Every Day, Every Week

Always Was, Always Will Be - reflecting on Reconciliation Week (and beyond)

Reconciliation Week was a few weeks ago now, and we’ll soon be celebrating NAIDOC Week. These events invite all of us to pause, listen, and reflect. For us at No.14 Lovel St, it’s also a reminder that reconciliation isn’t something you post to tick off a content calendar.

Weeks like Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week create space for learning, truth-telling, and celebration. But the difference is made in what happens before, after, and in between — in the choices we make every day, and in the way we show respect when no one is watching.

We don’t pretend to have all the answers. We’re very much still learning. But we do believe that “doing our bit” means making reconciliation part of our everyday practice — not something we only remember when a week comes around.

A moment that made us stop and reflect

During Reconciliation Week, we attended the launch of Scenic World’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). We’ve gotten to know some of the Scenic World team over the years, and we were thrilled when Uncle David King was appointed Indigenous Experience Officer a few years ago. Led by Uncle David and Anthea Hammon, Scenic World has achieved a lot in a short time. I encourage you to download their RAP via Reconciliation Australia website.

What struck us most is that the RAP was a recognition of what they’ve done and are doing — not a document full of intentions that gets ticked off, celebrated once, and then left to sit on a shelf.

It was genuinely inspiring to be part of the evening. It showcased how good it can be when reconciliation is part of leadership — every day, every week.

The evening was beautiful: a performance by the Wagana Dancers, flowers from Warin Wildflowers in Wentworth Falls, and catering that celebrated Indigenous ingredients — including pepperberry kangaroo, myrtle emulsion with battered crocodile, and saltbush damper.

The gift bag was just as thoughtful, filled with more treats from Indigenous businesses Uncle David and his team have sourced for Scenic World’s retail range.

One moment stood out in particular to me: Uncle David introducing his daughter, the talented artist Kelsie King, to speak about her design for Buunyal. She drew on both her family history and Gundungurra Culture in the design — genuinely multi-generational and a quiet, powerful reminder that change is possible.  

The launch was a timely celebration, not a performance: a window into real work and real commitment. We didn’t post a praise post straight away because the night genuinely made us step back and reflect on the bigger picture.

These days and weeks matter — and they’re not the whole story

Days like National Apology Day, Closing the Gap Day, and Mabo Day matter. Weeks like Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week matter. But it’s also easy for reconciliation to slip into performance: a few posts, a few events, a few well‑meaning words.

We’re also seeing stronger visibility in everyday culture — for example, in sport through the AFL’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round and the integration seen in Gather Round. (I’m AFL by marriage, so I can’t speak for other codes, but I’m sure there are similar examples.) That said, I also agree NIAA funding shouldn’t be going to sporting organisations; they should be paying First Nations businesses for education and cultural consultation that benefits the whole community via their influential position.

All of this plays a part in walking side by side into a better future — but it’s not where the work starts or ends. The most meaningful change comes from what we do before, after, and in between. If high‑profile events were the answer, we wouldn’t still need an annual Closing the Gap Report.

On 26 June, the release of A Fair and Just Future for First Peoples: Social Justice Report 2025 by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Katie Kiss brought that reality back into the headlines. The report draws on the voices of First Peoples across Australia and sets out a clear roadmap for reform. Australia has a long way to go — and in some ways we’ve gone backwards, with racism rising after the failed (and poorly defended against sabotage) Voice referendum in 2023, alongside a broader global drift to the far right.

Right now, state and federal governments aren’t leading. People can still make a difference — and we can’t wait for governments to act only when it becomes politically convenient, or when promises stretch beyond election cycles.

What we’re doing (and why)

So what are we doing? What else can we do? I’ve been thinking about this a lot since the inspiring night at Scenic World.

We’re small by comparison — and, like most small business owners with family commitments as well, we’re time-poor. Are we doing the right things? Can we make a difference in our lifetime? I don’t know. But we’re committed to trying. And even if we’re tiny, we welcome a few thousand guests and customers each year — which means we do have a chance to influence some people.

So here’s what we’re doing (and why). This isn’t a final list. I’ll keep updating this post as we learn, listen, and evolve.

