We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land, the Kabi Kabi (pronounced Gubbi Gubbi) and Jinibara peoples, on whose land we provide our services. We pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Elders, past, present and emerging.

Queensland Health also has information about Cultural Capability, First Nations Health Equity, Closing the Gap and Reconciliation. You can also find more information about Closing the Gap on the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet website.

You can also find information about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Division on the Queensland Health website. There is also information about myths associated with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders on Reconciliation Australia: Beyond the myths.

Our principles

The guiding principles that will help support our vision include:

  • acknowledging and respecting the diversity in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and cultures and their right to equitable, accessible, and quality health care
  • providing effective and cohesive integrated care across health care services
  • improving access to the right service in the right place at the right time
  • striving for innovation and evidence based best practice
  • operating within strong clinical and corporate governance frameworks
  • working in partnership with key stakeholders and engaging the community.

Our success indicators

We’ll measure success by our ability to close the gap, using these indicators:

  • decrease in potentially preventable hospitalisations
  • decrease the number of discharges against medical advice
  • increase in the 'identification' of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status on hospital records.

Community partnerships

To support partnerships with community, we run the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Local Health Forum. This is important to the success of closing the gap.

In addition to us, members of this forum include:

We also partner with other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, including:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artworks at Sunshine Coast University Hospital

WUNYA

In the main entry, WUNYA, welcomes everyone on behalf of the Gubbi Gubbi people. It also provides Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders a sense of belonging when they visit the hospital.

The Wunya artwork shows different native flora and fauna.

WUNYA by Colleen Wall, Hope O’Chin, Maurice Mickelo, Dhana Bokelund, Lyndon Davis.

WUNYA means ‘welcome’ from the Kabi Kabi (Gubbi Gubbi) First Nation people, the traditional owners and custodians of this area.

This collaboration symbolises a call to country where the artists represent specific elements of our native flora and fauna in this unique compilation.

Kabai Bee, the endangered Bulimbirjari Butterfly and Mibir Mary River turtle are all very important spirit people of our land law. Colleen Wall

The Dolphin, Yuloo, and the Goanna, Waruee, in their environment, both embody our values of ‘Place’, ‘Belonging’, ‘Respect’ and ‘Lore’. Hope O’Chin

We look after our ancestral country, Djaagan – from the ocean and rivers, to the rainforest and mountains - and the land looks after us. Maurice Mickelo

The Bauple, Macadamia Nut signifies the uniqueness of our flora and fauna as it grew only in the Kabi Kabi catchment originally. Dhana Bokelund

The Black Swan, Goolooin, represents Maroochy, an ancestral being searching for the spirit of lost love Guloom, Mt Coolum. Lyndon Davis

Other artworks

There are more than 400 artworks at Sunshine Coast University Hospital, 30 per cent of these are by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

Find out about other artworks at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Artworks - Sunshine Coast University Hospital [PDF 6.3 MB].

Local stories

The following stories are identified as local history of the Sunshine Coast area. It is well documented that the area from the Pine River in the south to Maryborough in the north was the Gubbi Gubbi language group.

Significant Dates for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people

We hold events in our hospital and health services on the following dates. We also attend Community events on these dates.

DateEvent
13 February Anniversary of National Apology to Stolen Generations
15 March National Close the Gap Day (OXFAM)
21 March Harmony day
May Well Persons Health Check Day – North Coast Aboriginal Corporation for Community Health (local Sunshine Coast and Gympie event)
26 May National Sorry Day
27 May to 3 June National Reconciliation Week
As part of this week we collaborate with Sunshine Coast Reconciliation Group Incorporated to host the Aunty Betty walk.
3 June Mabo Day
1 July Coming of the Light
Week commencing on the first Sunday in July NAIDOC Week
4 August National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Childrens’ Day
9 August International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
First week of September Indigenous Literacy Day
September/October Booin Gari Festival (Facebook page) hosted by Gubbi Gubbi Dance troup and United Synergies

Health Equity Strategy

Our Health Equity Strategy is an overarching blueprint to address health equity for Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander people in the Sunshine Coast area.

Find out more about our Health Equity Strategy.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support

We provide support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who use our hospital and health services.

Find out more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support.

Last updated: December 2022