Culture and contributions celebrated at Mirrabooka NAIDOC

Thousands of people gathered at Stirling Leisure – Mirrabooka on Thursday to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures at one of Western Australia's biggest NAIDOC Week events.
 
Mirrabooka NAIDOC, supported by the City of Stirling, featured a stacked program of live music, dance performances, rides, sports, market stalls and more.
 
It also featured the presentation of the 2025 Mirrabooka NAIDOC Awards, recognising the outstanding contributions of local individuals and organisations.
 
NAIDOC Week 2025 runs from 6 July to 13 July, with events planned across Australia to mark 50 years of the week-long celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and achievements. 
 
This year’s theme, “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy”, focuses on the future and an emerging generation of leaders empowered by the legacy of their Elders and ancestors.
 
Nyoongar Elder Dulcie Donaldson, who gave a Welcome to Country at Mirrabooka NAIDOC, is one of the Elders mentoring the next generation.
 
“For me, being an Elder, it’s leaving a legacy behind, a positive one that our young ones can pick up and run with,” she said.
 
“It’s role-modelling – showing the young people they can do positive things.”
 
Ms Donaldson is a City of Stirling resident, a member of the City’s Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group and a member of the Ngalang Maya Wangkiny group.
 
Mirrabooka NAIDOC is an event she and her family have been involved with for many years.
 
The event is organised by the Mirrabooka NAIDOC committee, which has representation from the City of Stirling and 13 other organisations, including the Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service, where Ms Donaldson worked for over 30 years.
 
“I think these things have a very positive impact because we bring all nationalities and cultures together, especially here in Mirrabooka, where we’ve already got a very multicultural community,” she said.

Among the other special guests were State Government Ministers Amber-Jade Sanderson MLA and Meredith Hammat MLA, and Nyoongar Elder Len Yarran, who gave a poignant keynote speech that touched on the importance of two key words – contribution and commitment.

Perth Glory players also made an appearance, joining the festivities once they had finished a training session at their new training and administration base at Stirling Leisure – Mirrabooka.

“The City is proud to support Mirrabooka NAIDOC as we walk forward on the path to reconciliation, fostering relationships and opportunities within our community,” City of Stirling CEO Stevan Rodic said.

“We continue to share Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures in our projects, including the ongoing upgrade of Mirrabooka Town Square and the upcoming construction of a yarning circle at the entrance to our Administration Centre.”

“One of our next key steps is finalising our fourth Reconciliation Action Plan, which has been developed in close collaboration with our community and will be considered by Council in the coming weeks."

Mirrabooka NAIDOC Awards 2025, delivered by the Mirrabooka NAIDOC Committee:

• Female Elder of the Year – Barbara McGillivray: A woman whose leadership, knowledge and advocacy have had a lasting impact on her community. Among her recent achievements was her involvement in the Birdiya Maya Homelessness Research Project, an award-winning Perth initiative to address homelessness through culturally grounded research and community engagement.
• Male Elder of the Year – Shane Garlett: A dedicated youth mentor and one of the founding members of Wadjak Northside Aboriginal Community Group. Mr Garlett works closely with young people, particularly those living with disabilities, to make sure they are seen, heard and supported.
• Community Member of the Year – Annette Dickie: A community leader who has made a profound difference through her work with Naala Djookan Healing Centre and as an Aboriginal Indigenous Education Officer. Her compassion lifts others up, fostering belonging and intergenerational healing.
• The Jess Bairnsfather-Scott Young Person of the Year – Jarnda Bina Councillor-Barns: An artist and young leader at the Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia. As the founder of Jarnda Bina Art, Ms Councillor-Barns has created a platform that celebrates Aboriginal identity and educates audiences through storytelling rooted in culture and Country. 
• Service of the Year: Individual – Delma Balchin: A Senior Aboriginal Health Liaison Officer at East Metropolitan Health Service who recently marked 20 years of service with WA Health. Ms Balchin is an inspiring health educator and mentor with a passion for learning and a commitment to bridging the gap between Aboriginal communities and the health system.
• Service of the Year: Organisation – Wungening Aboriginal Family Led Decision Making Program: An approach that empowers Aboriginal families involved with the Department of Communities to address the safety needs of their children in a culturally safe way. Wungening Aboriginal Corporation is the only organisation delivering the program in Perth.