03/08/2026
Article published by the State Library Qld https://plconnect.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/building-skills-preserve-woorabindas-stories-future-generations
Building skills to preserve Woorabinda's stories for future generations
2 Jul 2026
For Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire Council, the Indigenous Knowledge Centre (IKC) plays an important role in ensuring local history, cultural knowledge and community memories remain accessible for future generations.
At the end of May 2026, Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire Council, in partnership with State Library of Queensland, delivered a tailored professional development program designed to strengthen outcomes of the Woorabinda IKC. Guided by priorities identified through the co-designed Woorabinda IKC Action Plan, the program focused on developing practical skills that will support community-led cultural initiatives for years to come.
For IKC Coordinator Douglas Graham and Elder and Cultural Consultant Aunty Diane Hill, the week provided an opportunity to explore historical collections connected to Woorabinda while learning directly from specialists across Queensland's leading collecting institutions. Together with State Library staff (First Nations Branch), they visited Queensland Memory at State Library of Queensland, Queensland State Archives, The University of Queensland's Fryer Library and Queensland Museum.
Working alongside archivists, librarians, museum professionals and researchers, participants explored collection management, culturally appropriate protocols for working with First Nations collections and knowledge, oral history, exhibition development, research methodologies and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) considerations. More importantly, they discussed how these approaches could be adapted to meet the needs and aspirations of the Woorabinda community.
Throughout the program, participants viewed historical photographs, archival records and collection material connected to Woorabinda, creating opportunities to deepen their understanding of local history and identify future community projects. These experiences sparked ideas for exhibitions, story capture initiatives and new ways of sharing cultural knowledge that place community voices at the centre.
A key priority of the Woorabinda IKC Action Plan is supporting preparations for the 100-year commemoration of the Taroom to Woorabinda Trek in 2027. The knowledge and skills developed during the program will contribute to this important milestone through research, collection development, oral history recording and exhibition planning, ensuring community members continue to lead the telling of their own history.
The benefits of the program extend well beyond one week of professional development. The Woorabinda IKC team has strengthened their capability to safeguard and document community knowledge, develop culturally appropriate exhibitions, improve access to historical records and build ongoing relationships with Queensland's major collecting institutions. These partnerships will continue to enable ongoing research, community-led projects and the preservation of Woorabinda's rich cultural heritage.
Programs like this demonstrate the value of long-term partnerships built on shared goals, equal partnerships and community priorities. By working together, Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire Council and State Library of Queensland are supporting the IKC to build local capability while ensuring cultural knowledge remains in the hands of community.
As preparations continue towards the 2027 commemoration, the skills, relationships and ideas developed through this program will empower the Woorabinda community to lead the preservation, documentation and sharing of its cultural heritage. This reflects State Library’s commitment to working in partnership with communities to preserve Queensland’s documentary heritage in ways that respect and value First Nations knowledge and culture.
IKC Coordinator Douglas Graham and Elder and Cultural Consultant Aunty Diane Hill
