City of Darwin leads inclusive community celebration
DiversAbility Fun Day
The City of Darwin’s annual DiversAbility Fun Day continues to demonstrate what inclusive community leadership looks like in practice.
Held as part of International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD), the event brought together residents, community organisations, and advocates in a shared space designed around participation, access, and connection. More than a single celebration, the Fun Day reflects City of Darwin’s ongoing commitment to building a community where inclusion is embedded into everyday experiences.
A council-led event designed for participation
Across the park, inclusion was visible in motion. Activities, spaces, and supports were designed to adapt to participants, rather than asking people to adapt to the environment.
Sport, creative activities, cultural performances, food stalls, and community displays sat alongside one another, creating multiple entry points for participation. Volunteers adjusted equipment, explained activities at different paces, and supported engagement without drawing attention to difference. Small, thoughtful design choices added up to an environment where people could take part on their own terms.
These details reflect City of Darwin’s approach to inclusion – practical, considered, and focused on how people actually experience community spaces.
Sport4All supporting City of Darwin’s inclusion delivery
Sport4All attended the DiversAbility Fun Day in partnership with City of Darwin and Disability Sports NT, supporting Council’s delivery of inclusive sport and recreation opportunities.
Inclusion Coaches Alex Woodward and John Clarke represented Sport4All across the event. Alex supported engagement at the City of Darwin stand, where the Council’s well-known Smoothie Bike drew people in and sparked conversations about inclusion, access, and community participation. John worked alongside partners to support the sports activations, helping ensure activities were flexible, welcoming, and responsive to participant needs.
Together, their roles reflected the strength of City of Darwin’s partnership model – bringing together local government leadership, community sport expertise, and lived-experience insight to deliver inclusive outcomes.
Inclusion in practice
Throughout the afternoon, patterns emerged that underline what inclusive communities do well.
Equipment, instructions, and spaces were adjusted continuously to suit different needs. Support was present but unobtrusive, allowing people to explore activities at their own pace. Participation was shaped as much by environment and social cues as by formal rules or schedules.
These moments weren’t staged or symbolic – they were practical examples of how inclusion works when it is designed into community events from the outset.
Recognition of inclusive leadership
The Fun Day also provided an opportunity to recognise individuals and organisations contributing to accessibility and inclusion across Darwin, with the announcement of the 2026 Lord Mayor Award recipients.
Honouring leaders across advocacy, education, creative practice, and community impact reinforced that inclusion is built over time – through consistent effort, collaboration, and leadership at multiple levels.
Celebrating City of Darwin’s inclusion work
City of Darwin’s leadership was further amplified through local media coverage during IDPwD.
Sport4All Inclusion Coach John Clarke was interviewed on Territory FM, where he spoke about how Inclusion Coaches support councils, clubs, and community organisations to translate inclusive intent into everyday practice. The interview highlighted the role of partnerships in ensuring inclusion is not just talked about, but implemented.
Embedding inclusion into community life
The DiversAbility Fun Day shows how inclusive thinking can move beyond policy and into lived experience.
By leading the event and working alongside partners such as Sport4All and Disability Sports NT, City of Darwin continues to demonstrate how councils can create environments where people of all abilities feel welcomed, supported, and able to participate fully.
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