The Goondee Aboriginal Keeping Place & Museum

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The Goondee Aboriginal Keeping Place & Museum The Goondee was established in the year 2000 and is built on Yuwaalaraay/Euahlayi Country. https://goondeeaboriginalkeepingplace.com/tours-%26-services

The Goondee Aboriginal Keeping Place & Museum was founded by respected Elders, Roy and June Barker to preserve the surrounding local Aboriginal Languages, Culture and Sovereignty for future generations. The Goondee Aboriginal Keeping Place & Museum was founded by respected Elders, Roy and June Barker to preserve the surrounding local Aboriginal Languages, Culture and Sovereignty for future generations; and to truthfully share and raise awareness of the diverse history of Aboriginal peoples with others. Roy and June received numerous awards, contributed to countless projects within the local and wider communities, and showcased Aboriginal culture and their knowledge through many exhibitions and collaborations. We miss Roy and June very much and hold their generosity and kindness in all that we do at the Goondee Aboriginal Keeping Place & Museum. We offer services such as Goondee tours, cultural awareness and language consultations & training.

08/10/2026

Word of the week ✨

The name for our native bees in our languages. Did you know? There are 11 species of them and they are stingless!

dhindi - Murrawarri
guni - Gamilaraay
warrul - Yuwaalaraay

- Voices featured in this video include:
Binbi Weribone
Mayii Weribone
Kelsey Strasek-Barker

28/09/2026

Word of the week ✨

bunggil - Murrawarri
guyayn - Yuwaalaraay
gurayn - Gamilaraay

Meaning ‘flower’ in our languages.
🌸🌼🌺🌸🌼🌺🌸🌼🌺

27/09/2026

Join us for creating craft with special guest Dhawundi at the Goondee this Tuesday 29th September from 9am - 12.30pm ✨ All are welcome, children will need to be accompanied by an adult and lunch/refreshments will be provided.

We hope to see you there! 👣

Woganurra is heading to the Powerhouse! 📣 We’re excited to share that The Goondee is one of seven First Nations-led orga...
23/09/2026

Woganurra is heading to the Powerhouse! 📣

We’re excited to share that The Goondee is one of seven First Nations-led organisations featured in Overflow, a new series of films commissioned by Powerhouse, celebrating our deep connections to Water Country, culture and community.

As part of the exhibition, we’ll be joining a special conversation hosted by Wiradjuri journalist Rae Johnston, alongside Kamilaroi filmmaker Ivan Sen and representatives from the other First Nations organisations involved.

Come along, join the conversation and celebrate the strength of First Nations knowledge, culture and community!

Book tickets to💧Caring for Water Country below:

https://powerhouse.com.au/program/opening-fest-caring-for-water-country?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=ParraOpeningFest

The song featured is gungan nhama yugal in Yuwaalaraay language. The water song 💧

22/09/2026

yabinj yabintja ngutalana barna ☀️
In the springtime the goanna comes out to sun himself.

21/09/2026

Word of the week ✨

Our country is home to 27 living species of Goanna!
One of these species that we find on Murrawarri, Yuwaalaraay and Gamilaroi country is the ‘sand goanna’.
Now that it is the season of yarragaa and yabinj yabinj, the goannas are out of hibernation and on the move. So keep an eye out for barna, biiwii and dhulii ✨

barna - Murrawarri
biiwii - Yuwaalaraay/Yuwaaliyaay
dhulii - Gamilaraay/Yuwaalaraay

Thank you to Binbi Weribone for featuring in this video. 🫶🏽

18/09/2026

Join us in our second week of learning Murrawarri Survival Phrases ✨

You might be thinking “what are survival phrases?” They are basic words/phrases used to maintain and revive endangered languages. Helping people communicate in language and to stay in it and not go back to the dominant language.

You can use these simple phrases and words in your everyday life. ☀️

17/09/2026

Bidara thurringga/Yaama ngindaay!

This week we wanted to share our language words to connect with what we know as the season of Spring 🌷🌸🌺🌻🌼

Yarragaa in Yuwaalaraay/Gamilaraay represents the season of renewal, growth and the warms winds of change on country.

Yabinj.yabinj in the Murrawarri seasonal calendar means springtime, warmth and coming out of hibernation, we know the barna (goanna) is now on the move.

Thank you to the voices featured in this video,
Priscilla Strasek & William Haupt.

UPDATE: Venue has been changed (due to current renovations at the Goondee) to Barriekneal Housing for our dinner tomorro...
08/09/2026

UPDATE:

Venue has been changed (due to current renovations at the Goondee) to Barriekneal Housing for our dinner tomorrow night.

We thank Barriekneal for kindly sharing their space.
- - - -

🩷This week is for the women - come share a meal with us! 🩷

We’re bringing women together for a relaxed evening of lingo, good food, yarns and company.

Join us on Saturday 12 September for a three-course dinner featuring some native ingredients and flavours.

It’s a chance to share a table, catch up and simply enjoy an evening together.
And this one is just for the grown-ups!

We know our women are often busy looking after everyone else, so this evening is a little chance for them to enjoy lingo, food and time together.

📅 Saturday 12 September
🍽️ Three-course dinner
👩🏾‍🦳 For women

07/09/2026

Yaama ngindaay/bidara thurringga ✨

In honour of Father’s Day on Sunday, we wanted to share the word for Father/Dad for word of the week!

Thank you to all the Dad’s being strong role models for their families and making a difference in their communities.

Address

83-85 Pandora Street
Lightning Ridge, NSW
2834

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