Wiradjuri Culture

Forbes Shire sits proudly on Wiradjuri Land and we acknowledge this nation as the traditional owners and pay our respect to elders past, present and emerging. The Wiradjuri nation is the largest cultural footprint in NSW  - from the Blue Mountains in the east, to Hay in the west, north to Nyngan and south to Albury in the South Western slopes region.

The Wiradjuri people were a hunter-gatherer society made up of small clans or close family groups whose movements followed seasonal food gathering and ritual patterns.

The 2016 Census has the aboriginal population standing at 1,021 in the Forbes Shire, that is 9.6% of the total population.

The Forbes Wiradjuri Dreaming Centre (WDC) is an iconic project initiated by the Forbes Wiradjuri Community to promote Wiradjuri culture and stories. The Centre is a unique hub for educating the community and regularly hosts cultural events, meetings and workshops conducted largely by enthusiastic and dedicated local volunteers. Around the Centre you will find several totem poles telling the cultural stories from this remarkable community and a yarning circle and sand dance ring as well as interpretative signage featuring aspects of Wiradjuri culture. On the shoreline of adjacent Lake Forbes near the WDC is a bronze statue by artist Brett ‘Mon’ Garling  entitled “Family Matters”. This breathtaking piece features two Indigenous women with child returning from gathering food and is an iconic component of the work undertaken between the Forbes Arts Society and the Wiradjuri Dreaming Centre committee.

Forbes Community Wiradjuri Celebrations - Event

Thursday 7th September 2023 | 10:00am-2:00pm | Wiradjuri Dreaming Centre.  

Forbes Shire Council, in partnership with the Forbes NAIDOC Committee have planned another fantastic event for the community in celebration of NAIDOC 2023 - For Our Elders! 

There will be a range of cultural activities on offer, amusement rides, food vendors including traditional food options and an Official Ceremony. 

Poster can be downloaded here (PDF 5MB)

For more information contact Council’s Community Relations Officer at community@forbes.nsw.gov.au or 02 6850 2300.  

Forbes Community Wiradjuri Celebrations - Award Nominations

Each year the Forbes community celebrates NAIDOC Week. The purpose of NAIDOC Week is to celebrate the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and to foster greater understanding of Indigenous culture. As part of this year’s NAIDOC Week celebrations we would like to recognise the outstanding contributions that our local Indigenous people make to improve our community or to promote Indigenous issues.

Award categories are:

• Indigenous Sports Person of the Year (under 18)
• Indigenous Creative Person of the Year (under 18)
• Elder of the Year

To download the aware nomination form, please click here.  (PDF 363.4KB)

Nominations are now open and will close at 5.00pm Friday 25 August 2023.