CHERBOURG, QUEENSLAND

'Cherbourg' is a town in Queensland, Australia. It is located off the Bunya Highway approximately 250 kilometres north-west of Brisbane. Cherbourg has a population of around 2,500. The town has a sad history. See the book by Thom Blake "Dumping Ground". Starting in 1904 indigenous people were forcibly removed from their homes and "settled" at Cherbourg. Sometimes they were sent there as punishment for refusing to work on white owned farms. People from many different tribes or mobs were mixed together and they were not allowed to speak their own languages. Children were born at Cherbourg and ended up living in dormitories. People were hired out as cheap labour and at one stage they were not allowed to leave the reserve. In fact, until the referendum in 1967, the indigenous people at Cherbourg were not even counted in the census. The effect of mixing these different groups of people together and forcing them to speak English has been an almost total loss of their cultural heritage. Many of the languages are considered to be extinct, surviving only in notes and recordings stored at the University of Queensland.The community participates in "work for the dole" schemes. There is very little genuine work to be found. Nearby, the Silver Lining Foundation has established a training scheme for young people. A man born in Cherbourg said "we don't just feel invisible. We are invisible!"

Contents

Attractions

Culture

Notable former residents

External links

Attractions

Attractions in Cherbourg include the 'Bert Button Lookout' and 'Emu Farm Tours'.

Culture

Cherbourg's main tribal groups are the 'Wakka Wakka' people and the 'Culidy' people.

Notable former residents

Harold Blair - tenor and activist.

External links

★ South Burnett Tourism - Cherbourg