Archive for the ‘Cherbourg’ Category
Opening of the Caroline Tennant-Kelly exhibition
The opening of the Caroline Tennant-Kelly exhibition Day was one of our special NAIDOC events at the Ration Shed Museum. It was a beautiful sunny day and the Cherbourg Historical Precinct was sparkling – thanks to all the hard work of our local workers. Guests arrived with lots of positive energy and the Murgon State High School Mentors, looking “deadly” in their Ration Shed t-shirts, where in attendance – ready to assist anyone that needed help.
Anthropologists Kim de Rijke & Tony Jefferies
University of Queensland anthropologists Kim de Rijke, Tony Jefferies and their families, as well as the Goodings, Jim Kelly and other invited guests came up especially for the opening day. MC Bruce Simpson made sure the day ran smoothly. Beryl Gambrill, welcomed everyone to country and Sandra Morgan gave the welcoming speech. Ada Simpson spoke about the history and then introduced anthropologists Kim and Tony. We heard the inspiring story of Caroline Tennant-Kelly, anthropologist and activist, whose field work in Cherbourg in the 1930s and her protests to the Queensland Government about the treatment of people there led to her banning from all Queensland reserves. They also gave us a demonstration of how to use the CD-rom they had put together of Caroline’s Tennant-Kelly’s material.
Bevan Costello, deputy chairperson of the Ration Shed Museum announced that the Ration Shed was honouring some special friends of the Ration Shed and series of plaques were unveiled on the side of the Ration Shed wall. (see story about becoming a friend of the Ration Shed)
Bevan Costello honours Friends of the Ration Shed with plaques
Aunty Eva Collins opened the exhibition and people flooded into the Ration Shed to view the photographs. Peter Trail designed the exhibition complete with magnifying glasses and chalk for community members to write on the blackboard any of the names of people they recognised in her photos from the 1930s. It was very moving to see Elders engage with the material – there were tears and laughter as some people recognised family members and friends. Sylvia Bond and family graciously loaned a special series of photographs and a breastplate of her great, great Grandfather Fred Embrey, who also features in some of Caroline Tennant- Kelly’s photographs.
Aunty Eva Collins opened the exhibition
The exhibition will be on display all year if you would like to look at it. We are also hoping to develop a series of worksheets for school students. The original research materials of Caroline Tennant-Kelly are now preserved in the Fryer Library at the University of Queensland and digital copies are being distributed to the Aboriginal communities she worked with in Queensland and New South Wales in the 1930s. Copies of the Cherbourg material are available at the Ration Shed on CD-ROM . The CD-ROMs costs $15 plus postage.
The Caroline Tennant-Kelly exhibition and our NAIDOC Day celebrations were made possible by funding from the Aboriginal Community Interest Consultative Committee (ACICC) and the Australian Government Indigenous Co-ordination Centre (ICC). The Smith Family are funding the mentoring group project and The Indigenous Regional Arts Development Fund (IRADF) funded the banner project.
Carlijn & Kim de Rijke, Sandra Morgan, Jeanette Brown, Graham Gooding
Commonwealth Bank funding
The Commowealth Bank donated $20,000 to help us out with the damage that occurred to the Boys Dormitory from the heavy rains in January. We will use the money to repair the roof and fix the floor in the Art studio.
With a new-look art studio, we look forward to having more students participating in the art workshops run by our local Yidding artists. Schools and youth groups are welcome to make bookings through our front office. Telephone – 07 41695753
Jen Maybon from the Commonwealth Bank hands some members of the Ration Shed Management committee a cheque to repair sections of The Boys Dormitory.
Ration Shed film a winner!
Our film “The Ration Shed” won best Queensland short film at the Gympie International Heart of Gold Film Festival. The film is 26 minutes long and tells the story of the Ration Shed – it has many moving interviews with Elders who have now past on. We are selling DVD copies for $22 each and will post them to you. Postage is an extra $4. If you want to see the film – come and visit us at the Ration Shed Museum, watch the film and we will answer questions you might have.
Minister Desley Boyle pays a visit
Minister Desley Boyle recently paid a visit to the Ration Shed Museum. 
Ada Simpson gave her a tour of the Precinct.
Ada Simpson, Minister Desley Boyle, Sandra Morgan
Indigenous prisoners build furniture for Cherbourg Ration Shed Museum and skills for the future
Furniture built by Indigenous prisoners at Maryborough Correctional Centre (MCC) was delivered to Cherbourg’s historic Ration Shed Museum.
MCC General Manager Trevor Craig said five timber picnic tables and two bench seats were built as part of Work Skills training for the prisoners.
“During the consultation process we identified an opportunity to benefit the Cherbourg community by building outdoor furniture for the Ration Shed Museum.” Mr Craig said the furniture donation followed a recent landscaping day at the Museum. “Management and staff from MCC and Kingaroy Probation and Parole teamed up with community service workers to beautify the grounds of the museum,” he said. “They planted 180 plants that prisoners propagated at MCC and the centre donated to the museum.”
President of the Cherbourg Historical Precinct, which administers the Ration Shed Museum, Sandra Morgan, said the community appreciated the efforts of MCC and the prisoners. “The plants and furniture have been worthwhile contribution to the museum and I thank the staff from MCC and Kingaroy Probation and Parole for supporting this project,” she said. “This project has been a wonderful way for the prisoners to give back to the community and develop a real sense of pride. “I encourage them to come back to the community after their release and continue in that spirit of doing something positive for themselves and their community.”
“Course participants undertook four units of competency including the Construction Industry Safety Induction, workplace health and safety, use of construction tools and equipment, and project work. ‘Those who successfully completed the course will receive their White Card, a Statement of Attainment and a result of assessment from the Tropical North Queensland Institute of TAFE.” Mr Craig said prisoners who completed Vocational Education Training (VET) courses while in jail were contributing to their rehabilitation.
Landscaping day at the Museum
Tables made by offenders and donated to Ration Shed Museum
Queensland Corrective Services delivers nationally-accredited vocational education training through a partnership with the Department of Education, Training and the Arts.
Ration Shed film in finals of Film Festival
The film “The Ration Shed” is in the finals of the Queensland short film competition. The film was made by Sandra Morgan and Robyn Hofmeyr and is about the story of the Ration Shed. It is 20 minutes long and contains interviews with Elders, archival footage and photographs. (DVD copies are for sale at $22 each plus postage)
Here is the link to the voting site on the Brisbane Times website to vote for “The Ration Shed” film in the QLD Short Film Competition, as a part of the Brisbane International Film Festival: The competition closes on the 14th of November.
It only takes a moment to click on the link and cast a vote – your time would be much appreciated!
The competition ends on the 14th of November 2010
Sandra Morgan: Winner of Premier’s “Volunteers Award for Seniors”
Sandra Morgan & Premier Anna Bligh at Premier Award Ceremony
Sandra was one of 12 people from around Queensland that was invited to Parliament House on the 16th of August, to receive a special award from Premier Anna Bligh in recognition of the work she does as a volunteer for the Cherbourg community.
Sandra has worked tirelessly as a volunteer most of her life and contributed to various organisations and events. Her recent volunteering entails working at The Cherbourg Historical Precinct where she has been elected as chairperson. Sandra is passionate about telling the stories of her Elders to school students, the youth and the general public. She wants them to understand what happened in the past and understand how the past has shaped the present. She also wants the museum to be a contemporary space with a forward-looking positive view of the future.
Sandra hopes her hard work contributes to building bridges and the healing process of her people and the visitors that come to the Ration Shed Museum.