Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun invites the community to visit to the special exhibition Caring for Country!, a powerful new exhibition organised by the Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council (Gandangara) at Liverpool City Library – Yellamundie Library & Gallery, celebrating the deep and ongoing connection between Aboriginal people and the land.
Running from Saturday 18 October to Sunday 30 November 2025, Caring for Country! is a celebration of this year’s NAIDOC theme: “The Next Generation – Strength, Vision & Legacy.” The exhibition highlights how caring for Country is both a responsibility and a legacy — one that continues to sustain culture, community, and the environment.
Supported by Liverpool Powerhouse, Liverpool City Library, and Liverpool City Council, the exhibition features photographs and artefacts that honour the past and empower youth to protect our lands, waterways, skies, sacred sites, and cultural heritage.
Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council state that ‘the exhibition honours our past, empowers our youth to protect our lands, waterways, skies, sacred sites, and cultural heritage. Caring for Country lies at the heart of this legacy, guiding us as we honour the past, nurture the present, and safeguard the future for generations to come.’
“Caring for Country! is an exhibition celebrating connection to country particularly by our young people,” Mayor Mannoun said. “Through this exhibition, we are reminded that Country cares for us when we care for it. It’s a message of balance, respect and responsibility that continues to guide the Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council and inspire our whole community.”
“Liverpool is proud to partner with Gandangara in creating spaces where Aboriginal culture can be shared, seen and celebrated,” Mayor Mannoun said. “This exhibition is an invitation for everyone — young and old — to listen, learn and walk together in caring for Country.”
Dr Melissa Williams, Chief Executive Officer of Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council, said:
“Our Memorandum of Understanding with Liverpool City Council represents a genuine commitment to walking together — in respect, reciprocity and shared purpose. Caring for Country! is one of many ways we bring that partnership to life for the benefit of future generations.”
All photographic works featured in the Caring for Country! exhibition are for sale with proceeds raised directly supporting Gandangara’s ongoing efforts to raise public awareness and drive action towards restoring and caring for our lands, waterways, and cultural landscapes. By purchasing a piece, you’re not only taking home a work of art – you’re contributing to the healing of Country and strengthening the legacy of environmental and cultural stewardship for future generations. Join Gandangara in walking together for Country.
“When we talk about sustainability and the future of our city, Aboriginal knowledge and connection to Country must continue to be part of that conversation,” Mayor Mannoun added. “This exhibition demonstrates how ancient wisdom shapes modern thinking — from land care and design to how we connect with nature and each other.”
“We thank the Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council for their leadership and partnership,” Mayor Mannoun said. “Their work reminds us that Liverpool’s strength lies in our diversity, our shared stories, and our deep respect for the land on which we live.”
Media Contact:
Alan Gale [email protected] 0492 087 403
Background
The Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council has long been a leader in protecting, restoring and celebrating Aboriginal land and heritage across South-Western Sydney.
Through initiatives such as its First Peoples Rapid Response Team, GLALC manages and rehabilitates more than 850 hectares of culturally significant land, integrating traditional ecological knowledge including cultural burning practices and habitat restoration with modern environmental management.
More information can be found here: https://www.gandangara.org.au/culture-heritage-and-land-management/
