Blue skies replaced the morning rain, the car parks filled before lunchtime, and thousands of people poured into Oakes Oval as Lismore celebrated one of its biggest and most vibrant NAIDOC Week events yet.
The inaugural Big Deadly Day transformed the sporting precinct into a sea of families, children, Elders and community members enjoying free rides, touch football, live entertainment, cultural activities, food and community services, all united by a celebration of Aboriginal culture and community.
From the moment the gates opened, it was clear organisers had created something special.
"We're very excited to be here today," CASPA CEO Naarah Rodwell said. "We've partnered with lots of other community organisations and businesses to bring this event to the Lismore community. Everything here is free for the Jarjums, for the families, for the community. There's rides, there's food, there's an amazing touch footy competition, and it's really about celebrating NAIDOC Week and making sure this is a really inclusive event and space for as many people as can get here today."
What had started as a gloomy, rain-soaked morning quickly turned into the perfect winter's day, much to the relief of organisers. By mid-morning, every available parking space around Oakes Oval had been taken.
"It's early in the morning and it's already full," Rodwell said. "There's not a single car park out there available to anybody, so the response from the community and the attendance has been overwhelming.
"We can't believe that the sun gods have done the right thing by us. We thought last night this was going to be really worrisome weather for the kids trying to play touch footy, but it's turned out perfectly and the numbers are amazing."
The event was jointly delivered by CASPA, Ngunya Jarjum, Lismore City Council, and [community partners] Yarn2Connect [and Jarjum Morr Bulaangii], alongside dozens of local organisations and businesses that filled the grounds with activities, information stalls and support services.
Rodwell said bringing those services together in one place was an important part of the day.
"The legal service is here offering free legal advice, and there's so many different organisations and community organisations that have turned up today," she said.
"Honestly, all we're trying to do is bring whatever we can to the community, make it free, make it readily available, make it visible, and connect as many people as we can."
For Tanachae Thaiday, [Human Resources Officer at Ngunya Jarjum] who helped organise the event, seeing thousands of people enjoying the day was the reward for months of planning.
"Coming down to Lismore this morning it looked so gloomy," she said. "We set up in the rain. We were absolutely drenched, and now we're hot.”
"To see so many people out here... I have goosebumps.”
"We didn't know what to expect when we all came together to organise this event, so to see the amount of people here is amazing."
Thaiday said the day reflected exactly what NAIDOC Week is about.
"It's absolutely vital for this community and for our people to be able to celebrate their culture and come together," she said.
"Whether you're Blak, white, any ethnicity, I strongly advise people to come out and celebrate because it's a week of celebration."
From the stage overlooking the packed grounds, MC Emanuel Roberts watched the crowds continue to grow throughout the morning.
"So far, so good," he said. "The sun is shining. The rain's gone away. Fingers crossed, I think one of them old Black fellas chucked the axe in the ground to split that rain for us.”
"It's packed. It's exactly what we want to see.
"Everybody mingling together. Doesn't matter what nationality you are or where you come from, this is just a good day to come down and celebrate."
For Roberts, the event embodied the spirit of this year's NAIDOC Week celebrations.
"I love seeing our mob come together. Other mob come together. It doesn't matter if you're Aboriginal or not, just seeing community come and turn up for such a terrific event," he said.
"It's not only celebrating 50 years of being deadly, it's celebrating 65,000 years of being deadly."
As children laughed on the rides, touch football matches played out across the fields and families gathered in the winter sunshine, there was a tangible sense of pride across Oakes Oval.
The Big Deadly Day showcased the power of local organisations working together, highlighted the strength of Aboriginal culture in the Northern Rivers, and created a welcoming space where everyone could come together to celebrate community.
Story originally published by The Lismore App on 9 July 2026
