Category: Newcastle News

The Albanese Government has officially declared an offshore wind zone in the Pacific Ocean off the Hunter, paving the way for energy and job security in a region that has helped to power Australia for generations.

This is the second officially declared Australian offshore wind zone – and being in a heartland of heavy industry, will support future onshore manufacturing and energy security in NSW for decades to come.

The strong, consistent winds off the coast, along with the region’s skilled energy and manufacturing workforce, make the Hunter an ideal location for an offshore wind industry.

The final area was declared after two months of public consultation with a smaller footprint than the originally proposed zone – balancing the views of the local community, local industry and sea users.

The declared area, stretches over 1,800 km2 between Swansea and Port Stephens and could generate up to 5GW of wind energy, enough to power an estimated 4.2 million homes and power local industries into the future.

The revised zone will be 20 km from the coast in the north and over 35 km from the coast in the south.

These changes enable continued safe management of shipping and other sea industries. Offshore infrastructure will also be limited to a height of 260 metres to address aviation safety.

Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said the declaration was another big step for Australia to reap the huge benefits of offshore wind.

“The Hunter is undergoing significant economic change, and the prospect of creating new job opportunities for decades to come through a new offshore wind industry is a game changer,” Minister Bowen said.

“Today’s declaration opens the door for a new industry in the Hunter, which could create over 3,000 construction jobs and another 1,560 ongoing jobs.

Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon MP said this was an exciting opportunity for Newcastle to diversify its economy, while becoming home to a new offshore wind industry.

“The Albanese Labor Government has listened to community feedback and revised the offshore wind zone accordingly to ensure it coexists alongside whale migration, bird and sea life, and our shipping industry.”

“This is an important part of a suite of measures which will position Newcastle and the Hunter as a clean energy hub, including an $100 million investment to ensure hydrogen readiness at the Port of Newcastle. Newcastle has a bright future.”

​Feasibility licence applications for offshore wind projects in the Hunter area will open from 8 August  until 14 November 2023.

During the feasibility licence stage, developers will be required to undertake further consultation on individual proposals, including detailed environmental assessments and impacts on other marine users.

Construction can only begin after feasibility stage is completed, and environmental and management plan approvals are gained.

The final declared zone can be found at https://www.dcceew.gov.au/energy/renewable/establishing-offshore-infrastructure

A $10 million indoor aquatic facility at Lambton Park War Memorial Swimming Centre is part of a tender the City of Newcastle has placed on public notice, for the operation of Newcastle’s five swimming pools.

Proposed upgrades by BlueFit Pty Ltd, who have been managing Lambton Swimming Centre since 2014, will also include a gym, new kiosk and new changerooms.

BlueFit has also committed to building accessibility facilities at each of the city’s five pools at Lambton, Wallsend, Beresfield, Stockton and Mayfield.

Under the proposed lease of seven years with two possible seven-year extensions and currently on public notice, BlueFit would commit $5 million as part of their successful tender to operate the city’s pools.

A decision on whether to award BlueFit the contract to manage Newcastle’s local pools will not be made until August following a public notice process that invites comments on the proposed lease.

CN staff have also developed a business case for the internal operation of the pools, which will be considered alongside the external tenders, prior to a final decision by the CEO in August.

The proposed upgrades at Lambton Swimming Centre would see 10 new or improved facilities:

1. A new 25m indoor warm water pool for improved programs and year-round operations
2. A new indoor toddlers’ pool and changerooms for year-round operations
3. Refurbishment of the amenities block and changerooms
4. Accessible change facilities
5. New health and fitness facilities
6. New accessibility features for pool access
7. Upgraded kiosk and cafe
8. Upgraded Swimming Centre entrance
9. Improved administration facilities
10. New multi-purpose room

City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath said a year-round indoor facility at Lambton Swimming Centre was the key request from community consultation on its 20-year pools strategy, adopted in May.

“BlueFit has done preliminary work on an indoor aquatic facility as part of their tender proposal and we are sharing the images to help the community gain a sense of what these improvements at Lambton could look like,” he said.

