History Alive.

The island is celebrating this month and a festival is being held near Point Lookout. 

I came across this blackfella, though he is largely white, he is a direct descendant of one of the most famous people born on Stradbroke island. Kath Walker who was a well known poet, activist and environmentalist.He told me all about the two sides of the family, the Aboriginal side and the Scottish side and their long history and association with the island. It was fascinating to hear this and to understand his own connection to the island. 

Kath Walker was born on Stradbroke Island in 1920. her father taught her to be proud of her Aboriginal roots but like a lot of Aboriginal people her opportunities were quite limited.She left school at 13 and went into domestic service and then into the army. She soon understood how difficult it was for Aboriginal people to achieve when they were not even recognised in the Constitution so she fought tirelessly for their rights all over Australia. She published her first collection of poems called "We are going",  the first aboriginal woman to be published. She wrote extensively about being Aboriginal but also about nature and human rights. She hoped for a better understanding between black and white Australians. She took on her tribal name Oodgeroo meaning "paperbark tree" and Noonuccal, her tribe's name and she lived on the island for many years promoting black culture and rights. She died in 1993. 

Understand Old One by Oodgeroo Noonuccal

What if you came back now
To our new world, the city roaring
There on the old peaceful camping place
Of your red fires along the quiet water,
How you would wonder
At towering stone gunyas high in air
Immense, incredible;
Planes in the sky over, swarms of cars
Like things frantic in flight.

Her work is recognised worldwide. The theme of many of her works is the hope for understanding and peace between black and white Australians. 

"But I'll tell instead of brave and fine 

when lives of black and white entwine. 

And men in brotherhood combine, 

this would I tell you, son of mine." 

As if this wasnt enough of a treat for me we then went to Frenchmens Beach where I saw this :

In the late 19th Century, four men sailed west from the French-speaking South Pacific islands. They landed on this beach, which was named after them. The four men, Jack Newfong, John Lifu, George Fenoch and Richard Martin, were taken to the Myora/Moongalba Mission, where they ended up settling. Descendants of these four men still live on North Stradbroke Island.