in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Indigenous Futures, and Dr Krystal Lockwood, a Gumbaynggirr and Dunghutti woman and applied justice researcher at the TC Beirne School of Law. Free; booking required through TryBooking.
Official information and bookings →ACPA Community Showcase
Brisbane Festival. The Aboriginal Centre for Performing Arts presents a First Nations showcase of dance, music and theatre, created in real time. Free.
Official information →Skylore Nieergoo: Spirit of the Whale
The Landing, Queen’s Wharf, and viewable from South Bank and nearby riverside spots. Hundreds of drones retell a First Nations whale story by Yuggera and Toorabul man Shannon Ruska. Free to watch from public riverside areas; reserved seating ticketed on 25 and 26 September.
Official information →Gatherings here in Brisbane and South-East Queensland that fall beyond the rolling window, listed early because they are worth putting in the diary now.
Housing First Nations National Conference 2026
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane. A national conference and tradeshow on First Nations housing, including an innovation think tank. Ticketed; registration required.
Official information and registration →Understanding Trauma: An Aboriginal Healing Journey
Kedron, Brisbane, venue to be announced. A two day program presented by Janine Cattanach, a Marrithiyel woman, social worker and child play therapist, drawing on the Strong Spirit Model and both Aboriginal and western philosophies: cultural identity, emotional regulation, intergenerational and complex trauma, and healing from an Aboriginal philosophy. Both days must be attended. The content deals with trauma and family violence. Run by WorkUP Queensland, who prioritise registrations from specialist domestic and family violence, sexual violence and women’s health services, so it is aimed at practitioners rather than the general public. Travel support may be available.
Official information and registration →Guwal Jilbay: Yarning Research Conference 2026
CQUniversity Brisbane campus. Redefining Impact from a Black Perspective: a research conference for higher degree and higher education research students, convened by CQUniversity’s Office of Indigenous Engagement. Registrations open August 2026.
Official information →The Alliance Conference 2026
Sofitel Brisbane Central. The only national conference convened by an Indigenous-led peak body focused solely on employment and training, on the theme Pathways to Impact. Two streams covering employment services reform and cultural safety, closing with the Alliance Celebration Dinner. Ticketed; early bird pricing closes 27 August 2026.
Official information and registration →Gatherings outside South-East Queensland that are significant enough to be worth the journey. Advance registration is recommended for all of these.
National First Nations Elders Wellbeing Conference
Hilton Hotel, Gold Coast. Aged care reform through a First Nations lens: choice and control for Elders, staying on Country, culturally safe and trauma-aware care for Stolen Generations survivors. Speakers include Aunty Dr Mary Graham, Uncle John Graham and Professor Marcia Langton AO. Ticketed; registration required.
Official information and registration →One People, One Voice: Disability Care Conference
Hilton Hotel, Gold Coast. First Nations communities, health professionals and NDIS providers on culturally respectful disability care and self-determination, with Elders, health experts and community leaders. Ticketed; registration required.
Official information and registration →Supply Nation Connect 2026
Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre. Australia’s flagship Indigenous business and supplier diversity event, with a knowledge forum, the Indigenous business tradeshow and the Supplier Diversity Awards gala dinner. Ticketed; registration required.
Official information and registration →Heart on Country: Queensland First Nations Catholic Education Conference
Clifford Park Racecourse, Toowoomba. A Queensland gathering for educators, with Noel Pearson delivering the keynote. Presented by Toowoomba Catholic Schools with the Queensland Catholic Education Commission. Ticketed; registration required.
Official information and registration →Aboriginal Health Conference 2026
Pan Pacific Perth. A clinical and community health gathering for doctors, nurses, allied health workers and Aboriginal health workers, with student rates available. Ticketed; registration required.
Official information and registration →Public Sector Indigenous Leadership Summit 2026
Canberra Rex Hotel, Australian Capital Territory. A leadership summit for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working across the public sector. Ticketed; registration required.
Official information and registration →Indigenous Wellbeing Conference: On Our Terms
Hotel Realm, Canberra. A national conference on social and emotional wellbeing, mental health and community-led practice, convened by the ANZMH Association. Ticketed; registration required.
Official information and registration →CATSINaM National Conference 2026
Alice Springs Convention Centre, Northern Territory. The national gathering of the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives. Ticketed; registration required.
Official information and registration →Rise Strong, Lead Deadly: Indigenous Leadership Summit 2026
Sydney Masonic Centre, New South Wales. A national leadership summit for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across sectors. Ticketed; registration required.
Official information and registration →IAHA National Conference 2026
Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre. The national conference of Indigenous Allied Health Australia. Ticketed; early bird pricing closes 31 July 2026.
Official information and registration →Community-Driven Changes in Tackling Family and Domestic Violence
Gold Coast. A national gathering on community-led prevention and response, bringing together survivors, advocates, service providers, researchers and community leaders around survivor leadership and cultural responsiveness. This conference deals with family and domestic violence. Ticketed; registration required.
Official information and registration →National Indigenous Closing the Gap Health Conference
Hilton Hotel, Gold Coast. Elders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers, community leaders and researchers on holistic wellbeing, health equity and community-led solutions, grounded in culture and connection to Country. Ticketed; registration required.
Official information and registration →Snap Blak Contemporary Photography
Gallery of Modern Art, South Brisbane. Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander photography from the Gallery’s collection. Free.
Official information →Great and Small Kindred Creatures in Indigenous Australian Art
Queensland Art Gallery, South Brisbane. Animals and kinship across the Gallery’s Indigenous Australian Art Collection, on show through the calendar period. Free.
Official information →Still Deadly: Voices of Our Elders
Ipswich Community Gallery, open to Sunday 26 July 2026, 10 am to 3 pm daily. Portrait photography and recorded video stories honouring the resilience, knowledge and culture of Elders connected to the Ipswich region, by photographer Jim Filmer with cultural liaison Lowana Walker. Free; no bookings required. The exhibition addresses sensitive themes, including the Stolen Generations.
Official information →Archie Moore: kith and kin
Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), South Brisbane. The installation addresses ancestry, language, kinship and deaths in custody through a monumental genealogical work and memorial pool. Free admission; open throughout the period.
Official information →Dr Christian Thompson AO: House of Gold
Caboolture Regional Art Gallery, open to 12 September 2026. The exhibition explores Thompson's Bidjara and Chinese heritage through photography, sound and moving image. Free admission.
Official information →Exhibitions provide flexible options for anyone who cannot attend a fixed-date gathering, and can support informed conversation before community meetings, talks or ally-organised events.
Selected national events that may justify travel, online participation or local ally programming.
- 31 Jul–4 AugGarma Festival North-east Arnhem Land. Major Indigenous cultural, policy and leadership gathering.
- 6–9 AugDarwin Aboriginal Art Fair Darwin and online. Major art fair supporting participating artists and art centres.
- 8 AugNational Indigenous Music Awards Darwin Amphitheatre. National recognition of Indigenous musicians and community nominees.
- 9 AugInternational Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples International date used for gatherings, statements and education. Brisbane events are often announced close to the date; check with local organisations, councils and libraries.
- Confirm the final start time, venue entrance and ticket or registration status on the official page.
- Check accessibility, transport and parking information directly with the organiser.
- Use the event organiser's preferred terminology and acknowledge the host community.
- For community networking, arrive early and prioritise respectful conversation over promotion.
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Compiled 13 July 2026; last updated 25 July 2026. Event schedules, ticket availability and registration deadlines can change; the official organiser page should be treated as the final authority. Community organisations, councils, libraries and cultural venues may announce further events, particularly around Children's Day and the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, after this guide was compiled.