Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community
Logan City Council respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands across the City of Logan. We extend that respect to the Elders, past, present and emerging for they hold the memories, traditions, cultures and hopes of Australia’s First Peoples.
Logan is home to people from diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nations and languages.
At the time of the 2021 census 14,520 of Logan’s residents identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, representing 4.2 percent of our population. 12,792 identified as being Aboriginal people, 790 identified as being Torres Strait Islander people and 935 identified as being both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The City of Logan is at the intersection of several groups who each have a claim as Traditional Custodians of lands within the Logan area. These groups are at various stages of researching and documenting their ancestry, history, language and cultural information.
Community services, programs and groups
|
Service |
Contact information |
|---|---|
|
ATSICHS Logan Medical Clinic Health and wellbeing services and programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Logan. |
Online: ATSICHS website
|
|
Beenleigh Housing Development Company
Housing, business and cultural activities for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. |
Address: 9 Main Street, Beenleigh QLD 4207 Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9:00am to 4:00pm Phone: 07 3807 0901 Email: admin@bhdc.org.au Online: BHDC website |
|
Burringilly Community care services for elders, people with a disability and their carers in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. |
Phone: 07 3208 4785 Email: admin@burringilly.org.au Online: Burringilly website |
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Gunya Meta Inc Education and health-based programs that support self-determination, social and emotional well-being, and provide opportunities for job training and employment. |
Phone: 07 3558 1600 Email: admin@gunyameta.org Online: Gunya Meta Inc website |
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Logan District Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Corporation for Elders Community programs, events and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Logan district. |
Phone: 07 3803 7294 |
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Murrigunyah Family & Cultural Healing Centre Community-based sexual assault support service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. |
Address: 2 Burrigan Street (Corner Ewing Road), Woodridge Qld 4114 Opening hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm Phone: 07 3290 4254 Email: admin@murrigunyah.org.au Online: Murrigunyah website |
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Nyeumba-Meta Nyeumba-Meta is a learning space based at Logan Central Library and can be used by educational institutions and community groups to assist in learning about Indigenous customs and history. |
Address: Logan Central Library, 26 Wilbur Street, Logan Central QLD 4114 Online: Nyeumba-Meta collection |
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Yarnspace An online community for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to access resources and connect. |
Online: Yarnspace website |
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Yugambeh Museum, Language and Heritage Research Centre The Yugambeh Museum has a range of resources to assist you either in the school environment, home or business. |
Email: admin@yugambeh.com Online: Yugambeh Museum website |
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13YARN Support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are feeling worried or no good, phone and talk with a crisis supporter. |
Phone: 139276 Online: 13YARN website |
Our reconciliation journey
In 2015, Council committed to the Reconciliation Action Plan framework which provides a whole-of-organisation approach to reconciliation.
Since then, we have delivered two Innovate Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs) and continue to take steps towards building better relationships and creating opportunities with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Highlights from our journey so far include:
- Installed the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags on permanent display at our Administration building.
- Established a guideline, resources and training to increase staff awareness about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, cultures, protocols and perspectives.
- Encouraged staff to celebrate National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC by hosting internal activities and learning opportunities.
- Introduced an Acknowledgement of Country into the formal agenda for full Council meetings.
- Installed Acknowledgement of Country across our meeting rooms, administration building foyer, libraries, and art gallery.
- Became a member of Supply Nation and implemented our Buy Local, Buy Social Policy which encourages procurement of services from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned businesses.
- Launched the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Bursary Program which aims to help increase university participation rates of First Nations secondary students living in the City of Logan by removing financial and social barriers.
- Delivered programs, services, exhibitions and public artworks in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples including the Our Aunties and Uncles digital stories project, Our words our stories, the Nyemba-Meta collection and the Uncle Reg Knox memorial exhibition.
- Promoted family history resources and tools across our library services.
- Supported NAIDOC and Reconciliation Week events and activities across the city.
What can you do?
You can support reconciliation in many ways. A good starting point is to look at the Reconciliation Australia website to understand the meaning of reconciliation.
There are many other local and national resources available to support your learning journey:
- Logan City Council library services
- Flags of Australia's Indigenous Peoples
- Welcome to Country Queensland regional map
- Reconciliation Queensland
- Path to Treaty – Department of Seniors, Disability Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships
- Queensland Government Response to the Treaty Advancement Committee Report 2022 (PDF)
- National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) - Indigenous affairs
You can also get involved or lead your own local activities and events in line with the significant dates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples below.
Significant dates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
There are a number of significant dates and events for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. These dates present opportunities for learning about our shared history and progressing reconciliation. These include:
|
Date |
Event Information |
|---|---|
|
26 January |
Survival Day January 26 has many meanings. It is Australia Day for some and it is also, for some, Survival Day. Our national day provides an opportunity to acknowledge and learn about our nation's past. |
|
13 February |
Anniversary of Apology in 2008 for the laws and policies of successive parliaments and governments that inflicted grief, suffering and losses on Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. |
|
21 March |
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination marks the beginning of a week of solidarity with the peoples struggling against racism and racial discrimination. We know this as Harmony Week in Australia. |
|
3rd Thursday in March |
National Close the Gap Day to bring people together to share information and take meaningful action in support of achieving health equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. |
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15 April |
Anniversary of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody 1991 |
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26 May |
National Sorry Day remembers and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families and communities. We now know this as ‘The Stolen Generations’. |
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27 May |
Anniversary of 1967 Referendum where Australians voted to count Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the census. It also gave the Australian Government the power to make laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. |
|
27 May to 3 June |
National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements. It is also a time to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. |
|
3 June |
Mabo Day on this day in 1992 the Australian High Court delivered the Mabo decision. This led to the legal recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of lands. This decision paved the way for Native Title. |
|
1 July |
Coming of the Light is a holiday celebrated by Torres Strait Islander peoples. It recognises the adoption of Christianity through island communities in 1871. |
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First week of July |
NAIDOC Week is a celebration of the history, cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Every year NAIDOC Week celebrations are centred on a theme chosen by a national organising committee. |
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4 August |
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day is a time to celebrate the strengths and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. |
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9 August |
International Day of the World's Indigenous People to promote and protect the rights of the world's Indigenous populations. |