Goondoi Projects

Many of our projects and programs centre around art in many forms, including dance and music, painting, sculpture, carving, weaving, and crafts, and media production. A central focus in this area is art exhibition and education and passing on knowledge from Elders. We aim to establish an arts facility on our existing land, adjacent to Radiant Life College, Innisfail. This facility will house an art gallery, exhibition space, workshops and studios for resident artists, educational areas, and administration offices. The facility will also allow for visitors to observe artists at work. The exhibition space and museum will be dedicated to showcasing local Indigenous history and allowing visitors to interact and participate in painting, music, and other activities. We anticipate the gallery and museum will become a premier tourism attraction in the region.

We are also hoping to incorporate a cultural park and glamping. We have been granted $2.7 million for the first stage with construction set to begin mid-2024

We hope to source people with a skill base to assist us in the initial startup phase, including architects, builders, accountants, visual and performing artists, and people to assist with grant submissions.

Goondoi is committed to land and sea management as part of our dedication to conservation and connection to Country. Some of these endeavours include weed management, wildfire management, track and trails maintenance, and environmental and public reserves, as well as enforcing marine green zone compliance, the rehabilitation and GPS tracking of turtles and dugongs, and monitoring sea grass. We have close collaborative partnerships with the Cassowary Coast Regional Council, Queensland Parks and Forests, The Wet Tropics Management Authority, Terrain NRM, and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA). Goondoi works in association with Mandubarra Traditional Owners, which has a Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreement (TUMRA) with GBRMPA and involves compliance with “no take” zones. Our land management incorporates Polly Creek, Etty Bay, Flying Fish Point, Ella Bay, and Nina’s Creek.

As part of our efforts to care for the land and sea, we take a leading role in coordinating tourism opportunities for the community. This involves working closely with existing tourism operators and companies, as well as assisting with developing new tourism ventures and opportunities.

We have a partnership with Snapping Tours in Innisfail, where three of our members have been granted the opportunity to work as tour guides on the north and south Johnstone River. These tours involve crocodile spotting as well as cultural and historical components.