Held at Oorala and the surrounding lawns on UNE’s Armidale campus, the free event will bring together students, staff, alumni, community members and visitors to celebrate four decades of culture, education and connection.
The celebrations will run from 10am to 2pm, with the program beginning with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony.
The day will include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance, live music, workshops, demonstrations, children's activities, market stalls and food outlets, including a free sausage sizzle.
Among the highlights will be live music from Terra Firma, The Kelly Gang and UNE’s very own Macey & the Dots. Other attractions include a Paws Up/BackTrack dog jumping demonstration, cooking demonstration with Nathan Lyons from Kooking with a Koori, Earth Art with Aunty Sharon, a language workshop with Callum Clayton-Dixon, artefact workshops with Steve Ahoy and weaving with Aunty Dolly.
A diverse range of business owners and service providers will also be there to share their products, services, and expertise.
Director of the Oorala Aboriginal Centre, Samantha Fowler said the anniversary was an opportunity to bring together the many people who had contributed to the centre over the past 40 years.
“Oorala has always been a place where people can come together, whether that is to study, seek advice, share culture or simply connect with other people,” Ms Fowler said.
“This celebration is about recognising the generations of students, staff, Elders and community members who have made Oorala what it is today.
“We want people who have been part of Oorala’s story to come back and celebrate with us, but we also want people who may not know Oorala to come along, experience the day and find out more about what we do and who we are.”
Oorala Aboriginal Centre first opened on 14 April 1986, initially supporting a small number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at UNE.
Since then, more than 1,500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students have graduated from UNE, with around 1,100 currently studying across the University.
Oorala now partners with communities and students from their early engagement with university through to graduation, providing programs including school outreach, pathways into higher education, academic success programs, scholarships, mentoring, orientation and student leadership opportunities.
Ms Fowler said Oorala’s role had evolved as the number and diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at UNE had grown.
“Over the years, we have seen students come through Oorala who are the first in their families to attend university, people returning to study later in life and students balancing study with work, family and community responsibilities,” she said.
“Our job is to make be successful at university.
“But our contribution goes beyond individual students. Oorala has also helped bring Aboriginal knowledge and perspectives into the wider university, ensuring those perspectives are part of the education of students across UNE.”
Oorala’s academic work includes courses and programs that develop understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and contemporary issues.
“Forty years is a significant milestone, but we are not simply looking back,” Ms Fowler said.
“We are looking at what Oorala needs to be for the next generation of students and how we continue to build on what has been established over the past four decades.”
More information: oorala@une.edu.au
- Oorala 40th Anniversary Community on Thursday 17 September 2026 from 10am–2pm at the Oorala Aboriginal Centre and surrounding lawns, UNE Armidale campus
