Senior Program Manager Katie Norman spent four days in Cairns, Kuranda, and the Atherton tablelands in early June to attend the 2026 Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association (ICPA) Queensland Conference and a series of partner visits linked to the Brain Health in Queensland Schools initiative. The itinerary brought together educators, community leaders, government representatives, philanthropic partners, and rural families to explore opportunities to improve outcomes for children and young people across regional Queensland.
A highlight of the visit was the Far North Queensland Brain Healthy Schools Forum. The third such forum, and the first held in Far North Queensland, it was hosted by the Child Health Research Centre and drew 60 attendees from state, independent and Catholic schools. The forum showcased local examples of excellence and created space for new connections to form between people championing student wellbeing and learning, reinforcing the growing momentum behind brain health approaches in Queensland schools.
Alongside the forum, Katie visited several TFFF partners. At Deadly Inspiring Youth Doing Good (DIYDG), she met with the leadership team in the organisation’s new home in Manunda to discuss its future direction and ongoing focus on strengthening opportunities for First Nations young people. Jodie Gosel from the John Villiers Trust joined the visit, a sign of the collaborative funding culture growing across the region, and the DIYDG team openly recognised the value philanthropy offers in pursuing their self-determined strategic priorities.
Katie also met with Sheryl Batchelor from Yiliyapinya Indigenous Corporation and the First Nations Justice Office team, who brought welcome news that the first round of Queensland Justice Reinvestment Grants was almost settled, with $5 million to be distributed to First Nations place-based work in Queensland in the near future. Conversations with Youth Cre8 Kuranda, Cape York Partnership, and local schools, joined by travelling partners Dr Georgia Dawson from the University of Melbourne, Alisha Chand from Queensland Kids Partnership, and Susan Hornbeck and Monica Mudderidge from the Shepherd Family Foundation, offered further insight into the innovation and commitment driving community-led solutions across the region.
Katie’s visit concluded with the ICPA Queensland Conference in Atherton. Ningana Trust supports ICPA Qld State Council Members to attend each year’s conference and participate in delegations with state government and peak body representatives. As always, the conference was an opportunity to deeply listen to the priorities of rural and remote families, with discussions covering educational access, workforce challenges, the growing pressure on early years infrastructure in the bush, and agricultural pathways for young people. It reinforced the vital role organisations such as ICPA Qld play in advocating for equitable educational opportunities for children growing up outside metropolitan centres.
A month later in July, Program Manager Hannah Barr landed on Gimuy Walubara Yidinji Country for the 2026 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF), curated to the theme Reclamation and Regeneration. As CIAF Artistic Director Teho Ropeyarn explains it, “Reclamation is the active retrieval of what was taken, lost, archived or forgotten; whilst Regeneration is the renewal and transformation of that knowledge into vibrant, living cultures.”
Queensland’s vibrant, living, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures were expressed in full throughout CIAF’s four-day program across the Tanks Art Centre, new Fashion Performance venue at The Mill, and satellite venues including the refreshed Cairns Art Gallery Precinct and Bulmba-ja.
Hannah’s visit began with the Cairns Art Gallery's 'On the Lawn and Live' event in recognition of NAIDOC Week and CIAF. Five significant Queensland First Nations exhibitions were curated across all three Precinct galleries, showcasing diversity and excellence in weaving, printmaking, painting, and multi-modal installation practice.
The infectious energy of CIAF’s Opening Night on Thursday 9 July set the tone for a successful Fair, with thousands taking in the Art Fair Showcase (90 artists with 800 works) and Artisans Showcase (130 artists across 36 market stalls), and attending powerful dance, music, and cultural storytelling performances. TFFF partner Circa Cairns premiered Nurture, a new female acrobatic duet exploring women’s strength, leadership, and storytelling directed and co-choreographed by Kukuyalanji and Waanyi woman Marilyn Miller, with original music by Yalanji man Luke Briscoe.
TFFF-supported Fashion Performances on Thursday and Friday platformed 24 collections from emerging and established Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders designers and Art Centres and facilitated Indigenous cultural exchange with international guest designers from Taiwan and New York for the first time.
