A star-studded field of 36 nominees has been announced for the 2026 Yandaarra Aunty Grace Roberts Community Awards, with the overall winners to be revealed during Coffs Harbour’s NAIDOC Week celebrations.
The awards, which recognise local Aboriginal leaders, began in 1999 and have attracted growing interest in recent years.
“Some of the nominees are well known and others have been achieving almost behind the scenes. All are to be congratulated on reaching this stage, and importantly for the leadership each nominee has shown,” Mayor Nikki Williams said.
“Their back-stories are diverse, and every one of these narratives has caught the eye of the assessment panel.”
Winners across the seven categories will be announced at the awards presentation, from midday to 1.30pm, in the River Oak Room at Yarrila Place on Monday, 6 July.
Named in part after Aunty Grace Roberts, who worked tirelessly for her community, the awards are a highlight of Coffs Harbour’s NAIDOC Week program.
NAIDOC Week 2026 is themed The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy, marking 50 years of NAIDOC Week celebrations. Organisers have adopted the local theme, ’50 Years of Deadly’, to recognise the enduring strength, achievements and contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
“We’ve got an electric line-up of NAIDOC Week entertainment at Yarrila Place on the Monday (6 July) including a live performance by Royston Noell who won Australian Idol in 2023,” City Planning and Communities Director Ian Fitzgibbon said.
“As well as the official flag-raising in Gordon Street there’ll be a free morning tea and lunch, performances by the Kulai Kids and Jalay Jalay dancers and this year, a Youth Housing Forum.”
Festivities at Yarrila Place will begin at 8.30am and include street stalls, live entertainment and community activities. The full Coffs Harbour NAIDOC Week program is available on the City of Coffs Harbour website.
2026 Yandaarra Aunty Grace Roberts Community Awards nominees
Youth of the Year Award: Artie Yekrop, DeeDee Dickson-Lockwood, Mila Tighe, Kylandos Lockwood, Della Byrnes, Sapphire Rose Townsend, Zayden Parry.
Arts and Cultural Achievement Award: Jessica Grant-Mercy, Karly Morris, Kelly Hine, Tori Donnelly.
Sports Achievement Award: Elijah Hart, Jamelia Yuke, Keisha Donovan, Alexa Findlay, Dustin Parry, Noah Hart, Daniel Wilson.
Aboriginal Community Organisation or Business of the Year Award: Darrunda Wajaarr, Kulai Preschool.
Uncle Award: Uncle Michael Skinner, Uncle John Lynwood, Uncle Ricky Buchanan, Uncle Steven Skinner.
Aunty Award: Aunty Nicola Neve.
Grace Roberts Memorial Community Development Award: Theresa Dootson, Matt Flanders, Diane Greenup, Janene Chitts, Karly Morris, Troy Robinson, Jessica Grant-Mercy, John Lynwood, Hilton Naden, Aunty Kerrie Narelle Wilson, Jeremy Widders.
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