“BlueFit’s proposal also includes freezing entry fees at all local pools this Summer season, ensuring that Newcastle pools remain the region’s most affordable. Beresfield Pool, which has long had the lowest entry fee of any local pool, will see its general admission fee further reduced to $2.90 when it reopens at the end of September.

“BlueFit has also confirmed that if they are awarded the contract to manage our local swimming pools, local private swimming school operator Joy Of Water will be able to continue to provide swimming lessons from Beresfield Pool as they have done for the past few years.”

Lambton, Mayfield, Wallsend and Stockton Swimming Centres have been operated by BlueFit since 2014. Beresfield has been managed under a hybrid arrangement with the pool managed in-house and BlueFit operating the turnstiles and kiosk since 2017.

Mr Bath said that the decision to place the proposed lease on public notice follows a detailed review by him of the proposal and financial modelling, as well as six weeks of further consultation with key stakeholders including councillors, unions, local MPs and staff.

“During the past six weeks I’ve reached out to multiple stakeholders, including councillors and unions. An invitation was extended to the State Member for Wallsend; however, I received no response,” Mr Bath said.

“My decision to place the lease on public notice was also influenced by the fact that the four local pools managed by BlueFit for the past nine years enjoy significantly lower entry fees than pools operated by other local councils.

“Part of my review during the past six weeks was to determine if ratepayers would be better off if City of Newcastle returned to managing its five local swimming centres, rather than BlueFit.

“This review found that if City of Newcastle were to once again manage its pools, the cost to ratepayers would be up to $39 million more than when compared to the cost of BlueFit managing them.

“This cost will send Council’s budget into deficit in at least two of the next five years. To avoid this impact, management would need to consider options such as increasing entry fees or re-prioritising other services or projects.

“The four swimming centres already managed locally by BlueFit enjoy a customer satisfaction rating of 85%, which is higher than the region’s many other public and private swimming centres.”

The decision to place the lease on public notice is detailed in a report on the City of Newcastle website. Key factors include:

• BlueFit’s tender provides value for money to ratepayers.
• Customer service outcomes will be enhanced via the construction of a year-round aquatic facility at Lambton Park War Memorial Swimming Centre including new indoor pools, a gym and new changerooms, as well as installation of accessible facilities at all five sites.
• The contract does not involve the sale or disposal of the pools, noting Mayfield and Lambton are on Crown Land and cannot be sold.
• BlueFit operated local swimming centres enjoy extremely high customer satisfaction ratings.

• Pool users will financially benefit from BlueFit’s decision to freeze or reduce pool entry fees this season.
• BlueFit’s $5 million capital investment favourably benchmarks with other outsourced pool contracts in NSW, the ACT and Queensland.
• BlueFit’s tender is consistent with CN’s adopted Inland Pools Strategy 2043.
• BlueFit is a responsible employer with a remuneration structure that exceeds the relevant award.
• External management of our local pools by an industry-leading organisation reduces risk to ratepayers.
• CN has undertaken a robust tender process, which has been overseen by an independent probity advisor.

Submissions in writing should be addressed to The City of Newcastle, Inland Pools Lease, PO Box 489, Newcastle, 2300 and be received by close of business Monday 31 July 2023.

A girl missing from the Newcastle area has been located.

The 16-year-old was last seen in New Lambton, about 5pm today (Tuesday 11 July 2023).

When she could not be located, officers attached to Newcastle Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into her whereabouts.

Following a public appeal and geo-targeted SMS campaign, she was recognised by a member of the public who contacted police.

Police would like to thank the public for their assistance.

Newcastle’s Civic precinct will turn green and gold this month when City of Newcastle hosts outdoor screenings of the Matildas World Cup campaign in Wheeler Place.

There will be added home-grown pride on the line, with Novocastrians Clare Wheeler and Emily Van Egmond this week named in the 23-player squad for the much-anticipated tournament.

Thousands of football fans are expected to converge on the live site to cheer on the Matildas, who will open the FIFA Women’s World Cup against the Republic of Ireland on Thursday 20 July.

The live site will be set up next to Civic Theatre from 7pm for each of Australia’s matches during the Group stage, which will also see the Matildas take on Nigeria on 27 July and Canada on 31 July.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the live site will bring the action of the World Cup to Newcastle, offering a family-friendly way for locals to enjoy the atmosphere and cheer on their football heroes with fellow Novocastrians.

