Meanwhile at Friday night’s NAIDOC diner at Batemans Bay, Wallaga Lake elder Aunty Shirley Foster was recognised for her many years of championing Aboriginal issues receiving the Eurobodalla NAIDOC Elder of the Year award.

Aboriginal students from Narooma High School also received awards on Friday night.

At Thursday’s elders’ lunch, the Red Cross put on games of bingo, there was music by a couple of local musicians and 94 delicious meals served, with chef Michael Stokes from Michael’s at Dalmeny catering for the event.

The day was facilitated by the Eurobodalla Koori Employees Network and was one of several NAIDOC activities held around the shire last week.

The elders’ lunch was also the opportunity to launch the new indigenous rugby league team with the committee accepting new jumpers from the Group 16 league coordinator – see the story on today’s back page…

Merriman’s Local Aboriginal Land Council chief executive Anne Greenaway said the day was a great success.

 “The elders don’t get a lot of opportunity to get together and this was a way of saying thank-you for all the hard work they have put in over the years getting the Aboriginal community to where we are today,” she said.

Hopefully there can be more get-togethers as an elders’ social club is now being held at Wallaga Lake once a month.

Narooma Red Cross worker Shanna Provost called the bingo last week and also does so at the social club.

She thanked the Narooma Sporting and Services Club for making available the bingo equipment.

Special mention was made on Thursday of young woman Noami Foster, who is still in hospital recovering from a spinal condition, and how the community was hoping she could back home soon.

Ms Greenaway meanwhile also thanked chef Michael, the Red Cross, Meals on Wheels, Kuranya Uniting Care Aging and Weja Aboriginal Home Care, who all contributed to Thursday’s lunch.

New footy team at Wallaga

Since 2010, the CRL and now NRL Game Development unit have been working closely with the Merriman’s Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC), members of the community, Narooma Minor Rugby League committee and government departments to establish pathways for indigenous children to play their chosen sport, rugby league. 

This season has achieved the establishment of the Wallaga Lakes Stingrays committee and 45 players now playing for Narooma junior league in the Group 16 competition from ages 6 – 14 years.

Through the support of NSW Department of Sport and Recreation, the players and committee have been able to secure a bus to transport players to and from training and games, a venue to watch the NRL games telecasted on Friday nights, dinner for all players and committee people while watching this game and then lunch at the games on Saturday when representing the Narooma club. 

Players also experienced the opportunity to travel to ANZ stadium to witness their first Origin encounter live and seeing the “Blues” triumphant over the “Maroons”. 

Since the inception of this program there has been a notable increase in school attendance, behavioural issues limited and the formation of a “Homework Centre” inside the community where all players attend and complete their school work.

Merriman’s LALC CEO, Anne Greenaway commented at the completion of the day “the work and effort the NRL have put into our fledgling club, it is great to see the growing participation and involvement of the community”. 

Ms Greenaway has been a strong supporter of the program and continues to see the change in the community on a daily basis.

Finalising the day was the distribution to all players and committee members a pair of tracksuit pants with hoodies to be distributed in the coming weeks. 

On the clothing is the logo designed by local girls Courtney Mumbulla and Ruby Foster that were selected from a competition to design the fledgling club’s name and logo amongst all the children within the village. 

Rugby League this week continued its great support of indigenous communities when Wallaga Lakes Koori community members completed a Modified Games coaching course as part of their establishment of a junior club in the village.

Ten applicants including three women undertook the course that will allow them to coach teams from 6 – 12 years and now join the coaches from Narooma JRLC to will work under their tutorage.