Ration Shed Museum :: Cherbourg Historical Precinct Group :: Cherbourg, QLD Australia

STRONGER SMARTER HOLD FIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS A YEAR AT THE RATION SHED

We’ve had a very busy time recently. The Stronger Smarter Leadership Program have had 3 groups participating in their program at the Ration Shed this year. They book the entire Precinct for a whole week. We are very grateful for their wonderful support.

Conference participants

SALLY-ANN JOHNSTON-LAWRENCE BRINGS VISITORS FROM THE SUNSHINE COAST TO THE RATION SHED

Sally- Ann Johnston-Lawrence, Honour Cleary and Faye Gundy are great supporters of the Ration Shed. They bring a busload of 50 visitors to the Ration Shed every few months. Honour and Faye give talks about growing up under the ACT.

Sally-Ann Johnson brings visitors regularly to the Ration Shed

THE MOO-ROO MOO-ROO YOUTH GROUP CELEBRATE YOUTH WEEK AT THE RATION SHED

The Moo-Roo Moo-Roo Youth Group recently opened the room in the Boys Dormitory they have been working on as a youth space. Local youth help paint the room. A dance workshop and dance activities formed part of the youth week celebrations. These activities were funded by the ACICC and the Department of Communities.

Group of youth painting their room

Nigel & Katina supervising youth

youth watching dancers as part of youth week celebrations

Dancers from Brisbane perform for youth at The Ration Shed

REMEMBERING OUR BLACK DIGGERS AND PARTICIPATING IN ANZAC

We hosted an ANZAC memorial tea and visitors watched a film made by Sylvia Bond called “The Black Diggers” Eric Law, a Vietnam Veteran was one of the organisers of the event. Eric Law and Shirley Law regularly bring visitors from the Catholic schools to the Ration Shed.

It was great to see Beryl Gambrill at the ANZAC tea. She is a Ration Shed Committee Member and one of our great Ration Shed supporters. Annie Moffatt is another wonderful supporter and she too was present at the ANZAC memorial tea.

Judy from Cherbourg State School and Eric from St Josephs Catholic College, at the ANZAC tea.

ANZAC memorial tea at Ration Shed

Watching the film "Black Diggers"

Beryl Gambrill with family & friends

Annie Moffatt out and about on ANZAC Day

On the 11 April we helped organise a workshop called Voice Power - aimed at empowering youth leadership. The workshop was funded by The Smith Family as part of their youth mentoring programme. The aim of the workshop was to bring youth, community and Elders together and encourage a space for positive and affirming dialogue and interaction.

The workshop was facilitated and run by Brian Martin and Robyn Harper. Brian has more than 20 years experience in voice production and teaches people from all walks of life how to sing and speak with joy and confidence and Robyn Harper has studied various forms of gentle exercise to assist the body. Katina Leedie a youth leader from The Smith Family and the Moo Roo Moo Roo youth group also assisted and help organise the workshop and liaise with the youth.

Over 25 people attended the workshop which ran from 10am until 3.30pm. There was a great variety of participants – some great singers and song writers attended to see what they could share and learn from Brian, while others were interested in public speaking. There was wonderful singing, laughter and many of us learnt some valuable speaking and listening tips. We learnt tips on how to speak clearly and use volume, projection and feel and enjoy the power of our own voices. Robyn’s exercises helped us relax and reminded us of the importance of posture to project confidence and assist us find our voice.

When asked what he thought of the workshop one of the youth replied: “It was Mad!” A mad day was had by all!

Voice Power Workshop in the Boys Dormitory

Brian Martin demonstrates a technique

A great variety of participants

Youth and Elders attended

We have had a flurry of visitors at the Ration Shed Museum this past week. The Stronger Smarter Leadership team booked the Precinct for the week to run their vibrant leadership program. Dr Chris Sarra was luckily available to sign the children’s book he wrote for Budburra Books – “Dingoes are not Dogs” Many of those on the leadership course purchased copies of the Budburra books from our shop.

Chris Sarra signs copies of "Dingoes are not Dogs"

Ada, Zona, Chris & Sandra

At the end of the week – Bob Katter and his team came to visit the Ration Shed and were lucky to catch the wonderful Cherbourg State School Hula and the Junior Wakka dancers.

The Cherbourg State School hula dancers

Bob Katter watches the dancers

On the weekend the South Burnett Vintage Car Club arrived for a visit. There were many wonderful vintage cars parked all around the Cherbourg Historical Precinct.

