Oztag players enjoy Goonellabah's inaugural NAIDOC Week event

Hepburn Park in Goonellabah was transformed into a sea of young Oztag players on July 11 after more than 200 young people participated in CASPA’s inaugural NAIDOC Oztag Gala Day.

The free event hopes to become an annual highlight on CASPA’s cultural calendar and was a collaboration between CASPA, Lismore Oztag, Aboriginal Affairs NSW and the Widjabul Wia-Bal community. Players came in from several Bundjalung Nation communities, including teams from across the Queensland border.

CASPA CEO Naarah Rodwell said she was delighted with the level of interest in the inaugural event which had exceeded all expectations of organisers. 

‘This incredible sports-focused community day brought together hundreds of children and their families from across northern NSW and southern Queensland to celebrate the 2024 NAIDOC Week,’ Ms Rodwell said.

‘Oztag is an amazing sport for young people with all the energy and excitement of rugby league without the tackling, making it ideal for players of all skill levels and sizes to compete,’ she said.

‘With many of CASPA’s services located in the rugby league heartland of northern NSW, we thought a friendly Oztag competition would be the perfect way to celebrate NAIDOC Week and we would love to make this an annual event in the future.’

NAIDOC Week is Australia’s biggest annual cultural celebration and this year’s theme is a recognition of the unyielding spirit of indigenous communities and the unapologetic celebration of indigenous identity.

Article published in Echo on 18 July 2024