“Novocastrians are passionate about football and turned out in droves in December when we held an open-air broadcast of the Socceroos sudden death match against Argentina during the men’s World Cup,” Cr Nelmes said.

“I know we can expect the same level of support for our much-loved Matildas, who inspired an Australian crowd attendance record for a women’s soccer match during their clash against Brazil in Newcastle just a few years ago.”

Chair of the Sports Infrastructure Working Party Councillor Peta Winney-Baartz encouraged Novocastrians to join together at the City’s family-friendly live site in support of the Matildas.

“City of Newcastle is thrilled to be able to host these live screenings for the community and I invite everyone to don their green and gold and get down to Wheeler Place to soak up what is sure to be an incredible World Cup atmosphere,” Cr Winney-Baartz said.

“With the Matildas group matches kicking off at 8pm each time, I’d encourage everyone to show their support for our local business community, with plenty of great places to eat and drink throughout the city centre and Darby Street before and after the game.”

Novocastrian women have played a significant role in the success of the Matildas throughout their history, with more than 20 players hailing from Newcastle since the Australian women’s team was officially formed in 1978.

This includes Matildas stalwarts Cheryl Salisbury, Joey Peters and Emily van Egmond, who have pulled on the green and gold jersey more than 100 times each.

Former Matildas midfielder Shelley Youman, who represented Australia 23 times during the 1990s, welcomed the opportunity to come together at City of Newcastle’s live site screenings.

“Gathering as a community at the Newcastle live site to support the Matildas in the Women’s World Cup will ignite a power of unity and celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of women’s football and women’s sport in general,” Ms Youman said.

“Newcastle has always been a fantastic sporting hub for female athletes. The Women’s World Cup on home soil will create electric atmosphere, and inspire a new generation of athletes, demonstrating that the strength and spirit of a community can transcend the boundaries of the sporting arena.”

Further details on the Women’s World Cup live site will be shared on City of Newcastle’s Facebook and What’s On websites in the lead-up to this month’s events.

Newcastle Museum is turning back the clock to the days of paddle steamers and horse drawn carriages as part of a special exhibition showcasing one of Australia’s best model railways.

Created by noted modeller Ross Balderson and a small group of fellow enthusiasts, Newcastle 1899 depicts the Newcastle Railway precinct in miniature at the turn of the century, complete with steam trams chugging their way up and down Scott Street.

The working model is complemented by a bustling harbor filled with historically accurate ships including tugboats “Champion” and “Commodore” and the paddle steamship “SS Namoi”.

Creating it was a labour of love for Mr Balderson, who has been working on it for more than a decade after being inspired by an image in a railway book taken by renowned Newcastle-based photographer Ralph Snowball.

“I have produced numerous model railway layouts throughout my life recreating New South Wales locations and capturing moments in time of our past history,” Mr Balderson said.

“I chose to model Newcastle after first being inspired by one single photograph published in a railway book, which showed a scene looking across Newcastle’s railway station platforms and rail yard to a row of moored sailing ships loading goods at Queens Wharf.

“With the assistance of Greg Ray and David Hampton I have been given the opportunity to show the model at Newcastle Museum, displaying how the city once appeared back in the days of sailing ships and horse drawn vehicles.”

City of Newcastle Director of Museum, Archive, Libraries and Learning, Julie Baird, said Newcastle Museum welcomed the opportunity to showcase this unique peek into Newcastle’s past.

“Ross and his supporters have spent the past 10 years painstakingly recreating the Newcastle Railway Station precinct, drawing from historical photographs, measuring existing buildings, and hand-painting backdrops to develop a breathtaking record of Newcastle in the age of sail and steam,” Ms Baird said.

“The model is a superb reflection of the complex and varied skills that contribute to model-making, combining artistic flair, precision accuracy and detailed research to create one of the finest examples of historically accurate miniature railways in Australia.

“Newcastle Museum plays an important role in interpreting and preserving our city’s fascinating history for future generations and we are proud to be able to display the model for the first time in Newcastle.”

