Aboriginal men’s groups from the Mid North Coast area play in a NAIDOC Golf Challenge which is represented by Port Macquarie, Taree and Forster Aboriginal men’s groups.

This idea was formed at an Aboriginal Men’s Group meeting in Port Macquarie in 2009.

The following year it began and it is now in its sixth  year with Aboriginal men coming together from these three communities on the Mid North Coast to celebrate NAIDOC Week.

We are the first Aboriginal Men’s Group in NSW to have a strategic plan for the group and we have seven goals targeted at which we work towards to get better outcomes for Aboriginal men.

*Building Better Community Relationships

* Improving Educational Opportunities and Outcomes

* Improving Health Outcomes for Aboriginal Men

*Strengthening Cultural Knowledge and Heritage

* Strengthening the Role of Men in the Community

* Improving Housing and Environment Outcomes

* Improving Employment Opportunities

It’s always a great day for the men to get together.

They have a yarn about their families, about themselves but the most important things that are discussed whilst they are playing, is about the health issues that impact on Aboriginal men on a daily basis.

We also seek service providers from various health services on the Mid North Coast to come along and talk to the men throughout the area about critical subjects such as cancer awareness, diabetes, drug and alcohol abuse and mental health issues.

These issues t affect the whole community.

The winning team of this year’s golf challenge was Taree and the following winners receiving trophies for the: longest drive, Matt Maine; longest putt, Wayne Anderson; closest to the pin, Jamie Archibald; encouragement award, Ben Donavon and the winning team, Port Macquarie Aboriginal Men’s Group, Jamie Donavon, Wayne Anderson, Adam Robertson and Chris Obrien.

Considering the weather wasn’t what you call a great day for playing golf but all men enjoyed it.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the different businesses from the Forster CBD and surrounding areas who contributed prize’s and  vouchers towards this day, Ness Stewart said.

Without their generous support, our day would not be a memorable one.

Thank you to Daniel Stalls Worthy Building, Tuncurry Beach Bowling Club, Barclay Marine, Lobby’s Seafood, Forster Sport and Tackle, Salt Water Wine Surf, The Lakes way Chinese Tavern, Beach Bums Café, Pacific Palms Bowling Club, Witt’s Butchery, Lowes Men’s Wear, Bunnings, Forster Gourmet Meats, Forster Tuncurry RLFC and Hunter New England Local Health District.