Captains' Corner

NAIDOC Week 2026: 50 Years of Deadly

This year’s NAIDOC Week theme, “50 Years of Deadly,” celebrates five decades of recognising and honouring the strength, achievements, cultures and voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The word deadly is a positive term in many First Nations communities, meaning excellent, strong, proud and inspiring. The theme reflects not only the achievements of the past 50 years, but also the bright future being shaped by the next generation. 

For young people today, “50 Years of Deadly” is a powerful reminder that they are part of an ongoing story of resilience, leadership and cultural pride. It encourages Indigenous youth to embrace their identity, celebrate their heritage and recognise the important role they play in creating positive change in their communities. It also invites all young Australians to learn from First Nations histories, cultures and perspectives, building respect, understanding and unity.

As we celebrate this milestone, we acknowledge the Elders, community leaders and trailblazers who have paved the way. Their legacy inspires today’s youth to dream big, stand proud and continue building a future grounded in respect, self-determination and cultural strength. 

As a College our next generation of leaders celebrated this week by sharing stories with our early years students, face painting, creating community artwork and playing traditional games. We culminated our week with a student led assembly featuring guest speaker Aunty Beryl, elder chat with Uncle John, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dances and Levi on digeridoo. Please refer to the Photo Gallery to view the full collection of images capturing these special moments and experiences from throughout the week.

NAIDOC Week reminds us that the next chapter belongs to young people, whose voices, ideas and leadership will carry the spirit of “deadly” into the future.

Please visit the Week 1 Photo Gallery for a full suite of images.