What’s Happening?
Grand Central Shopping Centre in Toowoomba is proudly celebrating NAIDOC Week 2025 with two special events reflecting this year’s theme: “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy.” The centre is bringing back Damper Day with the Carbal Elders on Wednesday, 9 July, and the Igniting Creativity Exhibition will return from Tuesday, 1 July to Tuesday, 15 July on Level 1, near Rozzis and H&M.
Why It Matters
The 2025 NAIDOC theme shines a light on the connection between Elders and youth—bridging cultural knowledge through storytelling, food and art. As Grand Central’s Community Relations Manager Georgina Bayly explained, “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy celebrates not only the achievements of the past but the bright future ahead, through the connection of our Elders and our youth.”
Local Impact
The free Damper Day event invites families to connect with Elders during the school holidays. Children will learn how to make damper and Johnny Cakes under the guidance of the Carbal Elders while yarning about traditions and respect for Country. “Although we won’t be around a fire, the yarning will still take place,” said Ms Bayly. “Each participant will be able to show off their MasterChef talents creating a small damper and share in the spoils of the cooking.”
The event is free, but places are limited. Attendees must book online to participate.
By the Numbers
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2 returning events – Damper Day and the Igniting Creativity Exhibition – mark Grand Central’s 2025 NAIDOC Week program.
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10 First Nations organisations have created artworks for the exhibition over the past 10 weeks, each representing personal and cultural stories.
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11 participating schools and organisations, including Harristown State School, St Mary’s College and Toowoomba Grammar School, showcase diverse creative works.
Zoom In
The Igniting Creativity Exhibition highlights artworks developed by First Nations students and organisations over a 10-week period. Ms Bayly said, “Each of the artworks created for the Igniting Creativity Exhibition established a connection with ancestral and cultural roots for each of the organisations and showcased varying traditional and contemporary artistic styles.”
“The Igniting Creativity Exhibition aims to share and educate the greater community about First Nations culture; it’s an ongoing objective that Grand Central could not be any prouder to share with the ten exhibiting organisations,” she added.
The display includes creative contributions from:
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Harristown State School
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Toowoomba SHS Clontarf Academy
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St Mary’s College
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Downlands College
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Wilsonton State School
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St Ursula’s College
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Adapt Mentorship
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Yalari
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Toowoomba Grammar School
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The Glennie School
Zoom Out
Grand Central continues to serve as a community meeting place, amplifying First Nations voices through storytelling, food and art. “So many of our exhibiting school aged artists come to boarding school here and bring their own Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storylines and history to Toowoomba – so we wanted to make sure that those stories were reflected at our meeting place,” Ms Bayly said.
What To Look For Next?
As bookings fill for Damper Day, Grand Central encourages early registration via their website: www.grandcentralshopping.com.au. The public is also invited to visit the Igniting Creativity Exhibition daily until 15 July to explore the powerful stories behind the works on display.