5.30pm to 7pm, Wollotuka Common Space, Callaghan campus. University of Newcastle alum Professor Gail Garvey reflects on improving health outcomes for Indigenous Australians and the role medical education can play. To register: newcastle.edu.au/medicine40

Monday July 9: Newcastle NAIDOC Community Day

9.30am, Civic Park. Flag raising and march. Gather at The Foreshore from 10.30am to 2.30pm for a community festival with market stalls, food, kids amusements, music and entertainment from Justice Crew, Street Warriors, Black Fulla Got Talent, Sharnee Fenwick and NU Roads.

Monday July 9: Launch of virtual reality experience Our Country, or Niiarrnumber Burrai

11am, Foreshore Park. Newcastle City Council launches a virtual reality experience, which allows users to see visit nine landmarks - Cathedral Park, Flagstaff Hill or Fort Scratchley, Nobbys Headland, Shepherds Hill, Ironbark Creek, Hexham Swamp, Hunter River (South Channel) Port Hunter and Stockton’s Pirate Point - prior to European settlement. Use one of four virtual reality headsets, or receive one of 100 cardboard virtual reality glasses to use with your phone.

Wednesday July 11: Newcastle Museum exhibition launch

The museum will launch the Muloobinba Map: A tour of the Aboriginal stories and objects in Newcastle Museum to guide visitors through some of the significant histories of local Aboriginal stories represented in the museum and highlight some of the most cherished objects in the collection. From 10am until 2pm cultural educators from NutritionPlus will facilitate work stations with traditional bush tucker, medicines and artefacts, along with Aboriginal dancing.

Friday, July 13: NAIDOC Aboriginal Women’s Celebration Dinner

6pm for 6.30pm start. Newcastle City Hall. Muloobinba Aboriginal Corporation recognises Aboriginal women. Tickets $60 include three course dinner, entertainment and small gift. Details: 4969 5299 or 0448 479 300.

Saturday July 14: Awabakal NAIDOC Debutante Ball

6pm, Newcastle Exhibition and Convention Centre (Wests in the city). A group of 20 young women and their partners have been selected to participate in the first Awabakal organised debutante ball in more than five years.

Sunday July 15: NAIDOC Week Disco

4.30pm to 7.30pm, PCYC Newcastle. Speaking in Colour presents this disco for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members aged five to 13. Includes dinner, entertainment and competitions for craziest hair and best dance off.

Throughout July: NAIDOC Photography Exhibition.

Wallsend Library. Photographer Lisa Haymes’ images of 18 indigenous women opened on Friday night and will be on display for the remainder of the month. The images are also on banners across the city and in booklets available at the NAIDOC Community Day.

Tuesday July 10: Celebration of Existence March, followed by Coquun Cup Youth Touch Tournament

8.30am, Gather at Maitland Court House for 9am march to Maitland Town Hall for a Welcome to Country, Mayor Loretta Baker’s speech and flag raising. The tournament kicks off at 11.30am at Maitland Park. Free lunch.

Wednesday July 11: WaNay ‘Children’ Disco

6pm to 9pm, Mindaribba Local Aboriginal Land Council Hall. The night will include a DJ, dinner and drinks, prizes and lolly bags.

Thursday July 12: Mindaribba NAIDOC Family Fun Day

10.30am to 2.30pm at Metford Recreation Reserve. The day includes stallholders, free health checks, amusement rides, entertainment, arts and crafts and a free lunch.

Tuesday July 10: Westlakes NAIDOC Family Fun Day

9am, Meet at Toronto Town Square for didgeridoo playing and ochre painting before a 10am march down The Boulevarde to the Toronto Foreshore. The day includes art and craft stalls, local service providers, community awards ceremony, barbecue, activities for children and performances including from Biraban Public School singing in language. Koorioke from 2pm.

Tuesday July 10: NAIDOC Week Stories

3.45pm to 4.20pm, Toronto Library. Enjoy stories to celebrate NAIDOC Week and create friendship bracelets using colours from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags. For ages five to nine. Bookings essential, 4921 0641.

Wednesday July 11: NAIDOC Flag Raising Ceremony

9am to 11am, council administration building, Speers Point. Traditional smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country, cultural performers, guest speakers, flag raising and morning tea.

Wednesday July 11: Meet the artist: Ngaa-bun-gaa-nha – Searching with Maree Bisby

10am to noon at Toronto Library. Meet artist, Maree Bisby, as she discusses the creation of her latest exhibition at Launchpad@Toronto. Help create a new artwork for the Aboriginal Knowledge Book Collection. Bookings essential 4921 0641.

