Community
24 April, 2025
Frontier Wars realised
BUILDING on the success of past commemorations on ANZAC Day eve in Cairns (Gimuy), today’s Frontier Wars commemoration event promises to be bigger and better than ever, reflecting a growing recognition of this important local history.
Last year, Australian War Memorial chairman Kim Beazley called for First Nations “guerilla campaigns” of the Frontier Wars to be included in the Australian War Memorial.
“All around Australia there was warfare,” 2025 organiser Gimuy Walubara Yidinji elder Neville Reys said.
“Frontier wars were everywhere and brought about such devastation and trauma to our people – all those words that war is associated with apply to us,” he said.
“The so-called ‘lucky country’ amplifies no recognition of its Aboriginal inhabitants’ sovereignty, which was never ceded or surrendered. Frontier Wars impacted all Australia’s Tribal Nations who suffered enormous losses – elders, parents, children and babies – were murdered and lost to us forever.”
The event is on the corner of Abbott and Shields streets at 5pm.
