Cherbourg Keeps The Fire Burning

NAIDOC at Cherbourg is all about passing on culture with a strong emphasis on involving young people in all the activities

July 10, 2024

Cherbourg’s annual NAIDOC Family Fun Day attracted a big crowd to the community’s Memorial Park on Tuesday morning.

Stalls from community groups lined the area opposite The Ration Shed, providing activities for children as well as offering items for sale and helpful information.

The 2024 NAIDOC theme is “Keep The Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud”, and the emphasis was strong on passing on culture.

The Fun Day was also an opportunity for the Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council to acknowledge contributions made by community members over the past 12 months (see awards, below).

Entertainment was provided by the Wakka Wakka Dancers (see gallery photos, below) as well as a live broadcast by Cherbourg Radio.

There were more NAIDOC activities in Cherbourg on Wednesday with a community breakfast at CRAICCHS and activities and a performance by the junior Wakka Wakka Dancers at Cherbourg State School.

On Thursday, the focus will shift to the Cherbourg Health Service where there will be food, music art and more dancing from 10:00am to 2:00pm.

There will also be a day of NAIDOC activities in Kingaroy’s Memorial Park from 10:00am to 2:00pm on Thursday with market stalls and entertainment.

Friday is a gazetted public holiday in Cherbourg so Cherbourg Council’s Containers for Change depots in Kingaroy, Cherbourg and Nanango will be closed on the day.

Cherbourg Council CEO Chatur Zala with Mayor Bruce Simpson and Deputy Mayor Carla Fisher

Jonathan Walsh, Vincent Law and Bowman Murray were checking out the QAS display

Uncle Cedric Law came down from the Ny-Ku Byun Elders Village for NAIDOC Day with Debbie West

Aunties Ada Simpson, Iris Glenbar and Shirley Law

Aunties Belita Gadd and Andrea Collins … Andrea has just returned home to Cherbourg after spending years in the NT

Tara Priestly and station manager Chrissy Bond were looking after 4UM’s outside broadcast

Former mayor Elvie Sandow was getting a hair braid from Nurunderi TAFE student Jorja Abel

Jeffrey Dynevor and Robert Bond Snr with Stuart Guerin, from Graham House in Murgon

Luella Watson and Robyn Simpson were looking after the South Burnett CTC stand

The team from Cherbourg Youth Justice were taking the opportunity to be Blak, Loud and Proud!

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Cherbourg Council NAIDOC Awards

Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council presented a number of awards to community members:

Special Achievement Award: Iris Jean Blow – Iris was one of the first students to start at the Cherbourg Digital Service Centre and is a regional finalist in the upcoming Queensland Training Awards in Kingaroy.

Special Achievement Award: Geoffrey Dowling – Geoffrey is the team leader at the Cherbourg Digital Service Centre and has completed his traineeship and Certificate III in Business at TAFE.

Community Service Award: SkillCentred gang – For the work the crew have been doing cleaning up parks around the community.

Special Acknowledgement Award: Daniel Cobbo – Daniel is a highly valued team member at the Cherbourg Community Health Service and has also been recognised for his work in suicide prevention.

Sports Person In The Community: Elvie Saltner – Elvie has been excelling in her chosen sport of netball. She was recently selected in the Queensland Schoolgirls team and will be travelling to Melbourne to compete.

Male Youth In The Community: Reuben Simpson – Reuben is a YAG member and has shown great leadership. He recently won a competition to meet the Prime Minister.

Female Youth In The Community: Maureen Weazel – Maureen is an active member of YAG and does a wonderful job running the YAG shop.

Person of the Community: Derek Gadd – Derek is the community supervisor at Skillcentred and leads his team with enthusiasm, and is an excellent role model for Cherbourg’s young men.

Cr Daniel Weazel and Cr Tom Langton presented Derek Gadd, centre, with the Person of the Community Award; Derek also collected the Community Service Award on behalf of the Skillcentred gang which has been cleaning parks in the community

Geoffrey Dowling was presented with a Special Achievement Award

Daniel Cobbo was presented with a Special Acknowledgement Award for his work with Cherbourg Community Health

Neal Simpson collected the Male Youth In The Community award on behalf of his son Reuben

Maureen Weazel was presented with the Female Youth In The Community award

Cherbourg Council’s NAIDOC Community Awards were decorated by local artist Mia Sandow

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2024 NAIDOC Theme

Cherbourg Youth Advisory Group (YAG) member Maureen Weazel explained the 2024 NAIDOC theme:

This year’s theme, Blak, Loud and Proud, celebrates the enduring strength of Indigenous culture and calls for solidarity and unity.

It aims to amplify the voices that have been silenced and invites everyone to acknowledge, preserve and share the cultural heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The theme empowers us to stand tall in our heritage, reclaims narrative and fosters a society where Indigenous wisdom and contribution are fully valued and respected.

Let’s work together to cherish and celebrate the oldest living culture in the world.

Thanks everyone for coming together to celebrate NAIDOC with our community.

Maureen also thanked the Cherbourg Council, CRAICCHS, South Burnett CTC and community members for their efforts during NAIDOC Week and the stallholders who had supported the community day.