South Burnett Vintage Car Club

The Ration Shed Museum has employed a new trainee admin worker – Luella Blair. We very excited to have Luella joining our work team. Her position is part funded by the First Start Program a Department of Employment initiative. Julie Gee, the  Indigenous Employment & Training Manager for the Wide Bay Burnett South Region is a great supporter of the Ration Shed Museum and assisted us with the application.

Luella Blair trainee worker at the Ration Shed

On the first of March Suzie Langports from the English Language College in Brisbane brought two Japanese visitors to the Ration Shed – Nobu Eto who runs a company called Australia Ryugaku Centre and Aya Koshimizu from the Nippon University in Tokyo. The aim of the visit was to see what what the Ration Shed could offer Japanese tourists and visitors.

Sandra Morgan gave them each a permit (permission to remain in Cherbourg) and told them about the permit system they had to endure. The visitors were treated to fried scones and syrup and morning tea. They were given a cultural tour, watched a local film about the story of the Ration Shed and then Rocko Langton and Venus Rabbitt provided the visitors with paints and a blank map of Australia. The local artists demonstrated a few of their art techniques and together they painted the maps.

The group are planning on bringing the first group of Japanese visitors to the Ration Shed in September and hope to follow up with many more visits.

Sandra signs Permits

A painting session

Jim Reeves, the Director General of the Department of Resource Management and the Environment (DERM) and the new Champion of Cherbourg made a surprise visit to the Ration Shed Museum on the 23rd of February. He brought the most wonderful gift – a framed original copy of a 1897 Government Survey Map of the Cherbourg area. Sandra Morgan, fellow committee members and others were so excited and grateful – they presented him with a Friends of the Ration Shed certificate.

Jim Reeves presents map to Sandra Morgan

Ration Shed members with Jim Reeves and Steve Armstrong from DERM.

1897 Government Survey Map of Cherbourg

A group of Cherbourg Yidding Artists came together to work with the Ratartat artists, Mark Newman, Peter Trail and Sandra Morgan to plan and paint a backdrop for the Timeline.

Beginnings of backdrop for Timeline

The Timeline is going to be a permanent exhibition in the Ration Shed. It will depict and tell the story of the history of Cherbourg through a simple narrative, photographs, a dateline, quotes and artwork. It is intended to be a dynamic educational resource for the community, school students and visitors

The Timeline has taken a year and a half to develop and many people have been involved. Each step of the way has involved consultation and discussion with numerous community members and others about the content. A final consultation process will occur on the 14th or 15th of March. Announcements will be made on UsMob radio and the community and others will be invited to comment and view the proposed final product.

Artists work on timeline

The artwork workshops and materials for the artwork have been funded by the Indigenous Regional Arts Development Fund (IRADF) The Timeline has been funded by the Aboriginal Community Consultative Committee.(ACICC)

We celebrated the the 50th Birthday of The Ration Shed’s only full time worker worker – Rocko Langton. We surprised him with a bunya-carrot cake! Rocko’s  one year internship is funded by the First Start Program, CDEP and Mission Australia and it ends in May. We are hoping we will have the funds to continue to employ Rocko as a full time employee. He is a great asset to the Museum. We have another full time employee starting in March.

Rocko Langton turns 50!

We are very excited – the Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire have supported us to acquire the CWA shed as part of our Precinct. The shed , which was on the Jack O’Chin oval was moved, with assistance from the ICC, who gave us funding.  Jack Watson organised the move and we were amazed when one man turned up with his truck to move the shed himself.

CWA Shed on Jack O'Chin Oval

The CWA Shed is another historic building which will become part of our Precinct. It used to be a school for non Indigenous children in the community. We have plans for it to become an thriving art centre and studio dedicated to all forms of art. We will keep you posted about the developments.

Shed on the move

Truck places shed next to Boys Dormitory

Our new acquisition needs fixing

On the 22nd of December families came together to share an evening of singing, gifts being exchanged and a BBQ. Pastor Albert, Nancy and family, the Muddy Flats band and the community really enjoyed the evening. The Management Committee were so happy to see how many community members and families came together to enjoy themselves. It reminded many of the Elders of past times when the Christmas spirit was strong and people put their differences aside.

Community Carols by Candlelight

Children enjoying carols by candlelight

Children waiting for gifts