Operation ‘Elders Frock Up’ is about the importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Elders in the Western suburbs of Adelaide having access to NAIDOC Week activities, particularly the state NAIDOC Ball. Every year we hear feedback from Elders who due to finance and transportation issues are unable to enjoy NAIDOC Week activities held in the city. Of particular disappointment is their lack of access to the state NAIDOC Ball. NAIDOC Balls are held in ever capitucitu across the country and in many regional centres but sadly a majority of Elders do not have the capacity to attend. The Western Elders who reside in the suburbs of Poet Adelaide, Largs Bay and Taperoo formmpart of the Kura Yerlo men’s and women’s elders groups and have expressed their sadness and concern with this lack of access. We (the staff at Kura Yerlo) would like to change this, and assist our Elders to attend and enjoy the Ball and have a presence at such a prestigious event in order to ensure it is inclusive of one of Australia’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. We want to see our Elders Frock Up, get excited, sing and dance and engage with community without the stress and pressure of finances and travel...just for one night.

The SA state NAIDOC Ball is extremely difficult to get a ticket to and the $1200 tables are usually snapped up very quickly by larger corporations, businesses and universities. The staff at Kura Yerlo have started fundraising their own money through raffles and other small scale projects but due to the demographic of our community, are making little progress. Our organisation receives very little funding and offers services to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people from babies (child care), to Elders and including people with disabilities. Kura Yerlo has been operating from Largs bay for almost 30years but have been asked to relocate by June 30 2019 because the land is being sold for development. We’d like to thank our Elders by assisting them get to the NAIDOC Ball.