Local history buffs and railway enthusiasts who have been following the progress of the build through the Lost Newcastle and the Rediscovered Newcastle Facebook groups will finally have the chance to see the model in real life when it is displayed in Newcastle Museum’s Link Gallery from 7-9 July.

Lost Newcastle founder and Newcastle Councillor Carol Duncan said it has been wonderful watching this project from afar and can’t wait to finally see it in person.

“Ross and his supporters are so incredibly passionate about this project and it’s been fascinating to see this model come together over the years,” Cr Duncan.

“I encourage everyone to take the chance this weekend to check out this working model at Newcastle Museum, which provides an insight into a time in Newcastle’s history that otherwise could be lost to future generations.”

Newcastle 1899 will be displayed alongside Hexham-ish, a model railway built by Steve Curry based on the J & A Brown railway that operated for over 130 years between Hexham and Minmi.

Steve has been responsible for scratch-building highly detailed models of the J & A Brown locomotive fleet, including a representation of The Buck, which is on permanent display at Newcastle Museum.

Entry to the museum is free, and both model railways will be available to view during regular opening hours of 10am-5pm. Both layouts will operate, with trains running throughout the day.

Two men have been charged following a three-day joy ride in the Hunter Region this week.

Around 5am on Wednesday 5 July 2023, officers from Newcastle City Police District observed a white Hyundai Tucson on Harriet Street, Waratah, driving in a manner dangerous.

Checks on the vehicle revealed it was reported stolen during a break and enter at a Cameron Park address on Tuesday 4 July 2023.

Around 4.30am on Thursday 6 July 2023, the stolen vehicle was sighted by police travelling at speeds up to 180km/h on the M1 Pacific Motorway at Wahroonga. 

A pursuit was initiated by officers from the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command; however, was terminated due to safety concerns.

Around 7.30am that morning (Thursday 6 July 2023), police spotted SUV on Croudace Bay Road, Belmont, before it collided into a police vehicle and fled the scene.

A second pursuit was initiated before later being terminated.

The Hyundai was located shortly afterwards at Gari Street in Charlestown, where police were told two men were seen abandoning the SUV and running into nearby bushland.

With the assistance of the dog unit, officers from Lake Macquarie Police District located and arrested two men at Park Street, Charlestown, before taking them to Belmont Police Station.

An 18-year-old man was charged with take & drive conveyance without consent of owner and a 22-year-old man was charged with be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner.

Both men were also charged with breach of bail and subsequently refused bail to appear before Belmont Local Court on Friday 7 July 2023.

Detectives from State Crime Command’s Sex Crimes Squad have charged a man following an investigation into online grooming in Newcastle under Strike Force Trawler.

Strike Force Trawler is an ongoing investigation by Sex Crimes Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) into the sexual abuse and exploitation of children facilitated through the internet and related telecommunications devices.

Earlier this month, detectives began engaging online with a 64-year-old Wallsend man, who they will allege was using a social media platform to approach and groom young boys for the purpose of sexual activity.

Following subsequent inquiries, about 9am today (Thursday 6 July 2023), strike force detectives attended a service station in Wallsend where they arrested 64-year-old man.

A short time later, officers executed a search warrant an address in Wallsend, where a number of electronic devices were located. 

The items were seized to undergo further forensic examination.

The man was taken to Waratah Police Station, where he was charged with use carriage service-procure <16 years for sexual activity.

He was refused bail to appear in Newcastle Local Court today.

Inquiries under Strike Force Trawler continue.

Night works are soon to wrap up on the resurfacing of one of Newcastle’s most well-known streets as City of Newcastle (CN) invests more than $14.7 million into a record year of road improvements.

Recent road upgrades have transformed Hamilton’s Beaumont Street as part of CN’s ongoing investment into upgrading essential community infrastructure, which will see $7.5 million spent on road resurfacing during the next 12 months.

A further $7.2 million will be invested into road rehabilitation projects over the next twelve months, as part of City of Newcastle’s $54 million investment in road upgrades over the past five Budgets.

Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen said CN had increased its annual road upgrade expenditure by more than 170 per cent since 2019/20 as it continues to deliver vital road rehabilitation projects and improvements across the Local Government Area.

“During the 2023/24 financial year, we will invest more than $14.7 million into our city’s road network for resurfacing and rehabilitation projects, as part of CN’s largest annual capital works program to date,” Cr Clausen said.

