NAIDOC Week is a time to come together and recognise the histories, cultures, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Here in the Blue Mountains, it’s also a time to listen deeply, learn more and reflect on the legacy of the Gundungurra and Darug peoples, the Traditional Custodians of the region, whose stories, knowledge and care continue to shape this sacred place.The theme for NAIDOC Week 2025 is The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy. It speaks to the enduring strength, spirit and leadership of First Nations communities, celebrating 50 years of First Nations pride, presence and power. It’s a time to celebrate culture and to recognise the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across generations past, present, and emerging.

Image: David Hill, Deep Hill MediaGrowing up, Stefanie Habal never felt she belonged.Too dark skinned to be accepted into European society and two fair skinned to fit in with Indigenous communities, “I always struggled to feel connected to a Country, to the place I was living”.

Just off the Great Western Highway near the village of Leura, where the World Heritage-listed national park meets the community, east meets the oldest continuous culture on earth in a yin and yang of harmony, kinship and respect.A former school on 12ha of natural Australian bushland within the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park, Sinofield Edu-Retreat is a gem hidden in plain sight.

Grace. Humility. Wisdom. Community. Responsibility. Service.You don’t just become an Aboriginal Elder by reaching a certain age.

In the mid-19th century, the village of Hartley, just beyond the winding descent of Victoria Pass, was the most significant administrative centre west of the Blue Mountains, its stately Courthouse a symbol of its importance in the colonial judicial system. Perfectly preserved and looking like a ready-made film set, this quaint little collection of cottages and churches is today managed by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, with a self-guided tour and interpretive signage bringing history to life.For a small fee, you can also gain access to the Courthouse and St Bernard’s Church, with the history of the settlement and the story of the convicts held in the cells told through audio-visual presentations and a cool hologram experience.

Lording over the main street of Katoomba, its imposing curved driveway announcing its grand and ornate exterior, is one of the Blue Mountains’ oldest hotels – The Carrington. Opened in 1882 and originally called The Great Western, the hotel heralded a new era of tourism for Katoomba, which had until then been a “nondescript little mining town” originally bearing the comical name of The Crushers. The timeless elegance of the past meets the best of modern hospitality at Katoomba’s Carrington Hotel.