Community spirit ablaze at one of Tamworth's biggest NAIDOC marches to date

This year's theme for NAIDOC Week is Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud, and organisers say the flames are burning brighter than ever. One ballpark estimate suggested around 2000 people joined the march on Friday morning.

"This is a long time we've been walking down this street to make sure our community can be seen, and we're always making sure that we're keeping that fire burning," Tamworth councillor and founder of the Gomeroi Culture Academy Marc Sutherland said.

Hundreds upon hundreds of community members waved the Aboriginal flag with ear-to-ear smiles as they marched from Viaduct Park Park down Peel Street.

The march came to an end in Bicentennial Park where it was transformed into a Family Fun Day complete with food, music, and traditional dancing led by the Gomeroi Dance Company.

Kamilaroi man Len Waters said it' was especially encouraging to see so many young people taking part in the NAIDOC Week festivities.

"You know, 50 years ago you wouldn't believe these crowds would be as big as what they are today," Mr Waters said.

Mr Waters' lifelong friend from Walcha, Bill Kennedy, told the Leader the NAIDOC movement had come a long way in terms of being able to freely celebrate one of the world's oldest living cultures.

"These marches are totally different to back in the '70s when we first did them as young fellas, those marches through Sydney with police and riot squads everywhere," Mr Kennedy said.

But activists say there's still much more to do as the Australian Government continues falling short on many of the goals listed in its Closing the Gap strategy.