Campbelltown City Council has officially launched two important documents that acknowledge the significant contributions Aboriginal people have made to the City of Campbelltown and pay respect to our city’s Aboriginal heritage.
The Campbelltown Aboriginal Strategy 2014-2018, the first of its kind for our city, has been developed by Council in cooperation with local Aboriginal community members and services.
Some of the key focus areas include advocacy to improve early learning, education and employment outcomes for Aboriginal children and young people; improving health and wellbeing of the Aboriginal community; recognising the diverse cultures of Aboriginal people and utilising their unique knowledge and connection to the landscape; developing and maintaining social inclusion with the broader community and creating opportunity for access to cultural connectedness. The strategy is a flexible document that will respond to the emerging needs of Aboriginal people across Campbelltown over the next four years.
A brochure titled ‘Campbelltown’s Aboriginal History’ has also been developed to provide an insight into the First Peoples of our region. The brochure will be a useful resource for locals and visitors to our city (both from across Australia and the world) seeking more information on our city’s Aboriginal heritage.
The brochure has been developed by the Campbelltown Visitor Information Centre in consultation with the Tharawal Local Aboriginal Land Council and the Campbelltown Aboriginal Community Reference Group. It will be available on both Council’s website and the Visit Macarthur website, and from the Campbelltown Visitor Information Centre.
Both documents were officially launched at a special ceremony at the Campbelltown Visitor Information Centre on August 4, which is National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day.
Mayor of Campbelltown, Cr Clinton Mead, said the documents paid respect to our city’s heritage and acknowledged the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to the City of Campbelltown.
“With one of the largest, and fastest growing, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations of all Local Government Areas in NSW, it is important that our city recognises our past and paves the way for a brighter future for all members of our community,” Cr Mead said.
The Campbelltown Aboriginal Strategy 2014-2018 is available online at campbelltown.nsw.gov.au/aboriginalandtorresstraitislander
The Aboriginal history brochure is available via the Visit Macarthur website at macarthur.com.au/about-macarthur
For more information, phone Council’s Strategic Aboriginal Development Officer, Debbie McCall, on 4546 4359 or contact the Campbelltown Visitor Information Centre on 1800 655 991.
