NAIDOC Week takes place from 5-12 July 2026 and is an opportunity for all Australians to come together and celebrate the rich history, diverse cultures and knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The 2026 theme, 50 Years of Deadly, marks a milestone: 50 years of honouring and elevating Indigenous voices, culture, and resilience.

This NAIDOC Week, our Westfield centres across Australia will bring their local communities together to connect through stories, language, art and shared experiences, and recognise the strength, leadership and achievements of First Nations peoples. Visit your local centre’s website to find out what’s happening near you.

We spoke with Wiradjuri and Yuin woman, Emilie Barker to understand the significance of NAIDOC Week to her community. Emilie was a 2024 Westfield Local Heroes finalist and co-founder of The Minhi’s Netball Club < https://www.theminhisnetballclub.org/>, which was created to promote health, community spirit and excellence in sport among First Nations People. The club aims to foster and provide resilience, cultural awareness education, empowerment and strength through netball.

Can you tell us about Minhi’s Netball Club?
The Minhi’s Netball Club is a First Nations founded and operated, not-for-profit grassroots sporting organisation founded in 2019 by my sister, Sallie-Ann, and myself. Minhi’s means Sisters in our mother’s Wiradjuri Clan language, reflecting the values that have shaped our club from the beginning.

In 2026, we launched our Healing Yarning Circles Initiative, a 7-week wellbeing and leadership program for girls and women in sport. The program provides a culturally safe pathway back into netball by helping remove barriers to participation through connection, mentoring, wellbeing education, and community support. As a volunteer-led organisation, every opportunity we receive is reinvested into our community. Our goal is to invest back into girls, boys, local grassroots sport and First Nations communities.

What does NAIDOC Week mean to you and the Club?
NAIDOC Week is a time to celebrate the strength, resilience, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples while sharing our cultures with the wider community. We pay our deepest respects and acknowledge the traditional ancestors, elders, aunties & uncles who came before us and continue to guide us.

For our club, it's an opportunity to celebrate culture through sport, creativity, and connection. This year, our junior Minhi's designed and painted their own mural, and we'll be hosting activities that promote wellbeing, cultural pride, and community participation.

You were recognised as a Westfield Local Hero finalist in 2024. What does this mean for you personally?
Being recognised as a Westfield Local Hero was an incredible honour for both The Minhi's Netball Club and me. To this day it feels so surreal that we got that opportunity and it’s created so many pathways for us and our girls.

The funding allowed us to invest directly back into our community by purchasing equipment, supporting new initiatives, and reducing barriers for families to participate in grassroots sport. As a not-for-profit organisation, we are grateful to have dedicated volunteers who help us share our work with Westfield, as they also provide a platform to share our story and highlight the importance of culturally safe sporting environments and community-led organisations. This is just the beginning.

How has your partnership with Westfield Eastgardens helped you grow your impact in the community?
Our partnership with Westfield Eastgardens has extended well beyond the Local Heroes program. The ongoing opportunities to collaborate through community events, cultural celebrations, and awareness campaigns have helped us reach more families, celebrate First Nations culture, and showcase the positive impact of girls & women's grassroots netball.

Westfield continues to partner with program alumni to grow their impact. Learn more about the Westfield Local Heroes program and our 991 finalists and heroes from the past 8 years here.