The visit allowed Hannah to connect with many more of TFFF’s past and present peer and partner organisations across the arts sector, including Aboriginal Art Co, Umbrella Studio, artisan, Dancenorth, QAGOMA, JUTE Theatre Company, QIC, and Arts Queensland and Regional Arts Advisors through the Regional Arts Services Network. It was particularly heartening to see the leadership of the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation cheering on the CIAF team and Queensland’s Indigenous Art Centres and independent artists.
Hannah was fortunate to experience various additional events as a delegate in CIAF’s expanded ‘On Country’ Program hosted by artist Tony Albert and supported by Perina Drummond. Through artist talks and shared meals, artists, curators, collectors, and CIAF supporters built new connections with artists and each other, and learned more about Gimuy Walubara Yidinji Country. The TFFF thanks CIAF’s leadership team, Tony Albert, and Perina Drummond for their hospitality, and encourages everyone to bookmark next year’s CIAF dates: 8-11 July 2027.
Both trips underscored something the TFFF team knows well: there is no substitute for being there in person, and there is real strength in funders travelling and working alongside one another. Whether meeting with educators, youth leaders, artists, or community organisations, conversations highlighted the power of local leadership and long-term investment in people and place, and reinforced the value of taking time to listen, learn, and strengthen relationships.
Cover photo: Projection Art by Pormpuraaw Art and Culture Centre at CIAF 2026 Opening Night. Photo: Blueclick Photography.
Deadly Inspiring Youth Doing Good, Youth Link (Youth Cre8), Circa Cairns, and the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair are supported by TFFF through the Resilient funding stream. The Brain Health in Queensland Schools initiative is supported though the Futureproof funding stream.
The Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association Queensland is supported by Ningana Trust.
The State Library of Queensland offers a free, play-based program to support Queensland families to connect, talk, read, sing and play with their babies and young children in the first 5 years. First 5 Forever is an early literacy program delivered by public libraries and Indigenous Knowledge Centres with the primary aim of providing strong early literacy foundations and supporting healthy brain development for all Queensland children aged 0-5 years.
At State Library, this program is delivered in a dedicated space for little ones and their caregivers known as ‘The Corner’. This year, the Corner underwent a full transformation, supported by a Connected grant from the TFFF and an excellent campaign advisory committee that included Gina Fairfax AC. The new look Corner has been purposefully designed to be playful and to create opportunities for imagination, connection, and learning. It has a variety of different spaces, a dedicated art studio, giant building blocks and nooks for books and imaginative play, and a sensory garden to explore outdoors. It has been designed with positive early childhood development at the centre.
Tim Fairfax AC, Gina Fairfax AC, and Senior Program Manager Katie Norman attended the celebration of the new Corner on 9 April 2026 and were pleased to see the enthusiastic engagement of children and their families on the day.
The Family Place is a beloved space in Logan, with families attending playgroups, dropping in for a casual visit and cuppa, or attending any number of social activities. It serves not only as a drop-in, play-based centre for families, but also as a soft entry point for parents, grandparents, and other caregivers to access services for themselves and their children, particularly when it comes to parenting support and child development. Part of the success of the centre has been the longevity of its operations, its central and easy to access location, and its proximity to other facilities, which will soon include a Deadly Kindy next door.
Originally utilised as a community kindergarten in the early 1970s, The Family Place became what is now celebrated for its community and social service when the Salvation Army leased the site from the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation (VFFF) in 2014. VFFF and The Family Place are undertaking a major capital works project, and a 10-year lease is in place to ensure this investment will benefit the Woodridge/Logan community for many years to come.
Ningana Trust provided The Family Place with a grant to construct a new play fort in the outdoor area. The bespoke play fort was designed as part of The Family Place outdoor masterplan and made from materials selected for their durability and natural aesthetic. The fort is also designed to harness the imagination of children, foster peer interactions, enable risk taking, and support the development of cognitive and motor skills.
Ningana Trust staff attended the community open day to celebrate the refurbished Family Place on 17 April 2026, and were delighted to connect with The Family Place staff and see just how much the centre means to the community.
Although the centre has only been open for a few weeks, anecdotal feedback from families is extremely positive. One attendee commented that she never thought that such a high-quality facility would be located in a community like Woodridge.
