Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council Friendship Alliance

In 2003, Council and the Towards Reconciliation Working Group set about building a relationship with Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council in Queensland. The aim of this early connection was to enhance learning and understanding between our respective local cultures in the Shire and municipal Hobsons Bay. Initial projects included connections between school students and community exchange.

Yarrabah and Council established the ground breaking 'sister cities' friendship to continue enhancing learning and understanding between the two Local Government Areas (LGA's). The relationship continues, including exchanges of information, identifying opportunities to progress cultural elements. These have included hosting the Yarrabah Cultural Dancers at events in Hobsons Bay, exhibiting artwork created by children from Yarrabah initially as part of Art in Public Places and delegate visits as occasions arise.

About Yarrabah Shire

Yarrabah is the traditional country of the Gunggandji and Yidinji people. 

Yarrabah Shire is an independent Aboriginal community in north Queensland, approximately 50km by road from Cairns. The area has a population of around 4,000 people, and a number of small townships and settlements. Yarrabah is a coastal community.

Council is the major employer in Yarrabah.  The Yarrabah Arts and Cultural Precinct includes the Menmuny Museum, the Yarrabah Arts Centre and boardwalk.  

More information about Yarrabah is available at www.yarrabah.qld.gov.au

Find out about the Yarrabah Affirmation to the Uluru Statement of the Heart, where in April 2022, First Nations delegates met on Gunggandji Country at Yarrabah with Alfred ‘Pop Alf’ Neal OAM, the last surviving member of the Lantern Movement, and a leading campaigner of the 1967 referendum www.ulurustatement.org

There is a great documentary called A Sense of Belonging produced by Get Up Out West sing funding from Council's community grants program.