Thursday July 12: School holiday basketry workshop

1.30pm to 3pm, Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery. Join Aboriginal artist, Michelle Napanangka Earl for an afternoon of art making, as she demonstrates traditional basketry. Suitable for ages seven and up. $20 fee per child.  Bookings essential at eventbrite.com.au

Friday July 13: NAIDOC Week storytime with Fern Martins

From 10.30am to 11.15am, Swansea Library. Local illustrator Fern Martins leads a special storytime featuring stories, songs and craft to celebrate NAIDOC Week. Suitable for ages three to seven. Bookings essential at library.lakemac.com.au

Friday, July 20: Eastlakes NAIDOC Family Fun Day

From 10am to 3pm at Pelican Foreshore Park. Information stalls, Eastlakes Got Talent, free barbecue, entertainment including John Paul Young, jumping castles, face painting.

Monday July 9: Smoking Ceremony and Flag Raising

8.45am, meet at the corner of Sturgeon and Port Stephens Street, Raymond Terrace, for march to the council building for flag raising, smoking ceremony and morning tea.

Wednesday July 11: Smoking Ceremony and Flag Raising

8.30am, meet at Nelson Bay Bowling Club Carpark for march, to be followed by activities and barbecue lunch at Apex Park to 2pm.

Friday July 13: Family Fun Day

10am to 2pm at King Park Sporting Complex, Raymond Terrace. Service providers, entertainment, amusement rides and food.

Sunday July 8: NAIDOC Week Celebration

9.30am to 12.30pm, Civic Centre. Includes a flag raising ceremony, traditional activities for kids, reptile and native animal display, traditional storytelling, Singleton High dance performance, morning tea and barbecue.

Monday July 9: Flag Raising and Cultural Day

10am to 3pm, Simpson Park. Sausage sizzle, live entertainment, visits from reptiles, jumping castle, face painting, balloon sculptures, arts and craft and more.

Tuesday July 10: Ink Art Workshop

10am to 1pm, Wanaruah Local Aboriginal Land Council.  Megan Wally Art shows how to be creative with the substance. $10 fee includes lunch. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Bookings essential, 6543 1288.

Friday July 13: Upper Hunter NAIDOC Week Awards

6.30pm to 9.30pm at Muswellbrook RSL Club. Presented by Wanaruah NAIDOC Committee in conjunction with Wanaruah Local Aboriginal Land Council.

Wednesday, July 18 and Thursday July 19: Aunty Denise Hedges art workshop

10am to 1pm at Wanaruah Local Aboriginal Land Council. Learn how to using acrylic paint on canvas. $10 fee includes lunch. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Bookings essential, 6543 1288.

Saturday, July 7: Family History Workshop

10am to 12pm at Cessnock Library, get started on finding out whether you have Indigenous heritage.

Saturday July 7: Kiray Putjung Aboriginal Corporation NAIDOC Family Day and parade

10am to 2pm at Cessnock TAFE Park, enjoy flag raising, street parade, music, culture, workshops, stalls, food and kids’ activities.

Monday, July 9: Basket weaving workshop

11am to 12.30pm at Cessnock Library. Costs $5. Bookings essential; 4993 4399.

Tuesday, July 10: Barkuma’s NAIDOC Family Fun Day

10am to 2pm at a new location, Binarri Jinama-Gu, at 1075 Old Maitland Road, Sawyers Gully. Bush tucker sausage sizzle, craft, stalls, entertainment. Details: 4937 1094.

Tuesday July 10: Koori Cook-Off

10am, Kurri Kurri Hospital. Learn new recipes and try surprising ingredients.

Tuesday July 10: NAIDOC Storytime

10am to 10.45am at Cessnock Library, for kids aged two to six.

Wednesday, July 11: NAIDOC Storytime

10am to 10.45am at Kurri Kurri Library, for kids aged two to six.

Wednesday July 11: Basket weaving workshop

2pm to 3.30pm at Kurri Kurri Library. Cost is $5. Bookings essential; 4937 1638.

Wednesday July 11: Native plant giveaway at Cessnock and Kurri Kurri Libraries

Present your library card to receive one free native plant per household. While stocks last.

Thursday July 12: Bush Tukka Cooking for Young People

11am to 2pm at Cessnock Youth Centre. Learn to cook with traditional Indigenous ingredients. Bookings essential; 4993 4355.

Wednesday July 25: Dance performance

2pm at Kurri Kurri Library. See Stanford Merthyr Infants School boys’ dance group perform.

Throughout July: ‘Gathering Stories’ at Cessnock Regional Art Gallery

The exhibition featuring portraits of inspirational women and other artworks by Lesley Salem, Saretta Fielding, Tamika Elvin and Aunty Cynthia runs to August 12.

Throughout July: NAIDOC Week Art Trail

Explore NAIDOC Week themed works at Cessnock Regional Art Gallery, Hunter Valley Visitor Information Centre, Kurri Kurri and Cessnock libraries and the council’s administration building.