Lake Macquarie City Council will provide a stronger voice for the Aboriginal community and work to improve its overall health and wellbeing under a new plan set to be launched this weekend.
The launch of the Aboriginal Community Plan 2025-2029 Bayikulinan (to act in the future) coincides with the unveiling of a colourful new mosaic outside the revamped Awaba House, by a local Aboriginal women's art group.
Lake Macquarie Mayor Adam Shultz said the plan, developed with the Aboriginal community, underlined Council's commitment to support equal access to services and to create a place where cultural identity was embraced and celebrated.
"The simultaneous launch of Bayikulinan and the unveiling of this artwork - Wreath of Nikinpa - is no coincidence," he said.
"Together they show what is possible when culture, community, policy and art walk side by side."
The new community plan outlines four key objectives:
- To build cohesion and address discrimination and racism
- To provide Aboriginal people with culturally safe and appropriate services
- To provide Aboriginal people with employment opportunities
- To involve Aboriginal people in decisions that affect them
Mayor Adam said the plan also included a comprehensive list of actions to achieve those objectives, from cultural awareness training for Council staff and the wider community to hosting wellbeing programs tailored for the Aboriginal community.
"With more than 11,700 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people calling Lake Macquarie home, Council has a responsibility to nurture, honour and share the deep cultural knowledge and heritage across our city," he said.
The new mosaic by the Nikinpa Art Group features a wreath of painted gum leaves surrounding the words "Care, Healing, Connection".
Nikinpa Art Group facilitator Bonnie Simon said the artwork was intended as a place for Aboriginal people and the wider community to visit, reflect and connect with the environment around them.
"You can look at it in a lot of different ways, but it is a celebration of life," she said.
The plan's launch and artwork unveiling kick off at 10am on Saturday 14 February with a smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country, followed by speeches by the artists and a morning tea and gumleaf painting workshop at the Museum of Art and Culture, yapang.
