The week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Auntie Lyn Warren, from the local NAIDOC Week committee, said the week was an important opportunity for both local Aboriginal people and members of the wider community to come together.

She said the week seemed to grow every year.

“It’s just wonderful and we get so much support,” she said.

The occasion will be officially launched in Bendigo with a Welcome to Country and flag raising ceremony in the Civic Gardens of the Town Hall on Monday, July 4, at 10am, as well as the presentation of Indigenous Bendigo Scholarships.

The Bendigo and District Aboriginal Co-operative will also open the week with a flag raising ceremony, open day and barbecue at its Forest Street building on Monday, July 4, at 12pm.

There will also be a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony at the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning at Epsom, and conference rooms will be renamed.

The week’s first Hall of Fame induction will also take place, with an outstanding community member to be recognised each weekday throughout the week.

But celebrations will begin before then, with an exhibition of art by local Aboriginal artists opening at St John of God hospital on Wednesday, June 29, running until Friday, July 15.

The Knuldoorong NAIDOC art exhibition will also open at Dudley House on View Street on the evening of Thursday, June 30, and will run until Sunday, July 10.

On Tuesday, July 5, Care Connect and partner agencies After Care and Life Without Barriers will host a morning tea at 10am for service providers and community members to hear more about the community mental health program.

DELWP will host a clap stick making and colouring competition from 12.30pm, while later in the afternoon Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation will host a Welcome Baby to Country at Ulumbarra Theatre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies aged up to 36 months, with a traditional welcome and smoking ceremony to be conducted.

To register interest in the Welcome, call Barbara Huggins on 5444 2888 by Friday, July 1.

It will be a day for the kids on Wednesday, July 6, with NAIDOC Children’s Day to be held at Truscott Reserve at California Gully from 10.30am to 3pm, with activities for all family members.

From 12.30pm DELWP will host a rope making workshop and colouring competition, following its Hall of Fame induction.

Bendigo Health will host a morning tea on Thursday, July 7 from 10am, while La Trobe University will hold a market day from 11am to 3pm with arts, crafts, music and food.

DELWP will host another workshop at 12.30pm, this time on basket weaving, with a Dja Dja Wurrung member teaching the traditional method of weaving.

A community lunch will be held at St John of God hospital from 11.30am on Friday, July 8, while DELWP will put on a community barbecue at 12.30pm following its last Hall of Fame induction for the week, to which everyone is encouraged to wear the colours of the Aboriginal flag.

The following week Bendigo Library will hold a story time of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories on Friday, July 15, at 10.30am.

That night the 2016 NAIDOC Week will officially wrap up with the BDAC Naidoc Dinner and Awards.

To RSVP for the awards contact Libby Chapman on 5454 2720 by Friday, July 8.

To book for any of the DELWP workshops, call Stephen Korp on 0419 841 890 or email bendigo.rooms@delwp.vic.gov.au.