Our community

Gold Coast Health is committed to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by providing visible, culturally safe and capable care. Partner organisations play an essential role in ensuring a collaborative approach to improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across our region.

Our First Nations Health Equity approach is underpinned by representation, leadership and shared decision-making with Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples to change the current power balance and create a health system free from racism and discrimination.

Gold Coast Health is committed to creating a culturally responsive and inclusive health system that achieves health equity for First Nations peoples. National Sorry Day and National Reconciliation Week are significant dates that support meaningful reflection and learning. They remind us that collective action is required to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities.

National Sorry Day commemorates the anniversary of the 1997 Bringing Them Home report, which investigated the forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, known as the Stolen Generations.

This years theme, From Sorry to Action, reminds us that we must move from words to action now, not in another decade.

At Gold Coast Health, National Sorry Day is not only about remembering — it is about renewing our commitment to culturally safe, trauma-informed care and a fairer health system for all.

The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2026 “All In” – a call for all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation every day. As outlined in the Reconciliation Statement:

“Gold Coast Health will continue to walk in partnership with all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our community in a spirit of reconciliation and in line with our Always Care philosophy and our values; Respect, Integrity, Excellence, Community First, Compassion and Empower”.

Be 'All In' for reconciliation – join these community events

Gold Coast Health encourages staff and community members to learn, connect and reflect. Our events celebrate First Nations cultures, connection and truth-telling, and support reconciliation in action through strengthening relationships with community.

Gold Coast Health is committed to closing the gap and achieving health parity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by 2031. This commitment is embedded in our First Nations Health Equity Strategy, which guides how we work in genuine partnership with community through co-design to deliver meaningful, measurable and sustainable change by building culturally responsive services.

Through this strategy, Gold Coast Health is strengthening culturally responsive care, embedding accountability across the organisation and ensuring First Nations health equity is everyone's business. Together, we are building a health system that delivers culturally responsive, equitable access, and improved health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples now and into the future.

In 2026, Gold Coast Health partnered with Kalwun Development Corporation to host a vibrant community event celebrating culture, connection and wellbeing.

Advancing and accelerating First Nations Health Equity 2025

In 2025, Gold Coast Health marked Close the Gap Day by hosting two successful staff forums led by the Frist Nations Health Equity Team. These forums brough together staff, Elders and community organisation to showcase the First Nations Health Equity initiatives underway across Gold Coast Health. These events celebrate progress, shared success stories, and generated ideas to continue advancing health equity across our health service. This works aligns with the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service First Nations Health Equity Strategy and supports the national goal of achieve life expectancy parity by 2031.

Close the Gap Day event celebration 2024

In 2024, Gold Coast Health's First Nations Healthy Equity team, in collaboration with the First Peoples Health Unit Griffith University and Kalwun Development Corporation, hosted a remarkable Close The Gap Day event.

Held at the Gold Coast University Hospital Parklands, witnessed an impressive turnout, with more than 35 elders, 29 dedicated stallholders, and more than 1,500 attendees comprising Gold Coast Health staff, patients, and community members.

​Close the Gap history

The Close the Gap campaign arose in response to Professor Tom Calma’s Social Justice Report (2005) which challenged governments to bring about health equality within a generation.

Learn more about the history of Close the Gap with our fact sheet.

NAIDOC WEEK 2025

Gold Coast Health celebrated National NAIDOC Week, with this year's theme, “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy,” reinforced our commitment to health equity and cultural safety for future generations.

More than 3500 staff, patients, and community members joined in the celebrations across the health service and community that honoured culture, strengthened connections, and celebrated the resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Community Event

As a platinum sponsor, Gold Coast Health proudly supported more than 2500 community members to celebrate NAIDOC Week at the Carrara Sports Precinct.

This event was collaboratively delivered by the Gold Coast NAIDOC Events Organising Committee, including Kalwun Development Corporation, Gold Coast Health, and more than 15 key stakeholders.

The celebration brought the community together, with more than 40 stallholders showcasing programs, services and cultural activities, creating a vibrant and inclusive space to honour and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.

