Christine Anu To Headline Free NAIDOC Event In Melbourne

Christine Anu

People of Melbourne: get ready for a free NAIDOC event headlined by the one and only Christine Anu next month.

Fed Square made the announcement on Wednesday (17 June), revealing that the My Island Home hitmaker will headline a phenomenal bill of First Nations talent as part of this year’s free NAIDOC in the City Festival and free concert.

Joining her in the heart of the Melbourne CBD are a diverse range of musical acts, including singer-songwriter Bumpy, performer Aka Ghel, musician Benny Walker, new upcoming trio Dungala Baimi, and professional dancer Crooked TP.

NAIDOC in the City is an annual highlight of Melbourne’s NAIDOC Week celebrations. It’s a community-led festival with live music, the KHT NAIDOC Week Market, workshops, food, and family-friendly activities, all free to attend and participate in.

The event takes place on Friday, 10 July, from 12 pm until 5:30 pm. You can find more information about the event on the Fed Square website. The theme of this year’s NAIDOC Week is 50 Years of Deadly.

It’s been a busy year for Christine Anu, who’s been booked for the 2026 Blak Day Out, Queenscliff Music Festival, Garrmalang Festival, Whitsundays Songwriter Festival, and more.

In May 2024, Anu shared details about her first album of original material in 20 years, Waku-Minaral A Minalay, and unveiled the title track.

Waku-Minaral A Minalay acts as an extension of Anu’s 1995 debut album, Stylin’ Up, with the title track born from songwriting sessions in the 90s with Cold Chisel’s Don Walker.

Anu’s first original material in 20 years was inspired by her grandfather, with the singer-songwriter and her daughter, Zipporah, retracing his 1947 journey from Saibai Island to Mutee Head, following the Samu Clans’ migration.

“This album is about reconnecting with my grandfather as a young father back in post-World War II, in the Torres Strait region,” Anu said. “So, I sing about a time from long ago... Waku-Minaral A Minalay creates a landscape, a picture, a soundscape of feeling like you were there listening to these songs when they were being made.”

She continued, “And that’s the beautiful metaphor of me right now: I am someone’s ancestor in the future, the way that my grandad is my grandson’s ancestor. And it goes on, and we weave, and we weave, and we weave. We will continue to weave our songs and our stories.”