The quality of the overall redevelopment, including the Ningana-funded play fort, is attracting new families that need support but historically were not accessing the free services available. It is also attracting interest from new community service providers and consulting rooms are booking out.
Cover photo: Lucy Coulson, Tim Fairfax AC, Gina Fairfax AC, and Neal Harvey with the new play fort at The Family Place.
The Corner at the State Library of Queensland was supported by TFFF through the Connected funding stream.
The Family Place is supported by Ningana Trust.
Kaziw Meta aims to create a ‘home away from home’ and to develop culturally-connected Torres Strait Islander future leaders. The five boarding houses accommodate 88 boarders who have access to a ‘house parent’, tutor, and additional support services to ensure student wellbeing.
Life at Kaziw Meta is holistically balanced to build self confidence in every boarder, by focusing on both education and extra-curricular activities including sport, dance, cooking, technical, and life skills. The Torres Strait Kaziw Meta Dance Team regularly perform a curated repertoire of culturally significant stories with permission from the children’s outer islands leaders.
Kaziw Meta has recently shared with TFFF the good news story that it has recently become the first certified Indigenous boarding facility in Australia. After three years of sustained improvement across governance, boarder wellbeing, staff development, facilities and community engagement, Kaziw Meta has passed an independent audit for Australian schools and residences, marking a major milestone for safe and high-quality boarding in the Torres Strait.
This milestone leads the way for the Indigenous boarding sector and is a big achievement for a remote Torres Strait boarding facility, made possible by the hard work and commitment of Kaziw Meta’s management committee, staff, and boarders.
Kaziw Meta CEO, Thomas Dunsmore, said the certification has strengthened safeguards for young people in the boarding school’s care, supports stronger policies and procedures, and gives families and partners greater confidence in how boarding is run each day.
This certification reflects our boarders, families, Elders, staff and partners working together for a safe, caring and high performing boarding community. Meeting the Australian Boarding Standard shows what is possible for remote and Indigenous boarding students when strong culture and strong systems walk side by side. We are proud to set a leading example on behalf of Torres Strait Islanders and Indigenous boarding communities.
– Thomas Dunsmore, CEO
Australian Boarding Schools Association CEO Richard Stokes congratulated Kaziw Meta and explained how the certification provides a practical structure for ongoing reviews, staff training, student voice and continuous improvement so that high standards are maintained over time.
“We are delighted to see another boarding facility recognised as meeting the Australian Standard,” Mr Stokes said.
“The commitment shown to achieving full compliance and to ensuring the highest levels of care and safety for boarders at Torres Strait Kaziw Meta has proven both worthwhile and exemplary. On behalf of the Association, ABSA congratulates Torres Strait Kaziw Meta on this significant achievement, and we look forward to continuing our work together to best support their boarders.”
Ningana Trust approved a $15,000 grant in October 2025 to support the improvement of boarding school facilities at Kaziw Meta, to create a more welcoming, comfortable, and functional environment that fosters a sense of belonging to support positive daily routines.
Cover photo: Boarders enjoying the view after a long bike ride to Green Hill on Waiben. All photos courtesy of Torres Strait Kaziw Meta.
Torres Strait Kaziw Meta is supported by Ningana Trust.
The visit coincided with the 2024 Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association (ICPA) Qld State Conference, which was attended by TFFF Senior Program Manager Katie Norman and provided an occasion to learn from rural families, engage with the Department of Education and meet familiar and new child-focused partners.
The first day of the trip began driving out to Idalia on a beautiful North Queensland winter morning to view the new AEIOU Townsville premises, currently under construction. Here, we were joined by Alan Smith (AEIOU CEO), Russell Fryer (Hutchies Managing Director), Mitch Grimmer (Hutchies Team Leader), Schahana Clark (AEIOU Senior Service Delivery Manager), Emma Newham (AEIOU Townsville Centre Manager), and site manager Mark Taylor.
