Yuwi Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC Mackay QLD

02/10/2026

🌊 YUWI | REEFTO SUMMIT — SEA COUNTRY & OUR FUTURE

What an amazing week it has been — being in rooms, sitting at the table and sharing stories, knowledge and experiences with Traditional Owners from across the Reef.

This week in Gladstone, Yuwi joined other Reef Traditional Owner organisations as part of a Traditional Owner alliance focused on the future of our Sea Country and the Great Barrier Reef.

For us, this isn’t simply about signing onto an alliance. It’s about reconnecting our people with Country, strengthening our collective voice and making sure Traditional Owners are at the table when decisions are being made about our Country, our Sea Country and our resources.

It’s been a week of listening, learning, sharing and building relationships. While every Traditional Owner group has its own Country, culture, stories and priorities, there is strength in coming together and sharing what we know.

For Yuwi, our Sea Country is more than a place on a map. It is culture, identity, family, Lore and responsibility.

A big thank you to the Elders who joined us, along with our Board and senior staff, for making the trip to Gladstone and representing Yuwi. Your knowledge, stories, guidance and presence at the table are an important part of how we move forward together.

The real work now begins — turning these conversations, commitments and relationships into meaningful action on Yuwi Country, while creating opportunities for our Bara to lead, participate and have our knowledge respected and protected.

We leave Gladstone with new connections, new ideas and a renewed commitment to keep working for Yuwi Country, our Sea Country and the generations coming behind us. 🌊🖤💛❤️

24/09/2026

OUR ELDERS ON COUNTRY 🌿
THERE IS SOMETHING POWERFUL ABOUT SEEING OUR YUWI ELDERS WALKING COUNTRY.

⚠️ WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this post contains images of people who have passed.

Yuwibara are the First People of the Mackay area. This is our old People’s Country. We can trace our Yuwibara ancestry through nine generations, but our connection to Yuwi Country extends far beyond the written records.

For some of our families, that history is much harder to trace. During a time when Aboriginal people faced violence, removal, control and discrimination, some of our old People concealed or did not openly identify their Aboriginal ancestry, with some families instead identifying through their South Sea Islander heritage.

Our old People lived through a time when Aboriginal people were subjected to laws, policies and treatment that controlled their lives, separated families, restricted culture and language, and disrupted their ability to freely live on and care for Country.

There is an injustice in that history that we should never forget, but one we should look at through a lens of empathy and understanding.

Our old People carried Yuwi identity, culture and connection through generations, even when circumstances meant that connection could not always be spoken about openly.

And that is why being able to walk Country today matters.

Being able to return to these places helps our people heal. It helps us reconnect, learn from our Elders and better understand who we are as Yuwi people.

When our Elders are able to walk Country, share their knowledge and reconnect with these places, our younger generations have the opportunity to walk beside them, listen, learn and carry that knowledge forward.

Our connection to Country is not something that belongs only in the past. It is living. It is carried through our old People, our families and our responsibility to the generations still to come.

Being on Country strengthens our people, and strong people are better able to care for Country.

Healthy Country. Healthy People.

There is something powerful about seeing our Yuwi Elders walking Country — because they are not simply walking across a landscape.

They are walking in the footsteps of our old People, strengthening the connection for those who will follow. 🌿

🌿

22/09/2026

🌿 YUWI CULTURE & HISTORY | CAPE HILLSBOROUGH
Most people in the Mackay region know Cape Hillsborough for its beautiful beaches, walking tracks and the wallabies on the beach at sunrise.

But have you ever stopped and looked a little closer?

Long before Cape Hillsborough became a National Park or a popular visitor destination, this was — and continues to be — Yuwi Country.

For Yuwi people, Country is more than the land around us. It holds culture, history, knowledge, stories and connections that have been carried through generations.

Throughout the Cape Hillsborough area, there is physical evidence of generations of Yuwi people living on, using and caring for Country.

🐚 Shell middens remain in the landscape, created over generations as Yuwi people gathered shellfish from the mangroves and shared food.

🐟 Stone fish traps are another reminder of the knowledge our people held of Sea Country and the resources it provided.

🔥 Stone fireplaces, ochre and stone artefacts, including axe heads, have also been recorded throughout the area.
These aren't simply objects from the past.

They are part of our cultural history. They show the knowledge, practices and connection to Country that have been part of Yuwi life for generations.

They remind us that Yuwi people have been connected to this Country for thousands of years, long before the Mackay region we recognise today.

And that connection hasn't disappeared.

Yuwi Country is still here. Yuwi people are still here. And our cultural connection to Country continues.

So next time you're at Cape Hillsborough, take a moment to look beyond the beach and the scenery.

You're walking through Yuwi Country.
You're walking through Yuwi history.
You're walking through a living connection to culture.

💚 Caring for these places means respecting and protecting the cultural heritage they hold, so that future generations can continue to connect with Country.

Have you ever noticed signs of Yuwi history while visiting Cape Hillsborough?

