- Homegrown event Jamba Nyinayi Festival to return for a second year in 2024
- The community event at Cardabia Station combines music, dance, and local cuisine
- Inaugural event was part of the Dark Sky Festival launched to support the 2023 Total Solar Eclipse celebrations earlier this year
The popular Jamba Nyinayi Festival, which celebrates Aboriginal tourism and culture, will return for a second year in 2024.
The inaugural festival was part of the Dark Sky Festival launched to support the 2023 Total Solar Eclipse celebrations, with Jamba Nyinayi attracting approximately 1,500 people from across Western Australia as well as from interstate, and generating an estimated $1.4 million.
The major community festival showcases an array of local Aboriginal artists, creatives, and small businesses from the Coral Coast region. It will be held at Cardabia Station between 11-13 April 2024, northwest of Coral Bay.
The festival is owned by the Baiyungu Aboriginal Corporation, and will be hosted by Traditional Owner and Elder Hazel Walgar, with support by the Cook Government.
The Dark Sky Festival was held across Exmouth, Coral Bay, and Onslow and injected more than $16.1 million in visitor expenditure through over 14,800 visitors coming from outside the region, who spent their money with regional hospitality and accommodation businesses during the event.
To find out more about the festival, visit jnfestival.com.au
Comments attributed to Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti:
“The family-friendly Jamba Nyinayi Festival is a wonderful opportunity to bring the community together, and celebrate local Aboriginal culture and artists.
“The inaugural event was held as part of the Dark Sky Festival which injected more than $16.1 million into WA’s regions, so it’s great that we’re bringing it back for a second year in 2024.
“We expect next year’s event will continue to drive more visitors to the region for an incredible tourism experience that supports regional communities and the Aboriginal tourism sector.”
As stated by Regional Development Minister Don Punch:
“Regional events attract visitors, create vibrancy in our communities, and have a significant economic impact on local businesses.
“The Jamba Nyinayi Festival provides a platform for local communities’ artists, showcasing the rich work of the wide range of talented individuals who live in our regions.
“Regional destinations offer so many unique experiences and this festival is yet another example of this, so we’re proud to support driving more visitors to Cardabia Station to inject vital tourism dollars into the region, and into the Aboriginal community.”
As stated by Mining and Pastoral MLC Peter Foster:
“This is a fantastic legacy event, following on from the success of our Dark Sky Festival held earlier this year as part of the 2023 Total Solar Eclipse.
“The inaugural event proved so popular with locals and visitors from outside the region, and we’re looking forward to the event coming back for 2024 to keep celebrating local Aboriginal culture and artists.”
