History

Barambah Pottery emerged as part of Queensland government initiatives aimed at providing vocational training and employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians in the late 1960s. Established in 1969 at the Cherbourg Aboriginal Settlement (formerly known as Barambah), the pottery workshop was inspired by Michael Cardew's successful pottery training programs in Africa. The Department of Aboriginal and Islander Affairs funded the project as part of their broader skills development strategy.

Under the initial guidance of Carl McConnell (1969-70), the workshop began producing both functional and decorative pieces that incorporated traditional Aboriginal designs. Owen Rye's brief tenure in 1970 was followed by Neville Wilson from Maldon Pottery, who made substantial contributions to setting up the workshop's operations in 1971. After Ray Harrison's instruction in 1972 and Robbie Knock's period (1973-74), Kevin Grealy's management (1974-76) brought increased recognition to the workshop, leading to features in publications like Pottery in Australia (1977).

The longest-serving instructor was Con van der Maat, who oversaw operations from 1976 until the workshop's closure in 1987. Throughout its operation, Barambah Pottery provided Indigenous artists with opportunities to learn pottery techniques while incorporating their cultural heritage into their work. The pieces, marked with an impressed 'Barambah' or 'Barambah Cherbourg' signature, represented a unique fusion of traditional Aboriginal artistry with contemporary ceramic practices.

The workshop's establishment and operation aligned with the period's government policies of providing vocational training to Indigenous communities, though these policies and their implementation have been subject to various historical interpretations.