Monica Clare Research Fellowship

The Monica Clare Research Fellowship is available to people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, with the purpose to research, explore and create new knowledge about Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures using the John Oxley Library and State Library’s significant collections and resources.  The fellowship is awarded annually by a panel of judges that include representatives from State Library and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander subject experts. 

The fellowship recipient receives a stipend of $15,000, a personal work space within the Neil Roberts Research Lounge for 12 months and premium access to State Library’s extensive collections and library staff expertise. 

State Library’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collections Commitments details our approach and commitment to providing greater access and use of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander collections.  Research projects undertaken as part of the Monica Clare Research Fellowship align with the principles and values outlined in this document. 

The fellowship is named after Monica Clare, a political activist and author, Ms Clare was the first Indigenous woman to have a novel published. Her novel “Karobran” (meaning ‘together’) was published in 1978, five years after her death. 

For more information about the Monica Clare Research Fellowship please email fellowships@slq.qld.gov.au or call 07 3840 7879.

Proudly supported by the Queensland Library Foundation.

The 2021 Monica Clare Research Fellowship was awarded to Rachel West-Captain for her project - A Murruwarri Family of South West Queensland and North West New South Wales - The 'West & Captain' Family - Aboriginal History Research.

Rachel explains her project:

"I believe a purpose in my life is to preserve and tell my Aboriginal family history. The West and Captain Family of Goodooga, A Murruwarri family from South West Qld, North West NSW. My Grandmother Joan Margaret West’s painful story, having her entire family of 12 children stolen from her. Suffering crippling and debilitating control at the hands of Government.

This began shortly after my Great Grandfather Bindi West, and my Great Grandmother Terrisa Captain passed on, in 1964. They died within 3 days of each other, aged in their 70’s.

I found my Aboriginal family in 2016, aged 31. (I was adopted).

All I ever wanted was to draw my family tree. My Real Family.

It’s a big one and I can’t wait to share it with you. I hope I can help many other families with my extensive research, which stretches over 5 years; another 5 to go. My book will be published in 2025."

Blog:

• Introducing the Stars of the show

The 2020 Monica Clare Research Fellowship was awarded to Dr Fiona Foley for her projects:

1. Bogimbah Creek Mission: The First Aboriginal Experiment
2. The Magna Carta Tree.

There are few historical records or photographic archives pertaining to the 52 Badtjala people taken from Maryborough to K’gari (Fraser Island) by Archibald Meston. This group of people taken and relocated under The Aboriginals Protection and the Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act, 1897 formed the basis of the first experiment.

Dr Foley's project focused on two outcomes during her Fellowship - a publication of essays and documentary photographs on site during the process of making my new photographic series titled, The Magna Carta Tree. The publication will have the title, Bogimbah Creek Mission: The First Aboriginal Experiment.

In the words of Raymond Evans he sums up the lack of research in this area when he writes, “in attempting to investigate the Bogimbah Creek Reserve on Fraser Island and the Aboriginal ‘inmates’ relocated, one is immediately struck by the almost total silence of Australian historians on this significant segregative experiment.” There is a need to bring this hidden history to the fore whether it is a publication or photographs. The Badtjala people are missing from this Queensland narrative.

Badtjala is also spelt Butchulla.

Blogs:

• Dr Fiona Foley - Monica Clare Research Fellow

• Bogimbah Creek Mission: The First Aboriginal Experiment. New publication by Dr Fiona Foley