Gympie's 2026 NAIDOC event brought community together for a day of culture, dance, truth-telling and family activities.

The event marked this year's NAIDOC theme, 50 Years of Deadly, recognising five decades of celebrations and the generations who have carried the movement forward.

While the Gympie event was slightly smaller than last year, visitors still took part in a family-friendly day centred on culture, knowledge sharing and community connection.

The program opened with a flag raising ceremony from 10am, followed by an address from Robbie Stokes and Gympie Mayor Glen Hartwig.

Mr Stokes also shared the Diggerman poem before the event moved into morning tea and the main NAIDOC celebrations.

Yugumbeh man and MC for the event, Mark Sideway, who has lived on Kabi Kabi Country for 42 years, said the day gave local people a chance to come together.

"We're here today to celebrate 50 years of deadly NAIDOC Day, it's an absolutely awesome day for our people here in the Gympie district to get out and connect, yarn, watch our cultural dancers do their thing," Mr Sideway said.

"It's starting to get stronger with our young people coming through."

Waawidgiemah Kultya opened the celebration section of the day with a Welcome and Dance performance.

The family-owned Aboriginal cultural and educational business is based in South East Queensland and primarily operates out of the Gympie and Tin Can Bay regions.

Led by Gammaron (cultural leader) Leaf Bennet, Waawidgiemah Kultya provides traditional dance performances, smoking ceremonies, artefacts and cultural competency workshops.

Native Born Enterprises also performed during the day, sharing traditional dances and local stories passed down over thousands of years.

The Indigenous-owned cultural entertainment and education business is based in Berrinba, Logan City, on Yuggera Country, and was founded by Gavin Scott Tyson.

Mr Sideway said the cultural dancers were a highlight of the day.

"Our culture has been strong for a very long time," he said.

"It's never been ceded or lost and it's always been here.

"When we get to see our young people today do these dances for us, singing these songs that are thousands of years old, it brings the hair standing up on the back of your neck."

Kullali, Wakka Wakka and Gubbi Gubbi Aunty Debra Bennet also led a session on the importance of NAIDOC and truth-telling, speaking about the history of the week and the work of Elders and community leaders.

Mr Sideway said those who came before had laid the foundation for future generations.

"Our Elders and our trailblazers from the years gone past, they've laid a foundation that we hope to continue to build on," he said.

"It's so important that we respect the work that those people did under such harsh conditions back in the day."

The event closed with a raffle supported by local organisations, including Bunnings and Toyworld.

Vouchers and prizes were handed out to local community members and young people, bringing the day to a close.