🌿 Culture Therapy: moving meditation workshops at GCH

More than 100 staff, patients and community members participated in a Moving Meditation workshop with Lann Levinge at Robina Hospital and Gold Coast University Hospital.

The sessions highlighted how Culture Therapy can relieve, treat and heal.
Lann shared a powerful moment from using Culture Therapy in Intensive Care Unit with a First Nations patient, showing the strength of cultural practice in healthcare.

The Creative Health Hub brings health and wellbeing to life through the arts at Gold Coast Health.

For NAIDOC Week, the team hosted the Next Generation art exhibition at Banyahrmabah, Tugun Satellite Health Centre, showcasing four First Nations artist, two who are staff and two community members.

On Tuesday August 20 2024, more than 550 people attended the 'Art of Healing' event at the Healing Garden Tugun Satellite Hospital (Banyahrmabah). The event was a vibe of healing energy and cultural celebration, a truly immersive experience as seen in the video below.

The Gold Coast community had the opportunity to engage with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander living culture through Gold Coast Health's newly launched Culture Therapy. The Culture Therapy workshops provided a unique, multi-sensory journey, allowing guests to immerse themselves in experiences that engaged touch, sight, hearing, smell, and taste, enriching their understanding and connection to cultural practices.

Unveiling the artistic work of Grace Brown

The artistic work of Grace Brown - Banyahr jagun Banyahr garal janabi nyubani “Healthy Country – Healthy Community” will be unveiled at the event. The art depicts the Yugambeh language region, culture and Country, view the video to find the artwork story.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Service is a member of the Karulbo (All Together in the local Yugambeh Language) network. Established in 2010 as a Gold Coast Primary Care Partnership Council collaborative venture between Gold Coast Health, Kalwun Health Service and Krurungal Corporation for Welfare, Resource and Housing to promote health and wellbeing.

The network has partners within the Health, Education, Employment and other sectors across the Gold Coast - these members have shaped Karulbo and driven improved health and wellbeing outcomes for the Gold Coast Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community.

In 2023, Karulbo yarning circles were held with Community and partner organisations to co-design the journey forward.

ommunity arts projects can be powerful health and cultural activities. Galagir Ngaurai (youth speak) was a public health project which engaged the regions Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth in health-related conversation and under the guidance of local Elder Uncle Ian Levinge and Wurundjeri artist Grace Brown, created an artwork response which has been used in the design of public health collateral.

“This was an outstanding day! The facilitators provided a culturally safe and supporting environment creating a perfect learning and expressive platform. Students were supported to engage in health conversations, expressing their desire to ‘keep mob safe’ through word, art and action.” Candace Kruger, Head of Department, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives.

The students wanted to convey the importance of coming together to encourage responsible, respectful, and honest discussions about health and wellbeing and centred this around the ‘yarning circle’ painted by Artist, Grace Brown. They watched as Uncle Ian Levinge added his handprint to the centre of the circle, signifying the wisdom and cultural guidance Elders provide to community. The 10 large circles represented each student participant, and the three gold circles represented the artist and the Gold Coast Public Health Unit employees who developed and facilitated the initiative. The smaller circles within the yarning circle represent those positively influencing and supporting students, including family, friends, teachers, and community.

Students added their handprints to the artwork and painted their individual, yet collective health journey. Whilst individual health experiences were discussed, students united around the yarning circle to support each other as they talked about health and wellbeing and the importance of keeping each other safe. Their works were thoughtfully complementary, yet respectfully unique, just as public health efforts can be tailored to individual health issues for entire community benefit, such as the protection against viruses through vaccination, to the creation of supportive environments for healthy eating and physical activity.

The inextricable link between Country and individual / community health was detailed within students designs; the inclusion of flora and fauna including totem animals, waterways, night sky, pathways, connection; students were communicating that health was strongly influenced by the health of their environment. This could be interpreted as an ecological model, those interrelationships between individuals and the social, physical and policy environment, yet the student emphasis was placed on sustainable practices to ensure clean air, waterways, and landscapes in the maintenance and enhancement of a healthy environment, Country, which ultimately provides healthier pursuits for us all.

• Kalwun website
• Krurungal Facebook
• Institute for Urban Indigenous Health

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