CELEBRATE NAIDOC WEEK AT BARANGAROO RESERVE

Celebrate NAIDOC Week 2016 at Sydney’s spectacular new Harbour foreshore park, Barangaroo Reserve, with outdoor markets, entertainment and tours on Saturday, 9 July 2016 at 10:00am – 4:00pm.

In the spirit of the NAIDOC Week 2016 theme, ‘Songlines – the Living narrative of our nation’, everyone is invited to Barangaroo Reserve to learn more about the history and diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, which are the world’s oldest continuing culture.

The NAIDOC Blak Markets at Barangaroo event will feature free live music, traditional Aboriginal dance performances, bush tucker, cooking demonstrations, weaving workshops, shell workshops and markets showcasing Aboriginal arts and crafts throughout the day.

Barangaroo Delivery Authority, CEO, Craig van der Laan said: “We are delighted to host our first NAIDOC celebrations at Barangaroo Reserve and encourage everyone to join us for a family-friendly day of activities intended to connect people to Country and Country to people.”

As part of the celebrations, Sydney’s Blak Markets will pop up at Barangaroo Reserve for one day only, transforming Nawi Cove into a lively marketplace showcasing Australia’s rich Indigenous culture on Saturday, 9 July.

More than 20 stallholders will sell Indigenous arts, crafts, skincare products and bushfoods. These include Cheryl Davidson (gift cards, baskets, painting), Clair Bates (traditional hand-made Aboriginal jewellery and woven baskets), Glen Timbery (boomerangs), Torres Strait stallholder Ilan Treasurez with hand-painted shell work and Tangentyere Artists from Alice Springs.

The markets will also feature live outdoor cooking demonstrations by renowned Indigenous chefs, Clayton Donovan, Fred's Bush Tucker and Black Olive, encouraging visitors to try Indigenous bushfoods and learn about traditional Indigenous cooking methods.

Blak Markets creator, First Hand Solutions, CEO, Peter Cooley said: “We are thrilled to bring the Blak Markets to Nawi Cove to sell unique Indigenous products and offer free hands-on weaving and shell workshops for people of all walks of life.”

Blak Markets provide economic development, training and employment opportunities to empower Indigenous people and communities across NSW, while supporting the transfer of knowledge and skills from Elders and Aboriginal artisans to the next generation.

Visitors to Barangaroo Reserve can also learn more about Australia’s Aboriginal history and culture by booking an Aboriginal cultural tour with Barangaroo’s Visitor Services Guides between 10:00am and 4:00pm. Tours are free for one day only.

As part of the event, the non-profit creative writing centre, the Sydney Story Factory will run a series of free interactive storytelling workshops for 50 primary school students from Taree Public School, and around 100 children from local Aboriginal communities.

The students will collaborate on a creative writing project to produce one story inspired by the Songlines theme.

NAIDOC events take place across the nation during NAIDOC Week (3 – 10 July), which is a time to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and achievements and is an opportunity to recognise the contributions that Indigenous Australians make to our country and our society.

Barangaroo Reserve is easily accessible by public transport and on foot from Walsh Bay, Millers Point and The Rocks. The closest stations are Wynyard and Circular Quay.

For more information about NAIDOC Blak Markets at Barangaroo, visit www.barangaroo.sydney.

Sarah Shields, Access PR, 02 9292 7007 | 0408 283 091 | sarah@accesspr.com.au

Emma Reyes, Access PR, 02 9292 7006 | 0424 425 813 | emmar@accesspr.com.au