View our Latest News and Events
Latest News & Events
A group of our beautiful Coota Girls Survivors gathered on Dunghutti Country to mark the 100th Anniversary of the opening of Kinchela Boys Home with their brothers, the Kinchela Boys Home Survivors. ![]()
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We came together with Survivors, their families and descendants to acknowledge the ongoing trauma of forced removal and assimilation, celebrate the strength of our Survivors, and look towards a future of truth-telling, healing and self-determination.![]()
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Thank you to KBHAC for hosting this amazing gathering for our Aunties, Uncles and their families to heal together. ![]()
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Collective healing is essential for Stolen Generations Survivors, their families and descendants. Direct support for Stolen Generations Organisations means that we can continue to provide these meaningful healing opportunities for our community. Donate today at www.cootagirls.org.au/donations and www.givenow.com.au/kinchelaindigenousstolengensupport @kinchelaboys
A small group of our Staff and Board members (Coota Girls Survivors and descendants) were invited by The Healing Foundation to gather on Larrakia Country with Stolen Generations Organisations (SGOs) from across the country to focus collectively on achieving priority recommendations from the Bringing them Home report that make a real difference to Survivors, their families and descendants.![]()
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In 1995, Stolen Generations Survivors from across Australia, including our many of our Coota Girls Survivors, gave personal testimony to the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families. The Inquiry’s report Bringing them Home (1997) described the abuse, labour exploitation, and loss suffered by members of the Stolen Generations, and made 54 recommendations to redress the impacts of forcible removal policies and address ongoing trauma.![]()
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In 2024, only 6% of Bringing them Home Recommendations have been implemented in full. Responding to the Bringing them Home report is the collective responsibility of the nation. As our national SGOs gather this week, we implore our supporters to honour Stolen Generations Survivors, know that this work is unfinished, and advocate alongside us for the effective implementation of the outstanding recommendations.![]()
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Pictured: Aunty Jean McKenzie Carter and Aunty Lorraine Darcy Peeters, Coota Girls Survivors
SECRETS OF DAWN EXHIBITION OPENING 07.08.2024![]()
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On Wednesday evening, we gathered to celebrate the opening of Secrets of Dawn, a truth-telling Exhibition by Coota Girls Aboriginal Corporation. ![]()
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To those who were able to join us for this event, on behalf of Coota Girls Aboriginal Corporation and the Coota Girls community of Stolen Generations Survivors and descendants, we would like to thank you for joining. We deeply appreciate your support for this critical truth-telling and healing work. ![]()
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We would love for you to take some time to complete our brief Feedback Survey. Your feedback will help us to enhance the Secrets of Dawn Exhibition and continue this important work. ![]()
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Please complete the Secrets of Dawn Exhibition Feedback Form here: www.surveymonkey.com/r/SKFD28W![]()
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Make sure to visit Secrets of Dawn while it is showing at Carriageworks on Gadigal Country from 10:00am - 5:00pm until this Sunday 11th August 2024. ![]()
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The Secrets of Dawn Exhibition features content from Dawn Magazine alongside contemporary works from Coota Girls Survivors and descendants, as physical evidence of the calculated efforts and propaganda used by previous governments under the Aborigines Protection Act (1909-1969) to progress the agenda of assimilation of First Nations people. ![]()
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Thank you to:![]()
All Coota Girls Survivors and Descendant Contributors![]()
Aunty Jean McKenzie Carter, Aunty Gloria Johnston, Aunty Liz Milgate, and Aunty Valerie Linow for their Video Interview featuring in the Exhibition, and Aunty Lorraine Peeters for her quotes ![]()
Featured Descendant Artists Joanne Cassady, Aunty Rhonda Radley, Laura Jones and Shannon Stacey![]()
Dennis Golding @dennisgolding ![]()
Billy Cheeseman and the dplr team @dplr.company ![]()
Claire, Michelle and the Carriageworks team @carriageworks ![]()
Nadeena Dixon for the Welcome and Smoking Ceremony![]()
Adam Scarf Photography @adamscarfphotography and Lauren Eiko @laureneiko
Coota Girls Aboriginal Corporation is delighted to invite you to join us for a special evening to celebrate the opening of ‘Secrets of Dawn’, a truth-telling exhibition. ![]()
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Come along to experience Secrets of Dawn, hear from some of the creators and artists, and enjoy some light refreshments.![]()
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Please register your attendance via Trybooking: www.trybooking.com/CTRXK![]()
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If you are unable to attend the Exhibition Opening Event, we invite you to experience Secrets of Dawn while showing at Carriageworks (Gadigal Country) from Wednesday 7th to Sunday 11th August 2024 10:00am – 5:00pm.
“The Dawn Magazine paints a different picture. That you were happy, and you had your clothes, you were all dressed up, you were smiling. I think in my mind, we had to be happy because I knew we would have got punished” - Aunty Liz Milgate nee Young, Coota Girls Survivor (pictured) ![]()
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Coota Girls Aboriginal Corporation invites you to experience ‘Secrets of Dawn’, a truth-telling exhibition. ![]()
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Dawn Magazine was created by the Aborigines Welfare Board (1940-1969) as “a magazine for the Aboriginal people of New South Wales”, highlighting the work of the Board, sharing photos and stories from stations, reserves and training institutions throughout New South Wales. There are over 100 references to the Cootamundra Domestic Training Home for Aboriginal Girls (1912-1969) across all volumes of Dawn Magazine. ![]()
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Secrets of Dawn features content from Dawn Magazine alongside contemporary works from Coota Girls Survivors and descendants, exposing the tactics used under the Aborigines Protection Act (1909-1969) to progress the agenda of assimilation of First Nations people. ![]()
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Created and Directed by Meagan Gerrard (Wailwan Gamilaroi) and Alex McWhirter from Coota Girls Aboriginal Corporation. Curated by Dennis Golding (Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay).