“CN’s investment in capital works has been growing over the past five years as we continue to balance infrastructure renewal with revitalisation projects to meet our community’s expectations that come with sustained growth.”

Among the projects completed during the 2022/23 financial year were Croudace Road, Elermore Vale and Maryland Drive, Maryland and most recently the resurfacing of Beaumont Street in Hamilton.

Councillor Carol Duncan praised the efforts of City of Newcastle’s nightwork teams for successfully resurfacing one of Newcastle’s busiest suburban streets.

“The resurfacing of Beaumont Street, between Donald and Denison Street, has been no easy feat. As Hamilton’s popular main street, it sees a high volume of cars and pedestrians every day,” Cr Duncan said.

“The work has been carried out on Monday and Tuesday nights, while the rest of us were tucked up in bed. This has resulted in minimal disruption to drivers and local businesses. This outcome is a credit to CN’s civil works team who have worked through the night to make this happen.”

Local business owner and Hamilton Business Improvement Association (BIA) Chair Reece Hignall welcomed the road improvements made to Beaumont Street.

“Beaumont Street is now an even more attractive place to eat, drink and shop, with this work enhancing the safety and appeals of this precinct to visitors,” Mr Hignall said.

“The BIA met with CN and together worked collaboratively to ensure minimal disruption to our many small businesses here in Hamilton.”

Upcoming major road resurfacing and rehabilitation projects to commence in 2023/24 include Hope Street Wallsend, Lambton Road New Lambton, Fern Street Islington and Memorial Drive The Hill.

Relaxed liquor licence conditions will continue for 15 of the Newcastle licensed venues that participated in a trial examining options for boosting the city’s nightlife.

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The relaxed conditions include the removal of 1am and 1:30am lockout restrictions and the easing of restrictions on the types of drinks that may be served.

The Newcastle area has been subject to more stringent trading conditions than those typically found elsewhere in NSW.

Stage One of the Newcastle Liquor Licence Trial started in October 2020 and looked at the effect of eased licensing conditions in some low-risk venues such as small bars and restaurants, while Stage Two kicked off in October 2021 and evaluated the effectiveness of more relaxed rules in hotels, general bars and public entertainment establishments, involving 21 venues.

After carefully considering the findings of the trial, the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) decided that participating venues could apply to have their liquor licence conditions relaxed permanently.

Because the results were not uniform, all proposals submitted to ILGA were considered on a case-by-case basis, with a strong focus on compliance, safety and avoiding any unacceptable risks to the community.

Some of the venues applied for relaxed conditions to be removed from their licences permanently but were not fully approved. During the trial, most participating venues indicated that the relaxed licensing conditions positively impacted their patronage, business turnover and employment opportunities.

Minister for the Arts, Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy, and Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said:

“The Newcastle area is home to an incredible collection of venues, artists and nightlife businesses that make it such a vibrant place after dark.  It is good to see those evidence-based changes that will allow Newcastle to remain vibrant and safe later into the night.”

Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris said:

“Relaxing the licence conditions for some venues supports the evolution of Newcastle’s nightlife into a safe, vibrant, fun and creative environment.

“Newcastle has undergone significant change and we must change with it, to continue the cultural and economic revitalisation of the region.

“The trial has shown that venues that improve patron safety and take action to reduce alcohol-related violence can have their licence conditions relaxed and contribute to a thriving, safe, inclusive night-time economy for everyone.”

Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp said:

“Newcastle has changed significantly since 2008 and taking a one size fits all approach to liquor laws in the city was outdated approach.

“I am pleased to see venues with a good compliance history that promote patron safety are being rewarded with the eased conditions from the trial applied to their licenses. This will further help grow the night-time economy in Newcastle.”

City of Newcastle has kicked off its NAIDOC Week celebrations with the launch of a new monthly storytime session designed to share First Nations culture with the next generation.

Uncle Amos Simon from Muurrung Marai facilitated the first Sharing Culture Storytime event at Wallsend Library today, connecting his captivated young audience with the Awabakal and Gathung language and culture through songs, dance, yadaki (didgeridoo) and puppets.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said City of Newcastle is proud to support city-wide NAIDOC Week celebrations, reinforcing our strong support for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament through the upcoming constitutional referendum.

