Community Elders, Past & Present

Familiar faces of both past and present Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Elders are currently on display at the Gladstone Regional Art Gallery & Museum, in time for this year’s NAIDOC Week celebrations. Community Elders, Past and Present showcases a section of Gooreng Gooreng and Bailai (Byelle) family photographs from the Gallery & Museum’s historical archives.

Featuring images from World War I days through to more recent times, the exhibition gives an insight into the strength and community spirit of well-known locals, including the Johnson, Yow-Yeh, Roe and Eggmolesse families.

Emotive images of families celebrating important milestones are displayed beside photographs of Elders called upon to lead important parades and ceremonies for the region. Over seventy photographs are linked with the theme of ‘family’ at their core.