NAIDOC Week 2026 a message from Uncle John Smith-Gumbula

This year marks a significant milestone as we celebrate 50 Years, honouring five decades of recognising and celebrating the strength, resilience, cultures, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. At Saltair, we proudly acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, work, and gather. We pay our deepest respects to Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is a time to reflect, learn, celebrate, and recognise the enduring connection of First Nations peoples to Country, culture, family, and community. It reminds us of the importance of listening, building understanding, and walking together with respect. From all of us at Saltair, we wish everyone a meaningful and inspiring NAIDOC Week as we celebrate 50 Years.

John Smith-Gumbula is a world-renowned artist and the first Aboriginal artist to receive the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Trust Award. As the founder of Bur'an Australia, his career has been dedicated to ethical social ventures and to preserving the rich tapestry of Indigenous culture and stories.

John joined Saltair as Cultural Ambassador and Senior Manager Indigenous Affairs, bringing that cultural leadership directly into how Saltair plans and delivers projects. Beyond his accolades, John is a passionate believer in the Saltair vision, and together, Saltair and John are combining modular expertise with cultural leadership to create development proposals specifically tuned to the needs and heart of Indigenous communities - work that sits alongside Saltair's existing Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and its ongoing commitments to culturally informed partnerships and Indigenous economic participation.

"John's appointment reflects how seriously we take our responsibility to build with, not just for, the communities we work in. His cultural knowledge and lived experience will shape the way we approach every Indigenous community project from here." - Steve Bridger

For over 12 years, Saltair has delivered award-winning, Australian-made modular solutions. Combining industrial-scale manufacturing with precise on-site delivery, Saltair offers full turnkey capability - design, manufacture, delivery and installation, all managed in-house. 100% Australian owned and relationship-driven, Saltair is redefining the way the world is built.