Celebrating 50 years of NAIDOC Week
National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in July each year to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
This year’s celebrations marks 50 years since it became a national occurrence and GESB was proud to participate in two events to show our support - and continue to help improve super outcomes for members.
Waving the super flag at the Mirrabooka NAIDOC event
GESB was invited to join the community at the Mirrabooka NAIDOC event. Vanessa Hansen, our Reconciliation and Policy Officer, and Emlyn Whetnall, our Manager, Relationship Management and Education attended the event.
The Mirrabooka NAIDOC event is a vibrant and inclusive event that gives the local community the opportunity to connect through ceremony, entertainment, cultural activities, tucker and more. This family friendly event promotes healthy lifestyles and access to a variety of local services. Stalls varied from craft and clothing to housing, employment and medical health services.
This was an opportunity for GESB to get out in the community, have conversations about super and just have a yarn in general. It was a positive step in building relationships and increasing our understanding, value and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture while providing support to get better outcomes for members.
Experiencing art, culture and history at the Once Known exhibition
GESB staff attended a private tour of John Curtin Gallery’s Once Known exhibition of artworks created by Aboriginal children removed from their families and detained at the Carrolup Native Settlement in the southwest of WA in the 1940s.
The unique collection of art was lost for over 50 years and returned home to Noongar country in 2013. John Curtin Gallery’s Community Engagement Facilitator, Patricia Ryder, shared the history of the Carrolup Native Settlement, focusing on the period that the children created the artworks displayed in the Once Known exhibition, which showcases their creativity and resilience and offers a glimpse into their enduring connection to country.
A story of connection through art
The Carrolup settlement was opened in 1915 by State Government mandate to ‘resocialise’ Noongar children who had been forcibly taken from their parents under the Aborigines Act of 1905. This Act appointed the ‘Chief Protector of Aborigines’ asthe ‘legal guardian of every aboriginal and half-caste child until such child attains the age of sixteen years’.
When Noel and Lily White were employed to teach the children at Carrolup in 1946, Noel found he could further engage with the children through art. Not having any formal training in art, he empowered the children through their art practice, and they drew what they knew - the land.
Provided with standard-issue schoolbook paper and chalk, the child inmates produced images of Country, cultural practices and wildlife. In support of Noel and Lily’s work with the children, Florence Rutter worked tirelessly to exhibit the artwork throughout Australia and New Zealand, and eventually internationally.
Noel continued his work with Aboriginal artists later in his career when employed at Fremantle Prison. This is when prison art in the style of Carrolup child artists began.
The Once Known exhibition displays chosen artworks from the Herbert Mayer Collection. Of the 127 artworks in this collection, only 17 have been attributed to artists. The term ‘Once Known’ is used because these child artists were once known and once loved.
Find out more about the Once Known exhibition, which runs until March 2026.
Above: GESB Board and staff members and John Curtin Gallery staff at the Once Known exhibition.
Above: GESB Chief Executive Officer and Once Known tour guide Patricia.
Supporting First Nation members now and into the future
We recognise that our organisation, just like the broader community, still has a lot of work to do on the path to reconciliation. This is why we proudly show our support for NAIDOC Week and stand in unity with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
GESB Chief Executive Officer Ben Palmer attended the Once Known exhibition and tour and said it was an invaluable opportunity to learn about history, culture and Truth-Telling.
The viewing and Patricia’s tour gave me a deeper understanding of this part of Noongar history, and an even greater appreciation of the resilience of the Aboriginal people and their connection to Country,’ Ben said.
It’s important that we participate in truth telling if we are to continue to build relationships, respect and opportunities – key aims of our ‘Innovate’ Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
GESB is committed to engaging with stories, culture, history and people so we can develop initiatives that will support First Nations members in meaningful ways.’
GESB is currently developing its third ‘Innovate’ RAP. This will build on actions taken to continue to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members to understand, engage with and access their super.
More information
- Read more about our Reconciliation Action Plan
- Supporting National Reconciliation Week 2025
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Source: John Curtin Gallery, Curtin University, Carrolup. Accessed August 2025.
Thank you for printing this page. Remember to come back to gesb.wa.gov.au for the latest information as our content is updated regularly. This information is correct as at 23 June 2026.