21/09/2026

YUWI COMMUNITY | OUR PLACE IN THE WIDER MACKAY COMMUNITY

Yuwi Country is at the heart of the Mackay region. Our connection to this place did not begin with the modern-day community — Yuwi people have cared for, lived on and maintained connections to Country for generations.

Today, Yuwi people continue to be an active part of the wider Mackay community.

Through Yuwi Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC, our community connects with local organisations, businesses, schools, government and other groups on matters that involve our people, culture and Country.

This can happen in many different ways — through community events, cultural activities, meetings, partnerships, on-Country work and opportunities for Yuwi people to share their knowledge and perspectives.

For us, being part of the wider Mackay community also means making sure Yuwi culture and Yuwi voices are recognised. When conversations, projects or decisions involve Yuwi Country, it is important that our community has the opportunity to be involved and have a say.

OUR COMMUNITY ISN’T SEPARATE FROM MACKAY.
WE ARE PART OF ITS STORY, ITS PEOPLE AND ITS FUTURE.

Our connection to this region continues today. We see this through our people, our families, our cultural work, our relationships across the community and the ongoing work being carried out on Yuwi Country.

Being part of Mackay doesn’t mean losing what makes us Yuwi. It means continuing to carry our culture, knowledge and connection to Country forward while being part of the wider community.

🖤 Yuwi Country. Yuwi People. Yuwi Community.

16/09/2026

Yuwi Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC is inviting All Yuwi Common Law Holders to attend a Common Law Holder (CLH) Information Session.

📅 Sunday, 18 October 2026
📍 Yuwi Cultural Hub
316 Nebo Rd, West Mackay
Time to be confirmed.

The session will provide important information about Yuwi Country, cultural responsibilities and the role of Common Law Holders, supporting informed discussion and future decision-making.

🔒 CLOSED YUWI SESSION

This is a Yuwi-only meeting and registration is required to attend.

To register your interest, please email:
📧 [email protected]

Please include your name, family group and contact details.

Further information will be given once registration is complete.

🌿 Your knowledge and voice are important to the future of Yuwi Country.

07/09/2026

🌿 YUWI COUNTRY, YUWI PEOPLE 🌊

⚠️ WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this post contains images of people who have passed.

When we look at photos of our old people, we are reminded of the generations of Yuwi people who came before us — people who grew up on this Country, lived from it, knew its waterways and Sea Country, and cared for the places that were home to them.
When we say Country, we aren’t talking about Australia as a nation. For us, Country is the land, rivers, coastline and Sea Country our ancestors belonged to. It is where they lived, learned, raised families, shared knowledge and passed culture from one generation to the next.
We don’t believe Country belongs to us. We belong to Country. It is part of our identity, our families, our stories and who we are as Yuwi people.
Over time, life on Yuwi Country changed. As industries such as cane, cattle and coal expanded across the region, the landscape and the way people could access and move across Country also changed. For Yuwi people, these changes interrupted many of the ways our old people had traditionally lived, travelled, gathered, cared for Country and maintained connections to important places.
But connection to Country was never simply lost.
Today, Yuwi people continue to learn from our old people and Elders, spend time on Country, reconnect with culture and share what we know with the next generation.
We continue to care for our land, rivers, coastline and Sea Country because caring for Country is part of caring for who we are.
🌊🌿 Our old people belonged to this Country. They cared for it, they knew it, and they taught us what they could. Through many changes, that connection has continued.
We are still here.
Still learning.
Still caring for Yuwi Country.
Yuwi Country — Yuwi Connection. 💚

04/09/2026

There will be a morning tea recognising of Australian South Sea Islander recognition by the Queensland Government.

A time for family, friends and community to come together and reflect on Acknowledgement, Apology & Acceptance.

📅 Monday, 7 September 2026
⏰ 10:00am
📍 Under the Fig Tree, near Jubilee Community Centre

RSVP: Marion – 0417 225 522 💜

02/09/2026

📣📣 YUWI PEOPLE —➡️EXPRESSION OF INTEREST TO ATTEND THE REEFTO SUMMIT📣📣

Yuwi Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC is inviting Yuwi Common Law Holders and Yuwi members of the Corporation who are interested in learning more about the proposed ReefTO Alliance and attending the upcoming ReefTO Summit in Gladstone on 29–30 September 2026 to reach out to us.

Yuwi has the opportunity to have representatives attend this important gathering of Reef Traditional Owners as discussions continue around a stronger collective voice for Traditional Owners across the Great Barrier Reef.

If you are a Yuwi Common Law Holder or a member of Yuwi Aboriginal Corporation and would be interested in attending, or would simply like more information about the ReefTO Alliance and what it means for Yuwi, please 📧 Email the corporation with your interest to [email protected]

We encourage our Yuwi families to get involved, ask questions and learn more about what is being proposed.

🌿 Yuwi Country • Yuwi People • Yuwi Voice🌊
🖤💛❤️

Grab a quick cuppa and watch this highlight video of the Sea Countr...