TFFF approved funding to support the construction of the new purpose-built centre in August 2023, and has previously provided support for AEIOU’s regional Autism Early Intervention program. Delivered in partnership with Hutchinson Builders, the centre was designed as a state-of-the-art facility with three classrooms, a motor skills therapy room, telehealth rooms, a community meeting and training space, research rooms and external learning environments and playgrounds. The thought put into every aspect of the build, from accessibility to noise dampening, was incredible – it was clear both staff and children will benefit greatly from the new centre.
Following the site tour, we met Kate O’Hara (Director) and Daniel Qualischefski (Gallery Manager and Curator) for lunch near Umbrella Studio. Umbrella Studio is a gallery and studio space which delivers an annual program of onsite and touring exhibitions, public programs, arts residencies, studio access, and professional development programs, along with TFFF-supported biennial arts festival, Pop Up North Queensland (PUNQ). After lunch, Kate and Daniel gave a tour of the studio, where exhibitions Pressing Topics by The Ironing Maidens and An Unnatural Historyby Sarah Treadwell were on display, and introduced the Umbrella team – Erin Ricardo (Arts Programs Manager), Rikaela Rusch (Marketing and Communications Manager), Sabrina Toby (PUNQ Creative Producer), and Amanda Galea (Arts and Marketing Administrator).
Heading downstairs to the studio space, we met a community artist in the process of utilising the equipment to create intaglio prints using recycled tetra-pack containers. Umbrella’s vast storage room was a maze of interesting and unusual artistic equipment and supplies, including a vintage loom, lithographic stones so heavy they required a pallet jack to move, and the only publicly available darkroom north of Brisbane.
Returning to our hotel, we met with Jacinta Perry (Thriving Queensland Kids Partnership Country Qld Lead). The Thriving Queensland Kids Partnership (TQKP) is a cross-sector coalition of not-for-profit, philanthropic, tertiary, and government bodies all committed to improving health, education and family services systems that shape young lives. With TFFF’s support, TQKP delivers the Thriving Country Queensland Kids Collaborative, designed to support leaders, organisations and practitioners delivering child, youth and family health, development and wellbeing services and initiatives in rural, regional and remote Queensland.
The day concluded with dinner with Dancenorth, attended by Hillary Coyne (Executive Director & Co-CEO), Kyle Page (Artistic Director & Co-CEO), Eloise Grace (Company Producer), and Judith McLean (Chair), which provided a reflective end to a productive day. Dancenorth is one of Australia’s leading contemporary dance companies. Alongside its professional ensemble, touring productions and artist development and leadership initiatives, Dancenorth delivers the TFFF-supported Community Experience Program.
Day Two began with a visit to Seed Foundation, where we shared morning tea with Brett Fragiacomo (Executive Officer), Rick Phineasa (Operational Manager, Townsville), and De’arne French (Administration Manager, Townsville) and looked in on a cohort of Deadly Start students undergoing their Health and Community Services Cert II training. Seed Foundation aims to grow the potential of Australia’s First Peoples by inspiring and promoting self-determination through education, health and employment, and provides holistic support services to improve health, wellbeing and employment outcomes. Its TFFF-supported First Peoples Health Program provides upper secondary and Year 13 students with health literacy education, qualifications, career opportunities, higher educational pathways, and support to navigate and achieve these.
Next, we stopped at the Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association Queensland State Conference held at The Cathedral School, where we were warmly welcomed by Qld State Council President Wendy Henning. The ICPA strives for equity of access to education for all students who live in rural and remote Queensland. Its policies are formed through motions brought to the state conference each year by branches from across the state. The organisation also provides an opportunity for many departmental representatives, Members of Parliament, Senators and other stakeholders to hear issues and opportunities from those directly experiencing them at its conference.
Ningana Trust has supported ICPA Qld since 2011, enabling State Council Members to attend each year’s conference, participate in delegations with state government and peak body representatives, and advocate for rural and remote students’ educational needs. After a brief moment to mingle and explore the extremely well attended conference, Wendy gave the 2024 President’s Welcome, sharing the numerous initiatives ICPA Qld has been involved with over the past year. After the initial speeches, most of the TFFF group departed back to Brisbane, leaving Katie to attend the full conference over the next two days.
