'building communities' capacity through empowerment, healing and leadership.'
NATIONAL EMPOWERMENT PROJECT
Building communities' capacity through empowerment and strengthening
cultural, social and emotional wellbeing.
ABOUT CHERBOURG
Cherbourg is a small Aboriginal Community located in the South Burnett region of Queensland. It is situated approximately 250 kms Northwest of Brisbane and 6 km from the town of Murgon. Cherbourg is Queensland’s third largest Aboriginal Community. The Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council Local Government Area (LGA) comprises of a total area of 32 sq km. The Wakka Wakka and Gubbi Gubbi (Kabi Kabi) people are the traditional custodians of this area.
The Cherbourg Cultural Heritage Precinct consists of the Ration Shed, old Superintendent’s office and the old boys’ dormitory. It is a multi faceted complex that engages both the past and the present. It is about understanding what happened in the past and understanding how the past has shaped the present.
The Ration Shed Museum is a not-for-profit venture controlled by The Cherbourg Historical Precinct Group. The Ration Shed is governed by a board of Cherbourg community members and aims to tell the story of the community’s history. It also creates local employment and provides economic benefits to the community. All profits are re-invested in the growth of the Precinct Project and future community projects. A unique and comprehensive local history, the Cherbourg Memory, is part of the project.
KEY FACTS ABOUT CHERBOURG
Population: According to the Queensland Government regional profile statistics at the time of the 2011 census the Cherbourg shire had a population of 1225. This may be underestimated; as according to the Cherbourg Aboriginal Council in 2012, there were 2500 Aboriginal people in residence including some transient population. The median age for Cherbourg is 21.9 years (compared to that of Queensland as a whole, with a median age of 36.6 years) (Cherbourg Council, 2013)
