newy.com.au – Lake Macquarie City Council has recommended almost $15,000 for 27 community and school-led projects to mark NAIDOC Week 2026, alongside more than $27,000 for university research into local environmental and planning challenges.
Councillors recommended $14,985 through Council’s NAIDOC Week Grants program for culturally appropriate celebrations across the city, in line with the national theme “50 Years of Deadly”.
The funded activities are set to include Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremonies, bush tucker gardens, cultural art workshops, dance, storytelling, Indigenous games and whole-school celebrations delivered with local Aboriginal community members and Elders.
Mayor Adam Shultz said the grants supported locally led events that helped bring communities together.
“NAIDOC Week is about recognising and celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and achievements,” he said.
“These grants support schools, community groups and organisations to deliver activities that are hands-on, authentic and shaped by local Aboriginal knowledge holders.”
Council also recommended $27,236 for four projects under its 2025-2026 Environmental Research Grants program, involving researchers from the University of Newcastle and Victoria University.
The projects will examine low-cement limecrete as a lower-carbon option for residential buildings and council assets, rapid in-field testing for chytrid disease in vulnerable frog populations, community uptake of electric vehicles and e-buses in Lake Macquarie, and the use of ground-penetrating radar to image tree roots for safer urban planning.
“These projects look at practical challenges, from protecting frog populations and urban trees to understanding how people make choices about cleaner transport and construction,” Cr Shultz said.
“They provide research that can inform future planning, policy and on-ground decisions.”
Councillors also endorsed a recommendation for Councillor Madeline Bishop to attend the NSW Public Libraries Association annual conference, where she will represent Lake Macquarie at a sector forum focused on community-centred library services, collaboration and leadership.
Council said the recommendations aligned with its long-term planning priorities, including connected communities, care for the natural environment and trusted, accountable governance. The full agenda and reports are available through Council’s meeting agendas and minutes, and the meeting stream is expected to be available online within 48 hours.
