Author: Dr Jo Wills
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Shining a light on the coral frontier: Low Isles Museum
Located 15km off the coast of Port Douglas, Low Isles is home to one of Queensland’s smallest museums. But don’t let its diminutive size fool you. Inside this tiny building you will find navigational and coral science artefacts that showcase the history of one of Queensland’s greatest natural wonders, the…
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Vera’s story comes to life in Cooktown gallery renewal
After finishing the collection preservation work on the Vera Scarth-Johnson collection last year, I’ve spent part of the last six months researching, curating and developing a new exhibition for the gallery at Nature’s Powerhouse in Cooktown Botanic Gardens. I’ve been lucky to work with the skillful Michael Marzik (designer and…
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Stories from Northwest Queensland
It’s Reconciliation Week, and what better way for me to acknowledge this by sharing some stories and images from communities that showcase First Nations history from the Gulf Region in northwest Queensland. First off, let’s visit Georgetown, where the new Unearth Etheridge interpretation displays at the TerrEstrial Centre allow visitors…
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Preserving Vera’s gift: Work begins on the Endeavour River Series of botanical illustrations
At the end of last year, the Vera Scarth Johnson Association approached me for advice about collection preservation and updating their gallery. Following the Association’s successful application to the Copland Foundation, Cairns-based museum worker and photographer, Michael Marzik, and I are now in the process of undertaking a two staged…
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Last few months in FNQ
FNQ’s museum community is always a hive of activity … and as the MDO for the region, I can assure you there’s never a dull moment. Over the last three months, I’ve been kept on my toes juggling a few different projects and visiting a number of communities. Here’s a…
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A place to share culture, seek knowledge and reveal history: Mapoon Cultural Centre
In February 2023, Ewen McPhee and I headed to Mapoon on Western Cape York Peninsula to attend two important community events. First, we joined elders, dignitaries, and community to mark the opening of the Chakara Aged Care Centre, a new support centre for elders. Following speeches, blessings and a cup…
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It takes a village to… open a community museum
Just after returning home from the official opening of Babinda Museum on 21 January 2023, my phone beeped. I opened a message from Tanya, one of the committee members, that read simply: “OMG!!! We opened a museum!!!” The joy that exudes from these few words is just priceless, and illustrates…
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Changing Cairns: farewell to a gifted storyteller, and friend
Spend long enough being an MDO and you soon learn that the communities you work in are where you find some of your closest colleagues. In Cairns, where the MDO works in an independent office, this is doubly true, and many of these people also become friends. So, when someone…
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Relaxing the tapa: preparing for Mapoon’s new Cultural Keeping Place
Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council holds a piece of tapa (bark cloth) that is believed to date from the 1900s. It was one of several items bought back to Mapoon in 2015 by Mrs Liz Ashton, granddaughter of Mapoon missionary, Reverend Nicholas Hey. Although the exact provenance of the cloth is…
Queensland Museum & Community Collections 