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live, and recognise their continuing connection to the land, water and community. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.

For us, an Acknowledgement of Country is not a script. It’s a reminder: this place has a story that didn’t start with us — and our job is to be thoughtful residents here.

Souvenirs that Acknowledge Country

We created our own small range of Blue Mountains souvenir merchandise that includes Dharug & Gundungurra Country as an Acknowledgement of Country (see photos in above gallery). As far as we know, they're the first, but we hope not the last. You can find these items at our 7 Katoomba Street 'Visitor Hub' shop (inc Blue Mountains Bag Storage and Out of the Blue tours as well).

We’re doing this because we want visitors to take home something that reflects the truth of where they’ve been — not just a pretty view, but a place with deep cultural history and continuing connection. It seemed obvious to us, as Council signs note when you enter the Blue Mountains, as most businesses have an Acknowledgement of Country on their website and communications, Australia Post has a 'traditional place name' space now in address sections, let's continue to normalise the Acknowledgement of Country. It really is the least we can do.

Out of the Blue X collaborations + local artist partnership

After seeing Thomas Mayo at the Blue Mountains Writers Festival and reading his book “Always Was, Always Will Be”, we were inspired to start Out of the Blue X collaborations as part of using whatever platform we have to raise awareness. Our idea was to create merchandise celebrating beautiful artwork for visitors and locals alike. 90% of the retail profit goes to the artist. Our first artist partnership is with local Gundungurra Artist Kelsie (also behind the Buunyal artwork for Scenic World).

We’re proud to collaborate locally, and we’re committed to doing it in a way that is respectful, transparent, and genuinely supportive.

Photo (Deep Hill Media): 'Beyond the Views' Introduction to Aboriginal Culture talk by Uncle Chris Tobin at Echo Point, Katoomba

Supporting Indigenous businesses and authentic experiences

Where we can, we choose to support Indigenous businesses as our suppliers, including Yarn’n toilet paper, Cultural Choice hand towels, and Printing with Purpose. You can find suppliers across most categories on Supply Nation.

We proactively promote wonderful local Aboriginal experiences like Scenic World's Buunyal Experience, the weekly 'Introduction to Aboriginal Culture' talks at Echo Point (currently in trial) by Uncle Chris Tobin (pictured above). Aboriginal Blue Mountains Walkabout is a longstanding experience, based in Faulconbridge.

Sharing information (and keeping it visible)

We include local Aboriginal information for all guests, beyond just an Acknowledgement of Country footer. This includes sharing our growing library of books on and by First Nations authors, printed Acknowledgements of Country in all rooms alongside general FAQ sheets.

And yes — we promote Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week, but we also leave those posters up all year long as a small, visible reminder that these conversations don’t have an expiry date.

We share information and conversation starters on our socials regularly, too. #notjustNAIDOCweek and support campaigns by organisations like Clothing the Gaps 'Australian long weekend' to change the date of 26 January to one we can all truly celebrate, as one example.

Putting our money where our mouth is

We currently donate weekly to our local Blue Moountains Aboriginal Culture and Resource Centre (BMACRC), and nationally to First Nations Futures.

It’s not about being seen to do the right thing. It’s about putting support behind the communities and organisations doing the work. We list these organisations, and the several other causes we support, openly to keep them in view for our customers and guests.

With all charities, if everyone gives a small amount, it can create life-changing funds for organisations to continue their good work.

What you can do

It can be easy to think that you can't make a difference, or get it wrong, and lose heart. We know. But we believe even when we stumble, we can still do our bit and do the best we can.

This reflection is not a beginning, as we’ve been working quietly at this for a few years now, but we're sharing to hopefully inspire others not to be afraid to get it 'wrong' either. We’ll continue to share more as we learn more — because we want to do better, and we believe others do too.

Whether you're staying with us or not, we invite you to pause and reflect. Ask questions. Read widely. Support organisations in whatever way you can. Listen deeply — even when it’s uncomfortable, even when you disagree. And if you’re not sure where to begin, begin with Country: whose Country you’re on, and what it means to be here with respect.

Thanks for reading!