28/08/2026

🌿 FRIDAY FACTS | Common Law Holders, Members & Our Board

Last Friday, we talked about what an RNTBC is, what Native Title means, and the role of Yuwi Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC.

This week, we thought we would continue the conversation and talk about something that can sometimes be a little confusing:
What is the difference between a Common Law Holder, a member of the Corporation, and a Director on our Board?
While they are all connected, they don’t necessarily mean the same thing.

Who are our Common Law Holders?
Our Common Law Holders are the Yuwi people who hold the recognised Native Title rights and interests over Yuwi Country.
Importantly, Native Title belongs to the Common Law Holders — it does not belong to the Corporation or the Board.

What is a member?
A member is someone who has applied for and been accepted as a member of Yuwi Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC in accordance with our Rule Book.
Being a Common Law Holder and being a member of the Corporation are not necessarily the same thing.

So, what does our Board do?
Our Directors are elected to oversee the governance and business of Yuwi Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC. The Board has responsibilities under our Rule Book and the legislation that governs Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations.
The Board also has an important responsibility to ensure the Corporation carries out its role as the RNTBC for Yuwi Common Law Holders.
It is important to remember that every RNTBC can operate differently. Each corporation has its own Rule Book, which sets out things such as membership, how Directors are elected and how the Corporation operates.
For Yuwi Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC, our Rule Book is publicly available through ORIC for anyone who would like to understand more about how our Corporation works.

💚 Why are we sharing this?
We recognise that we haven’t always communicated with our Common Law Holders, members and families as regularly as we would have liked.
Over the years, the Corporation has operated with limited staff and resources, and at times our small team has been stretched across many different areas of work. It has never been because we didn’t want to communicate or keep our people informed.
We want to keep improving how we share information and create more opportunities for our people to understand what is happening within the Corporation.
That is what our Friday Facts are about — breaking down some of the terminology around Native Title and our RNTBC, sharing information in a simple way, and helping our Common Law Holders, members and families stay connected.
We might not always get everything perfect, but we are committed to continuing to improve our communication and making information more accessible.

If there is something you would like us to explain in a future Friday Facts post, or you would like more information, please reach out to the Corporation. 💚

28/08/2026

YUWI & THE REEFTO ALLIANCE – AN UPDATE FOR OUR COMMON LAW HOLDERS🌊

Over the past year, Yuwi Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC has been involved in a number of conversations and engagements with ReefTO as work has progressed towards establishing a stronger collective voice for Reef Traditional Owners across the Great Barrier Reef.

Our involvement has happened on many levels. Yuwi representatives have attended ReefTO engagements, ReefTO has come and met with us on Yuwi Country, and we have supported our Elders to attend and participate in Sea Country Forum in Cairns 2025.

We wanted to share the video below from the 2025 ReefTO Sea Country Forum so our Common Law Holders and community can see a little more about what ReefTO is and the journey that has been happening across Reef Traditional Owner groups. 🌊

So, what is happening now?
ReefTO is progressing towards establishing the ReefTO Alliance – a new Traditional Owner-owned and led organisation bringing Reef Traditional Owner groups together on matters affecting Sea Country across the Great Barrier Reef.
Importantly, the Alliance is not intended to replace individual RNTBCs/PBCs, Traditional Owner organisations or the authority of individual Nations. Each Nation continues to speak for its own Country and maintain its own identity, priorities and decision-making.

Yuwi Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC has now completed and returned a Statement of Intent as part of the next stage of this process.

The Statement of Intent is not a membership application and is not binding. It is part of the process leading into the ReefTO Summit in Gladstone on 29–30 September 2026, where the Alliance is proposed to be formally established.

Yuwi has the opportunity to send six representatives with decision-making authority to the Summit, alongside other Reef Traditional Owner groups.

Yuwi is currently proposed within the Southern Region, which includes Traditional Owner groups across the Mackay to Bundaberg area. These regional groupings are not yet final and will be discussed and confirmed through the Summit process.

Why are we sharing this with our Common Law Holders? 🖤
As your RNTBC, we think it is important that our Common Law Holders are kept informed about the spaces Yuwi is participating in, who we are building relationships with and the conversations happening that may create future opportunities for our people and Sea Country.
As the ReefTO Alliance progresses, we will continue to share information with our Common Law Holders about Yuwi's involvement and what comes next.
For now, we encourage our families to have a look at the video below and learn a little more about the ReefTO journey.

Our involvement in a collective Reef voice does not change who speaks for Yuwi Country.

If you are a Yuwi Common Law Holder and would like more information about the ReefTO Alliance, Yuwi’s involvement or the upcoming Summit, please reach out to Yuwi Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC. We are happy to provide further information and answer any questions.

🌿 Yuwi Country • Yuwi People • Yuwi Voice 🌊
🖤💛❤️

Grab a quick cuppa and watch this highlight video of the Sea Countr...