Celebrating Reconciliation Grants

About the Celebrating Reconciliation Grants

The Celebrating Reconciliation Grants Program provides funding for local communities to host events that encourage participation in National Reconciliation Week.

National Reconciliation Week is a national campaign held annually from 27 May to 3 June, celebrating and building on respectful relationships between Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous peoples. The dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey—the successful 1967 Referendum to change how Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples were referred to in the Constitution (27 May), and the 1992 High Court Mabo decision (3 June).

The week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements and to explore how each of us can join the national reconciliation effort. Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians to create a nation strengthened by respectful relationships.

2024 grant recipients

Region (based on event location)	Organisation	Event	Event location	Total grant funding (excl GST)
Central Queensland	South West Indigenous Network	Maranoa Reconciliation Week	Surat and Roma	$5,000
Central South West	Gladstone Regional Council	Walk for Reconciliation	Gladstone Central	$5,000
Central South West	North Burnett Community Service	Eidsvold 2024 Reconciliation Calendar	Eidsvold	$5,000
Central South West	Maryborough Australian Football Club	Cultural Connections AFL Round and Community Event	Granville	$4,900
Central South West	Life Without Barriers	Cultural History Excursion	Cherbourg	$5,000
Central South West	Hervey Bay Art Society	Celebrating Reconciliation – 'Shared Ground' Art Exhibition	Urangan	$4,000
Central South West	Queensland Police-Citizens Youth Welfare Association	PCYC Rockhampton Reconciliation Breakfast	Rockhampton	$3,907
Central South West	Groove Co.	"Journey Through the Dreamtime" – Cultural Tour	Parkhurst	$10,000
Far North Queensland	Playgroup Queensland Ltd (t/as Play Matters Australia)	Reconciliation Day at Messy Play May	Cairns	$5,000
Far North Queensland	Cairns City Lions Australian Football and Sporting Club Inc.	Dreamtime by the sea	Holloways Beach	$5,000
Far North Queensland	Synapse Australia Limited	Reconciliation Week – Now more than Ever	Manunda	$5,000
Far North Queensland	Cassowary Coast Regional Council	Cassowary Coast Indigenous Art Fair	Innisfail	$5,000
Far North Queensland	Douglas Shire Council	Regional Reconciliation Garden Day Event and Workshops: April - 27th May 2024	Mossman	$9,600
Far North Queensland	Cowboys Community Foundation	NRL Cowboys House Sorry Day Commemoration & Breakfast	Gulliver	$4,494
Far North Queensland	Torres Strait Island Regional Council	Torres Strait Islands Reconciliation Week	Cairns, Boigu Island, Mer Island, Mabuiag Island, Warraer Island, Poruma Island, Badu Island, Moa Island, Iama Island, Masig Island, Ugar Island, Thursday Island, Erub Island, Duan Island, Saibai Island	$10,000
North Queensland	Whitsunday Regional Council	National Reconciliation Week Whitsundays – Dance, Play, Listen and Learn	Airlie Beach	$9,008
North Queensland	Mundagatta Culture Pty Ltd	Spirit and fire reconciliation corroboree (SFRC)	Norman Gardens and Woorabinda	$9,928.50
North Queensland	Taribelang Aboriginal Corporation	Bundaberg – Taribelang Bunda Reconciliation Week	Bundaberg North and Bundaberg Central	$10,000
North Queensland	Saltwater Arts Collective	Reconciliation Week Twilight Markets Now More Than Ever	Bowen	$10,000
North Queensland	Queensland Youth Services Inc.	Collaborative Art	Miles End	$5,000
North Queensland	George Street Neighbourhood Centre t/as The Neighbourhood Hub	A Cultural Walk in Time	Cape Hillsborough	$2,743
South East Queensland	Minjerribah Moorgumpin (Elders-In-Council) Aboriginal Corporation	Celebrating Community and Culture Together towards Reconciliation	Dunwich	$7,500
South East Queensland	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service	Cultural Community Canvas	Waterford West	$5,000
South East Queensland	Dreamtime Artistry	Yugambeh Indigenous Reconciliation Markets	Broadbeach Waters	$10,000
South East Queensland	Sunshine Coast Reconciliation Group Inc.	Aunty Betty Memorial Reconciliation week walk	Dicky Beach	$2,190
South East Queensland	Springwood Australian Football Club Inc.	Springwood Pumas AFL Club's 7th Annual Indigenous Round	Underwood	$3,875
South East Queensland	The Boss Boxing Australia Pty Ltd	Because of Boxing	Zillmere	$5,000
South East Queensland	Yinarr Yarning Circle	Creative Cultures Carnival	Deception Bay	$9,920
South East Queensland	Scenic Rim Regional Council	Tamborine Mountain Library First Nations 'Stories and Songs'	Tamborine Mountain	$5,000
South East Queensland	TFG Medical Pty Ltd	Healing Narratives – A Storytelling and Art Exhibition for Reconciliation Week	Springfield Central	$2,000
South East Queensland	SevGen Indigenous Corporation	Edible, Palatable and Digestible Reconciliation: A Forever Fruits Degustation	Cooroy	$5,000
South East Queensland	Australian Community Support Organisation (ACSO)	Reconciliation at the Rocks	Seventeen Mile Rocks	$5,000

More information

Learn more about National Reconciliation Week.
Learn more about the Queensland Government Reconciliation Action Plan.

Leaders of Reconciliation

Dr. Sallyanne Atkinson AO, Belza (Bill) Lowah and Dr. Jackie Huggins AM describe what reconciliation means to them.

Duration 02:01

Dr Sallyanne Atkinson AO:

My dream is that all Australians respect and have tolerance for all other Australians.

No matter what their background is, no matter what the colour of their skin is.

Belza (Bill) Lowah:

The catalyst of the reconciliation, what it is, is to bring people together and talk about issues. Nut it out. Respect this land of ours.

Dr Jackie Huggins AM:

Reconciliation isn’t a soft issue. It’s damn hard. It’s about action now and we want it now.

Dr Sallyanne Atkinson AO:

Reconciliation is important for all Queenslanders to overcome the hurt, the pain, the misunderstanding that currently exists in our society.

Belza (Bill) Lowah:

There is unity in diversity. There is greatness in difference. There is beauty in cultural integrity.

Dr Jackie Huggins AM:

Reconciliation means three things: recognition, justice and healing.

Dr Sallyanne Atkinson AO:

We have to take the time to feel uncomfortable. We have to understand that feeling uncomfortable is part of the human growth process.

Belza (Bill) Lowah:

There is greatness in difference. Greatness. Get involved. Raise the flag. Understand another human being.

Dr Sallyanne Atkinson AO:

What we must have is a shared understanding of our history, a shared acceptance of the past. Warts and all. Because that’s the only way we can move forward.

Dr Jackie Huggins AM:

We are tired of the constant talking and lack of action. So now’s the time to do this. Not only for our country, our children, but for each other. And that is the journey of reconciliation.