That's according to Ted Fields, one of the local knowledge-holders behind a new push to achieve exactly that.

The senior Gomeroi culture and language advisor is part of a decades-long project committed to "restoring" the traditional language to what he says is its rightful place in the Tamworth community.

One day, white and black Tamworth residents will have entire fluent conversations in Gomeroi language without even thinking about it, he hopes. But the project is running out of time.

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"That is the goal. That's been a long time coming, we're 20 years since revival, Gamilaroy language revival. I guess it's pretty much now or never, because we're losing people that have grown up learning the traditional language," Mr Fields said.

"People who have an ear for it, it's really really important that we have those people involved in the restoration.

"I refer to a lot of this work as a restoration project. We're restoring knowledge back to the rightful people, restoring those connections."

One of the most powerful tools for language education is the formal school system.

Many local schools have either shown interest in, or have started teaching, Gomeroi language education programs.

But Mr Fields said efforts have been hampered by a lack of formal educational resources, like lesson plans, exams, textbooks and qualified teachers.

"It's ad-hoc ... there's no formula no clear [pathway] in how you do this, school executives are a little bit unsure whether to make the first step," he said.

A new Gomeroi Language Reference Group aims to change that.

"We get this into schools, we get structured programs that fit within the curriculum. And there's a clear starting point and a ending point for kids coming into the Gomeroi language and cultural program," Mr Fields said.

"Some of the people in the group understand the need for consistency across the program, so that kids at one school can converse in language with kids at another school. That consistency in the program can only come about through a community-led program led by Gomeroi people."

The community-led program will also "close the circle" and teach the grandparents and parents the same course educating their children, he said.

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Before white settlement Gomeroi, also called Gamilaraay or Kamilaroi, was spoken in a region spanning Singleton to Moree and Narrabri, and even south-west Queensland.

In the 1990s, the language was codified and dictionaries published, the first steps to language restoration.

The next step is to roll out formalised language education in five pilot schools identified by the Department of Education.

From there they can train up additional language teachers and eventually cover every school in the region.

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The reference group held its first meetings in November and will be ratified by February 2021, Mr Fields said.

Things are already changing. Word by word Gomeroi is already replacing English, he said.

Social media is already filled with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people saying yaama - hello - to each other. Yaama is becoming more normal in everyday conversation, he said.

"This generation ought not be ashamed of Gamilaroy language, they ought to be proud of it and express it daily and freely, without somebody glancing sideways at us. A lot of people have gone through shame with language. We want to get beyond that and it's going to be our kids that make sure that's going to happen," he said.

"We have grandchildren; one parent is white and the other is Gamilaroy. They hear me speak it and they hear it in their family. When they speak their first words they're speaking our language. That's how it'll change. Among the first words that they hear are language words."

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