Dozens of people from the Myrtleford and district gathered in the Piazza last Saturday 11 July to jointly mark the end of NAIDOC Week for 2026.

After earlier ceremonies in Bright and Mount Beauty on Monday last week, the Myrtleford gathering was held as a casual, welcoming event, with live music by Brett Lee and Maddie Coleville Walker and activities such as weaving, boomerang decorating and sand design available for attendees to try out, or warm themselves around the braziers on site.

Gamilaroi woman Lee Couch acted as master of ceremonies for the morning and invited guests to join in a breathing exercise in a healing circle.

"Making our healing circle is a really beautiful way to have that sense of connection to the incredible lands that hold us," she said.

"This is a time we can really acknowledge Country from a personal level and also from a community level as well.

"A healed community comes together and knows how to take a breath: knows how to hold each other in relationship.

"We wanted to create an inclusive environment and acknowledge all traditional owners of the Alpine region and [maintain] the spirit of the Myrtleford community coming together to contribute to the bigger picture of a healed nation."

Alpine Health CEO Cameron Reid began with an acknowledgement of Dhudhuroa country, where Myrtleford resides.

"If you look around, the Alpine region is a place of rich cultural significance and deep connection to Country," he said.

"We acknowledge these lands have been cared for by many traditional owner groups, including the Bangarang, Dhudhuroa, Gunai Kurnai, Taungurung, Waywuruu and Jaitmathang peoples.

"We honour their continuing connection to land, waters, skies, culture and community: and I'd just also like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the significance of NAIDOC Week, the importance to our First Nations communities, but also the importance to all of us.

"Because if we're serious about safety and inclusion in our community, we should be embracing events like this."

Stalls representing Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA) and Headspace Wangaratta tent offered support and information, while the St Paul's Anglican Church put on a free barbeque for the morning's attendees.

VACCA's representative Chelsea Maher, a Wiradjuri woman, said the morning went well.

"There's been lots of interest and engagement at the tent," she said.

"VACCA is a state-wide organisation: we're based in Wodonga, but the Wangaratta office is closer to Myrtleford.

"We've garnered a lot of exposure for our foster care program which is needed."