From rainforest to reef: delivering tech access and skills to remote Indigenous Knowledge Centres in August

August was another busy month for the Digital and You program, with State Library of Queensland staff travelling to 4 remote First Nations communities—Palm Island, Mornington Island, Wujal Wujal, and Erub in the Torres Strait Islands—to deliver free digital workshops as part of the Growing Indigenous Knowledge Centres (IKCs) project.

These in-person visits were complemented by two virtual sessions exploring family history research using digital sources and tools with participants at IKCs in Yarrabah, Kowanyama, Cherbourg, Aurukun, Woorabinda, and Pormpuraaw through their new interactive screens.

Place-based by design, the Growing IKCs project recognises that each of the 16 participating First Nations councils has its own digital priorities and goals. Workshops are tailored to reflect what each community wants to learn and how they plan to use those skills—whether it’s maintaining connections, preserving languages and culture, researching family history, or opening doors to enterprise, education, and new career pathways.

One exciting area of growth is eSports, which is helping young people connect across communities, build teamworking skills, and explore coding and game development for future careers—aligning with Queensland’s growing investment in the digital gaming industry.

Live streaming and local enterprise on Palm Island

On Palm Island, Bwgcolman IKC is now equipped with an impressive range of new technology—including an interactive screen, video and 360º cameras, sublimation printer, and micro-drones—to support connection, creativity, and community-led enterprise.

Live streaming was identified by Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council as a key service with wide-reaching benefits, including the ability to share culturally significant events, such as funerals, with community members who are away from Country.

IKC staff member Nina had been using her phone to stream funerals to local correctional facilities, allowing incarcerated individuals to grieve and stay connected with family. After completing a live streaming workshop with Michelle Brown from State Library’s Applied Creativity team, Nina can now use the IKC’s new digital cameras and tripods to improve the delivery of these vital broadcasts.

Meanwhile, the Digital Arts workshop gave participants the chance to design and print their own custom T-shirts using tablets and design software. For some, it was their first time seeing their artwork transformed into a printed product—sparking ideas for local micro-business enterprises.

Looking ahead, Palm Island locals will have the opportunity to take part in regular digital activities, including micro-drone piloting and 360º video creation—perfect for rangers, storytellers, and creatives.

Erub’s digital open day: gaming, video storytelling, and wearable art

On Erub, Dan Guest from State Library’s Digital Inclusion team arrived to lots of unpacking to set up the IKC’s impressive array of new tech ready to deliver workshops in Digital Arts, Pocket Cinema, and eSports Gaming.

A community open day to showcase the new tech gear and its possibilities drew around 40 people and lots of questions and curiosity about future digital activities.

The interactive screen was a big hit, as was the T-shirt printing station, where workshop participants turned their digital designs into wearable art. Pocket Cinema sparked ideas for local storytelling, and the eSports setup revved up the excitement levels.

Wujal Wujal news: designing a digital voice for community

In Wujal Wujal, Dan got straight into setting up the IKC’s new equipment ready for digital workshops in family history research and how to use Canva design tools.

Participants Cheyene and Junibel recognised a perfect opportunity for the community and immediately designed a vibrant newsletter filled with local stories, photos, and updates to help share news, celebrate achievements, and strengthen connections.

There were lots of community ideas for future workshops—from the potential to film video interviews to digital arts and storytelling.

Game-on in Mornington Island

Mornington Island was buzzing with anticipation as locals got to try out the digital equipment and participate in workshops at the brand new IKC ahead of its official opening later this month.

Growing IKCs Project Lead James Collins delivered a dynamic series of sessions, including Digital Storytelling, AR/QR Poster Design, Digital Arts, and eSports.

Among the most talked about was the eSports session, when a group of local Rocket League champions dropped by to demonstrate their impressive gaming skills. Even more exciting was their enthusiasm to help set up coaching and mentoring for younger players. It was a perfect example of how digital tools can build leadership, teamwork, and connection—and open a skills gateway to tech careers.

Next stops: Mabuiag, Warraber, and the new Mornington Island IKC launch

In September, the Digital and You team will be delivering more digital activities at the official opening of the Mornington Island IKC and will travel to Mabuiag and Warraber for digital workshops in early October. We can’t wait to see how new tech skills and applications continue to grow across communities

The Growing IKCs project is delivered by State Library of Queensland in partnership with 16 First Nations councils, and supported by the Department of Customer Service, Open Data and Small and Family Business.