First Peoples

We respect the First Peoples, who are the Bama – the Aboriginal rainforest people – who are Traditional Custodians of the lands across our region. We also acknowledge other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who call our region home.

Australia's First Peoples have rich and long histories. Within the Cairns region, there are many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with different and distinct languages, histories and cultures. Our region is incredibly unique, with our Local Government Area (LGA) home to:

11 distinct Traditional Custodian groups – more than any other LGA in Australia
A resident population percentage of around 9.7% First Peoples (the national average is 3.8%)
The largest Torres Strait Islander population outside of the Torres Strait region
The service hub for many remote communities in Far North Queensland and Cape York, with people from these areas visiting Cairns to access essential services.

Read about the culture and history of the First Peoples of the Cairns area

First Peoples Advisory Consultants

Council established its first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander focused advisory committee in February 2009 (formerly named the Indigenous Advisory Committee). The committee was renamed in August 2012 to the First Peoples Advisory Committee and since then the function of the Committee and its relationship to CRC evolved and matured. During its tenure, the Committee played a significant role in guiding Council’s development and implementation of reconciliation action plans (RAPs) and advising on a wide range of other Council matters.

In May 2024, Council endorsed the First Peoples Engagement Guidelines (FPEG), an internal tool designed to provide Council staff with confidence and clarity when engaging with First Peoples. Council subsequently reviewed the First Peoples Advisory Committee and at a Council Ordinary Meeting in July 2024, endorsed the establishment of the First Peoples Advisory Consultants to replace the former First Peoples Advisory Committee.

In accordance with the Terms of Reference, the purpose of the First Peoples Advisory Consultants is to provide advice to Council on matters relevant to First Peoples, including:

Providing input into the development and implementation of Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs) and other programs and initiatives which contribute to Council’s reconciliation objectives.
Representing the needs and aspirations of First Peoples in the development of relevant policy, procedures and projects with specific relevance to First Peoples, including on economic, social, cultural and environmental matters and emerging issues impacting the First Peoples communities in the CRC LGA.

Email Council's Community Development Team or phone 4044 3447 to find out more about Council's RAP, First Peoples Advisory Consultants and other Council initiatives relating to First Peoples.

Council supporting reconciliation

The RAP program was launched by Reconciliation Australia in July 2006, marking the 40th anniversary of the 1967 referendum in which more than 90% of voters voted "yes", demonstrating widespread support for greater equality and justice for Australia’s First Peoples.

Council has a long history of commitment to reconciliation and has chosen to use the Reconciliation Australia RAP program to focus and formalise our commitment into tangible outcomes. We see the benefit of demonstrating leadership in reconciliation in our region and the opportunities that come from being part of the growing RAP community.

Cairns Regional Council is proud to have been the first local government in Queensland to have had a RAP endorsed by Reconciliation Australia. The RAP forms the basis of Council’s commitment to helping build and strengthen relationships and understanding between First Peoples and non-Indigenous people within our organisation and throughout the region. Council has since successfully implemented an Innovate RAP (covering a term of 2019-2021), and most recently endorsed a second Innovate RAP in May 2025, which covers the period from July 2025 – June 2027, and aims to continue to build on our achievements and longstanding commitment to reconciliation.

Download a copy of Council's Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan July 2025 - June 2027 ( PDF, 9.3 MB )

Last Updated: 30 June 2025