Happy Birthday Lockhart River IKC!

On this day, 23 April 2002 the very first Indigenous Knowledge Centre (IKC) opened at Lockhart River. Today we are celebrating its 20th anniversary! The IKC originally served as a community library run by volunteers prior to undergoing renovations and reopening as an IKC in 2002.

After 20 years together, you might wonder what happens when the first IKC starts showing her age? Why, a facelift of course! During 2017, Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council (LRASC) and State Library joined forces to refurbish the original IKC, and the results speak for themselves. The 2022 IKC presents a refreshed, comfortable, engaging space for locals to come and use technology, explore collections, or on a hot day, simply relax in the cool air conditioning. Check out the before and after images!

To find out more about Lockhart River, visit LRASC’s Our History webpage.

Exploring the collection

To explore State Library collections featuring Lockhart River, please follow the links below.

• Lockhart River Photographs (0001-0021)
  L. J. J. Nye (Leslie John Jarvis); Brisbane John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland; 2006 (Part of 6492 Lockhart River Photographs, ca. 1930)

• 7116 Dr Barbara Piscitelli AM Children's Art Archive 1986-2016; 2020
  (Lockhart River view the collection guide, see series 14) A collection of drawings and paintings (works on paper) made by children in Australia, Vietnam and China between 1986 and 2016. A separate series was added following the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, featuring art works and stories from children from Wuhan in China and four Brisbane kindergartens and primary schools created during June and July 2020.

• Lockhart River was part of the Cape Treasures collection which explores the interconnectedness of Country, Place, People, Identity and Culture of the Aboriginal cultures of Cape York. You can view the delightful Cape Treasures digital children’s story featured on our Facebook post in English and in Umpila language.

Celebrating 20 years of IKCs

In 2002, the first Indigenous Knowledge Centres (IKCs) were developed in partnership with then Aboriginal Community and Island Councils across Queensland. Seven IKCs were opened in 2002 with many more to follow over the years.

This year thirteen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Shire and Regional Councils will celebrate the role their IKCs play in their communities as libraries, meeting places, hubs and keeping places.