Umbrella Studio, Dancenorth, and Seed Foundation are supported through the Resilience stream. AEIOU Townsville and Thriving Queensland Kids Partnership are supported through the Futureproof stream. ICPA Qld is supported by Ningana Trust.
The visit included several site visits to learning and family centres in Mount Isa with sector colleagues Matthew Cox and Jill Simes from The Bryan Foundation, and Jacinta Perry from Thriving Queensland Kids Partnership. Jacinta and Katie also attended the Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association Queensland State Conference in Julia Creek, an organisation Ningana Trust has supported since 2011.
Due to their geographical isolation, students in rural and remote areas often face limited access to education, technological barriers, and social and cultural considerations unique to rural life that can affect their learning opportunities. The Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association (ICPA) is a voluntary, not-for-profit organisation that advocates for and supports the educational needs of students living in rural and remote areas, ensuring that they have equitable access to quality education.
The group began their tour in Mount Isa at the Centre for Learning and Wellbeing, known as the CLAW, where they were welcomed by representatives from the Department of Education (DoE) and local school principals. When visiting primary schools and early years places, conversations opened up around the challenges faced by children, families, and educational facilities in the area, along with information about the innovative Project 1000 and the strong partnerships that exist in Mount Isa’s early years workforce.
At Ngukuthati Family Centre, the group learnt about the significant impact of foetal alcohol syndrome, the defective playground, the value of the men’s shed, and the lack of public transport available. In Mount Isa, early learning centres are visited by LEADSmart to educate children on how to avoid lead poisoning when playing outside. In such a remote environment filled with unique challenges, the information, resources, advocacy, and support provided by ICPA Queensland are invaluable.
The ICPA Queensland State Conference is designed to provide an opportunity for government representatives, authorising stakeholders, boarding school staff and other key organisations to hear issues from those experiencing them directly. The 2023 Conference, which is in its 52nd year, had more than 100 delegates in attendance, including parents. Attendees are not only able to bring the issues they face in outback Queensland to the attention of policymakers, but also have the opportunity to foster a network of support that extends well beyond the conference.
After years advocating for an increase to the Living Away From Home Allowance Scheme (LAFHAS), success was achieved in 2023. LAFHAS is an initiative designed to support students who do not have reasonable, daily access to a school and therefore attend boarding school.
At the State Conference, the DoE’s Director General, Michael De’Ath announced that the Queensland Government would increase the LAFHAS by $4,000 in 2024 - the full amount requested by ICPA Qld. This major announcement was met with a standing ovation from delegates. Ningana Trust is pleased to support this important outcome, which will benefit 1,400 families in isolated areas of Queensland.
The Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association is supported by Ningana Trust.
Gina Fairfax is well-known in Queensland: for more than 20 years, she has given extensively to support charitable causes, volunteered on for-purpose boards, and delivered Meals on Wheels. In partnership with her husband Tim, their year-on-year contributions to Brisbane Festival has been significant and since 2018 she has directly supported the commissioning of new contemporary works and enabled artists to live and thrive in Queensland.
As a Trustee of the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation, Gina has overseen the distribution of $54 million, including substantial contributions to Queensland arts initiatives. Gina and Tim Fairfax AC were last year made Life Members of Philanthropy Australia.
Gina is Chair of Ningana Trust and through the Trust has distributed impactful grants to organisations working in Queensland and Northern Territory improving the lives of young people, particularly women and children experiencing disadvantage, for almost 20 years.
As volunteer President of the Breast and Prostate Cancer Association of Queensland, Gina raises funds to support projects which assist rural Queenslanders suffering from breast cancer or prostate cancer. As a volunteer Trustee of the Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), Gina oversees two State institutions. Queensland Arts Gallery was established in 1895 and the Gallery of Modern Art opened in 2006. The galleries house a globally significant collection of contemporary art from Australia, Asia, and the Pacific.
Gina served as a volunteer Director of La Boite Theatre for nine years. La Boite is Australia’s longest continuously running theatre company, celebrating its 100th year of operation in 2025.
Gina is Cultural Patron of Flying Arts Alliance. Flying Arts Alliance is an arts and cultural development organisation which has been delivering visual arts projects and services to regional and remote Queensland communities since 1971.
