2025 Goodooga Indigenous Games
[Lively digeridoo music plays]
Malcolm Banks 鈥 Principal, Googooga Central School
Goodooga is a very special place. It鈥檚 a place of isolation and remoteness. And we try as much as we can to, in our education of the students, to broaden horizons for them. And a day like this really opens it up for our students, and community. You know, we鈥檝e got community involvement 鈥 we鈥檝e got community members in the kitchen cooking people鈥檚 lunches, breakfast this morning. Our students have worked tirelessly over he last month to actually put the games into preparation.
Hayden Wood 鈥 Aboriginal Attendance Officer
I love it, it brings a little town to life, brings the school to life. And it gives everyone that, you know that otherwise wouldn鈥檛 experience something like this a once in a lifetime experience.
Dean White 鈥 Executive Director, Regional, Rural Remote and Unique Settings Directorate
We brought the health hub to Goodooga to allow the children here to have access to health checks that they wouldn鈥檛 otherwise get in small remote communities.
Saxon 鈥 Garah Public School
To be at the Indigenous Games was really exciting and I love to learn more stuff about the Aboriginal culture.
Dean White
The Goodooga Indigenous Games have been fantastic. The way the kids have come together, worked together, played together, it鈥檚 just been absolutely incredible. The staff who鈥檝e come here from the Department of 糖心vlog官网, from NSW Health, from NSW Transport have just been phenomenal with the support that they have provided the local community.
Sh鈥檛ayah 鈥 Canobolas Rural Technology High School
I鈥檓 from Prange and my tribes are Punthamara and Wangamara, so from Bourke and Queensland. It was really good meeting new people and just being able to just be here out on country. It was really good. I really enjoyed it.
Indie 鈥 Yanco Agricultural High School
If you guys haven鈥檛 heard of the Goodooga Indigenous Games, come and check it out next year.
[end transcript]
What started as a small sports day at Goodooga Central School (Yuwaalayaay Country) 15 years ago has grown into one of the most anticipated sporting and cultural events in regional NSW 鈥 now known as the Goodooga Indigenous Games.
In August, more than 700 students from 37 schools travelled to the tiny north-west NSW town to take part in traditional Aboriginal games and cultural activities, as well as connect with peers from other regional, rural and remote communities.
For some students, it was their first time travelling far from home, staying overnight or interacting with those from other communities. 鈥淭he Goodooga Indigenous Games aren鈥檛 just about sport 鈥 they鈥檙e about equity, connection and community,鈥 Principal Malcolm Banks said. 鈥淭hey bring kids and staff together from all over NSW, giving everyone a chance to meet, share culture and build friendships. It shows what鈥檚 possible when we create spaces where everyone feels they belong.鈥
Students also had the thrill of meeting Australian Olympians Maurice Longbottom and Stacey Porter through the , as well as this year marking an exciting milestone with the launch of a Health and Wellbeing Hub.
At the hub students interacted with a range of providers and accessed services including dental checks, mental health support and health screenings 鈥 services often hard to reach in remote communities.
This was a true team effort 鈥 staff, agencies, community members and schools working together to deliver an unforgettable experience, opening doors to opportunities that students in remote areas might otherwise miss.
Interested in taking part in the Goodooga Indigenous Games in 2026? Registation is now open. Visit 2026 Goodooga Indigenous Games (staff only) for more information.