We acknowledge the Dharug people as the traditional owners of the lands and waters of Penrith. We thank them for the Water Ceremony they are giving as spectators enter the stadium on Monday 29th September 2025.

A Water Ceremony is a cultural greeting for guests as they arrive here on their own time, leading to the official start of the event. 

The water ceremony is like a blessing, which imparts an element of Country -  importantly in this instance, water drawn from the Nepean River - sprinkling onto the participant through locally-sourced, leaved native branches. This symbolises a cleansing to enter on to Country, imparting positive energy, leaving behind that which isn’t needed and connecting the participant to that area of Country through the spiritual connection to this part of the river.

 It is akin to the more widely-known Smoking Ceremony, though in place of smoke, water - a natural cleanser - is used in this manner. 

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