From celebrating the wisdom of Elders to the talent and potential of Indigenous youth, the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC Week has been marked in style in Geraldton.

A big brekkie on Wednesday morning wasn’t just a chance for a feed — it gave community members insight into the new Aboriginal short-stay accommodation.

Organised by Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service and Bundiyarra Corporation, the NAIDOC big breakfast was hosted at Bundiyarra Regional Aboriginal Community Kinship Stay.

BRACKS manager Leeanne Robertson said it was great to welcome guests to the grounds, which are usually closed off to the public.

“It’s been very popular. People just keep coming and coming and coming, which is great. That’s what we wanted. The food is awesome,” she said.

Hundreds of visitors came through the door of BRACKS for the first time, with many people dropping by on the way to work. The event is one of several NAIDOC celebrations in Geraldton this week.

The short-stay accommodation opened in March, and offers a low-cost place to stay.

Ms Robertson said the feedback from visitors was they felt welcomed and that it was “a good vibe when they come here”.

BRACKS plans to hold more NAIDOC celebrations later in the year, and Ms Robertson said she was “really pleased” to be involved with NAIDOC Week as part of a hosting organisation.

It might be BRACKS’ first NAIDOC Week, but the theme is 50 Years of Deadly, celebrating half a century of the week-long national event.

Ms Robertson said the milestone was a chance to “honour all the work that our elders have done before us”.

“We need to continue to work together, and because none of this was done by one single person, it was done by all of our people coming together, and we need to put that back in to how we actually run our lives every day,” she said.

On Tuesday, GRAMS hosted a basketball tournament at Activewest Stadium as part of the milestone celebrations.

About 40 players were split into mixed teams of eight who played hard across the afternoon and showcased their skills on court.

The games were competitive and played in good spirits as eager onlookers cheered on the action while a DJ pumped out tunes from First Nations artists.

Away from the courts, several educational stands were set up, empowering and encouraging young people to make healthy choices and look after their bodies.

GRAMS youth officer trainee Kaitland Kelly said there was no better way to celebrate NAIDOC week than bringing people together through basketball.

“The community can get together and celebrate their culture, even with non-Indigenous people as well, to come together and share that pride as well,” she said.

“Our mob really love footy, basketball, anything, so anyway to get them together is great.

“To the Aboriginal youth, be proud of your culture. It’s the longest living and continuous culture that you’re a part of.”

NAIDOC Week wraps up in Geraldton with the Mayu ball on Thursday night and a community event at Edith Cowan Square on Friday.