MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIR
To Our Members and Community,
I am proud to share this update with our Maburra Collective members and broader community as we continue to grow as a culturally led, purpose‑driven organisation advocating for our women.
Our transition to a registered for‑Purpose Not‑for‑Profit marks a significant milestone for Maburra Collective. It strengthens our governance, accountability, and capacity not only to deliver community‑led programs but also to advocate strongly for change across systems that impact our women. This achievement reflects the collective vision, trust, and determination of our community, and I acknowledge everyone who has been supportive in this journey.
As Chairperson, I am deeply committed to our members and to ensuring Maburra Collective remains culturally safe, community‑led, and unapologetic in advocating for long‑term outcomes for our women.
Our work is grounded in culture, informed by lived experience, and driven by our responsibility to speak up, influence decisions, and challenge systems so our women are seen, heard, and valued.
I am honoured to lead alongside our inaugural Board of Directors, a strong and respected group of First Nations women whose leadership spans Health, Education, Justice, and lived experience. Their cultural authority, integrity, and courage guide our governance and strengthen our advocacy as we work to create meaningful and lasting change.
Together, we are building strength through connection, leadership, and cultural continuity. This work is about creating change for our women, led by our women, in ways that honour who we are, where we come from, and where we are going.
Thank you to our members and community for your trust, ongoing support, and belief in this work. The journey continues, and we walk it together, with purpose, strength, and a clear voice for our women.
Gillian Wilson
(Kalkadoon / Waanyi)
Chairperson
Our New Logo - Healing, Memory & Connection
Our new logo carries deep meaning, reflecting who we are, what we stand for, and the work we do together as women, families, and communities.
The colour chosen is the colour of healing - it embodies calm, restoration, and renewal. It reminds us that healing is not only possible, but central to everything we do. The hatches and interlinking shapes represent our women - connected to each other, to culture, to Country, and to community.
Together, they form a circle of safety - a safe space for collective healing, strength, and resilience. At the heart of this design is a truth we live by: healing is central to our work. Through connection, culture, and collective action, we create safe pathways for women to rise, families to grow stronger, and communities to flourish.
Our logo is more than a symbol - it is our story, our purpose and our commitment to walk together in:
Creating Change for
Our Women - Our Way
National Launch - Our Ways, Strong Way, Our Voices
Maburra Collective Inc. acknowledges the launch of Our Ways – Strong Ways – Our Voices: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Plan to End Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence 2026–2036.
This landmark national plan represents a powerful commitment to long-term, community-led change. Developed through deep listening and partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, it sets a clear pathway toward a future where our women and children live free from violence.
We recognise the generations of women, Elders, families, and communities whose voices have shaped this plan, and we remain committed to walking alongside our community to bring these changes to life
Creating Change for
Our Women - Our Way
DFV Financial Wellbeing Program - Coming Soon
We are excited to announce that Maburra Collective has successfully secured funding from the Empowering Qld Women grant program to deliver a DFV Financial Wellbeing Program.
Strong Women Strong Futures – Financial Wellbeing Workshop is a culturally grounded, trauma-informed financial wellbeing program developed by Maburra Collective Inc. to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, particularly those who are experiencing or have experienced domestic and family violence.
The program recognises that financial well-being is not just about money, but about safety, control, and the ability to make informed choices. It takes a holistic approach, centring connection to culture, Country, family, and community as the foundation for rebuilding independence and stability.
Delivered through a Circle of Safety framework, the program creates a safe and respectful space where women can engage at their own pace.
It combines practical financial education with healing-informed practice, supporting participants to:
- Understand their financial situation
- Recognise and respond to financial abuse
- Regain control over their finances
- Access financial and community supports
- Build confidence and long-term financial independence
📅 Date: 29 April 2026 - Venue: Townsville (in-person)
👥 Limited to 15 participants
This program will support women to:
- Strengthen financial confidence and decision-making
- Build practical skills for managing money
- Improve financial safety and independence
Please email if you would like to know more, or if you are interested in attending or have a client who would benefit from our program.
DV Safe Phones
Maburra Collective Inc. is proud to partner with DV Safe Phone to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women experiencing domestic and family violence.
Through this partnership, Maburra Collective is now an approved provider of safe mobile phones and SIM cards, which can be distributed to women in our community who require immediate, secure access to communication.
Access to a safe phone can be critical for women leaving or experiencing violence, enabling them to:
- Safely contact support services
- Maintain privacy and anonymity
- Stay connected to family, community, and emergency assistance
We have secured our first allocation of phones and SIM cards, which will be distributed through our outreach and support work.
All devices are prepared with strict safety protocols to ensure privacy and security for each woman.
Our Commitment
This partnership strengthens Maburra Collective’s ability to provide practical, immediate support alongside our culturally grounded programs and advocacy work.
We are committed to ensuring that women in our community have access to the tools and support they need to stay safe, connected, and supported.
Access & Referrals
If you or someone you know may benefit from this support, please contact Maburra Collective confidentially:
📧 maburracollectiveinc@outlook.com
Together, we are creating safer pathways for
Our Women - Our Way
Representation & Leadership
Maburra Collective is proud to be represented at the Qld Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service Overcoming Indigenous Family Violence Forum in Brisbane (May 2026)
Our CEO, Yasmin Johnson, will be contributing to national conversations alongside First Nations leaders, sharing community-led approaches to healing, safety, and change for our women.
National Representation AIATSIS Summit 2026
Maburra Collective Inc. is proud to share that our CEO, Yasmin Johnson, has been accepted to present at the AIATSIS Summit 2026, to be held on the Gold Coast from 1–5 June 2026.
Yasmin will deliver a standalone presentation titled:
“Reframing Knowledge Translation Through First Nations Research Sovereignty”
This presentation centres the importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led research, Indigenous Data Sovereignty, and culturally grounded approaches to knowledge translation that are accountable to community.
The acceptance of this paper reflects the strength of Maburra Collective’s work in advancing community-led research, governance, and systems change. It also ensures that the voices, experiences, and knowledge of our women and communities are represented at a national level.
We are proud to contribute to conversations that are shaping the future of First Nations research, policy, and practice, grounded in culture, lived experience, and community authority.
https://aiatsis.gov.au/whats-new/events/aiatsis-summit-2026
Research, Learning & Engagement
Research, Learning & Engagement
Research, Learning & Engagement
At Maburra Collective Inc., we are committed to grounding our work in both community voice and evidence-based research.
We’re proud to share and amplify important research that deepens our understanding of the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women impacted by domestic and family violence.
🔗 Learn more:
I am also incredibly proud to have been involved in the research, led by Dr Michelle Fitts (WSU/Menzies School of Health), which has recently been published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
📖 “From Emergency Care to Community Healing: Developing Culturally Responsive Pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women with Violence-Related Traumatic Brain Injury”
This work speaks to the urgent need for culturally safe, trauma-informed pathways that move beyond crisis response and support healing grounded in culture, community and lived-experience.
🔗 Read the full article:
https://www.mdpi.com/3806014
Inquiry into racism, hate and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Maburra Collective Inc. would like to share an important opportunity for our community to have a voice in shaping national change.
The Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs is currently undertaking an Inquiry into racism, hate and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
🔗 Learn more: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Aboriginal_and_Torres_Strait_Islander_Affairs/Responsestoracism