Council welcomes construction starting at Gumbaynggirr Keeping Place

Published on 28 October 2025

Representatives from our three Local Aboriginal Lands Councils (LALCs), Nambucca Heads, Bowraville and Unkya, turned sod at the site of the Gumbaynggirr Keeping Place in Macksville yesterday.

Nambucca Valley Mayor Gary Lee said he was honoured to be able to support our LALCs to come together to deliver this significant place-making project.

“Watching sod being turned at the 43 Princess Street site yesterday was extremely rewarding as our Council has worked with our Local Aboriginal Lands Councils since 2022 on this project,” he said.

“Council has donated the land for this project, once it received almost $5 million in grant funding from the State Government, as this project will promote Gumbaynggirr culture and be a tourism drawcard for decades to come.”

The Nambucca Valley Gumbaynggirr Keeping Place will provide a new cultural facility for the valley. It is being designed for the safe keeping of important cultural artefacts and its sophisticated architecture will ensure it can connect with place.

Unkya Local Aboriginal Land Council Chairperson, Michael Donovan, said the sod turning yesterday was a very important day for the Gumbaynggirr people.

“We are starting to build the Gumbaynggirr Keeping Place, a very special occasion,” he said.

“In this centre we will be able to protect and maintain our cultural heritage, through our artefacts, our dreaming stories, music, dance and art.

“The place will be very significant for us because learning and teaching is a big part of Gumbaynggirr culture. We want to be able to educate our younger Gumbaynggirr people, but also to educate the wider community and make that available to other people so they can understand the enrichment that Gumbaynggirr culture gives to us as Gumbaynggirr people.”

The Nambucca Valley Gumbaynggirr Keeping Place is being built by O’Donnell & Hanlon and the new facility is expected to be completed in 2026, weather depending. For more information on the project contact any of our three LALCs.