“Newcastle has a long and rich history of standing side-by-side with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to enact positive change, having established the Guaraki Aboriginal Advisory Committee more than two decades ago, while also being the first city to raise the Aboriginal Flag over a civic building under the leadership of former Lord Mayor Joy Cummings,” Cr Nelmes said.

“Today, we are proud to be the first local council in Greater Newcastle to formally endorse the Uluru Statement from the Heart and the ‘Yes’ campaign for constitutional recognition, reflecting the views of our progressive and inclusive community by supporting annual NAIDOC Week celebrations throughout the city.”

Councillor Deahnna Richardson, a proud Wiradjuri woman, said the Sharing Culture Storytime session is among a number of events being held in Newcastle as part of national NAIDOC Week celebrations, which will run from 2 – 9 July.

“This year’s NAIDOC Week theme, ‘For Our Elders’, recognises the key role Elders have played, and continue to play, as the cultural knowledge holders, trailblazers, nurturers, advocates, teachers, survivors and leaders of our mob,” Cr Richardson said.

“NAIDOC Week provides an opportunity for our community to acknowledge that the story of Australia began far before European settlement, while recognising that First Nations peoples have occupied and cared for our land for over 65,000 years.”

City of Newcastle will support Awabakal Corporation in its peak NAIDOC Week event on Monday 3 July, which will begin with a flag raising in Civic Park at 9am followed by a march to Foreshore Park. Family friendly celebrations featuring stalls, rides, dancing and song will run from 10am to 2pm, giving the community a chance to come together to celebrate First Nations culture, while City of Newcastle will proudly host the Elders Tent.

Guraki Aboriginal Advisory Committee Member Councillor Peta Winney-Baartz said City of Newcastle facilities will celebrate our Indigenous culture through a range of exhibitions and activities.

“NAIDOC Week provides an important opportunity for our community to celebrate the stories and rich history of the oldest continuous living culture on Earth,” Cr Winney-Baartz said.

“I encourage everyone to take advantage of the free events on offer throughout the city to celebrate our Indigenous culture this NAIDOC Week.”

Newcastle Libraries will continue their activities with special NAIDOC Week Storytime sessions at the Wallsend and City library branches on 6 and 7 July respectively. Storytime will be facilitated by Indigenous health practitioner Sarah Corrigan from Rainbow Crow Cultural Collective, who will also introduce families to the Wayapa program, which is based on ancient Indigenous knowledge about living in harmony with the environment and connection with the world’s oldest living continuous culture.

The Lovett Gallery at Newcastle City Library will host the free Koori Knockout: 50 Years travelling exhibition from the State Library of NSW, which will be open to the public from 6 July to 21 October.

The photographic exhibition celebrates the first 50 years of the rugby league carnival, which began in Sydney with just seven men’s teams and has gone on to become the biggest rugby league knockout carnival in the world. The exhibition includes images of Newcastle All Blacks teams, who were crowned winners of the Koori Knockout in 1987, 2017, 2018 and 2022.

Newcastle Museum is celebrating the talent and creativity of Newcastle’s diverse First Nations people through its exhibition entitled FIRST, which showcases the work of 16 Indigenous creatives who have a link to Newcastle and the Hunter.

Whilst at the Museum, visitors can also check out Cultural Resurgence, an exhibition featuring works developed by more than 600 school students, community groups and organisations participating in cultural enrichment programs delivered by Speaking in Colour.

Newcastle Art Gallery will also celebrate NAIDOC Week at Hamilton’s James Street Plaza with an outdoor projection of the video work Dead Tongue (2015) by leading First Nations artist Dr Christian Thompson AO.

The work, which comprises a moving portrait of the artist along with a stirring soundtrack of the artist singing in Bidjara language, will be on display from 3 July until the end of August. The project will culminate on Saturday 26 August in an evening of First Nations performance and music in collaboration with local artist Wanjun Carpenter. The project is presented by Newcastle Art Gallery with the support of Art Thinking, Hamilton Business Association, and the NSW Government through Create NSW.

National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia annually in the first week of July to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.