A special unveiling greeted hundreds of people gathered at the Town Green on Monday morning to celebrate the start of NAIDOC Week.
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Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island flags were raised following Elder Uncle Bill O'Brien's welcome to country and a speech by Port Macquarie-Hastings deputy mayor Justin Levido.
The crowd marched as one, led by didgeridoo player Steve Donovan, along the foreshore to the unveiling of a public art piece.
The nearly three metre sculpture, titled Together as One, celebrates the 1827 rescue by seven Aboriginal men of a European pilot boat's crew after their boat got flipped on the Hastings River bar.
This year's theme of 'We all Stand on Sacred Ground: learn, respect and celebrate' will be celebrated at numerous events throughout the week, including the free Hastings Family Fun Day at Westport Park from 10am on Thursday.