More than 200 people gathered recently on Yaegl Country to celebrate the achievements of the Land Rights Network and other Aboriginal organisations on the North Coast.
The event also doubled as a (belated) celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act (ALRA) being enacted in NSW.
NSWALC Councillor for the North Coast Region, Councillor Diane Randall, said it was a great evening tinged with sadness as many Land Rights Legends no longer with us were also celebrated.
“It was a great privilege to be able to honour Aunty Joyce Clague (nee Mercy) who was a trailblazer for Aboriginal people, and we were honoured to have some of Aunty Joyce’s family with us for the gala dinner. We also remembered former NSWALC Councillor David Brown, a man of great integrity,’’ Cr Randall told the Clarence Valley Independent.
Specially designed awards were handed out to Land Rights legends from the 13 Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALCs) in the North Coast Region, and also to other important Aboriginal organisations, such as the Yaegl Elders Aboriginal Corporation and Bulgarr Ngaru Medical Aboriginal Corporation.
“Thank you again for all your achievements,’’ Cr Randall told the audience. “We truly stand here tonight thanks to the persistence, strength and courage of those who have gone before us; and looking around the room – I am confident we have tomorrow’s future leaders who will thrive and build on the amazing legacy we have inherited.’’
NSWALC Chairperson Cr Raymond Kelly also attended the function, along with NSWALC Councillors Charles Lynch (Northern Region), Danny Chapman (South Coast Region) Cr Anne Dennis (North Western Region), Cr Grace Toomey (Central Region) and Cr Peter Smith (Mid North Coast Region).
The previous day Yaegl Traditional Owners took the NSWALC Councillors and acting CEO Heidi Hardy on a specialised On Country tour highlighting the natural beauty of the area.
Chairperson Cr Kelly said: “It is a great honour to be chairperson of NSWALC, the largest member-based Aboriginal organisation in NSW. We are politically strong to support Aboriginal peoples in NSW and we will continue the fight of our champions who formed NSWALC in 1977.’’
