Music, whales and First Nations culture will be celebrated at the revived Quandamooka Festival at North Straddie
The Quandamooka Festival is defying the recent trend of festivals collapsing. Instead, it promises to be bigger and better when it returns this month as the first full-scale Quandamooka Festival since 2022.
Celebrating First Nations arts, music, food and culture, the festival will run on North Stradbroke Island/Minjerribah this Friday (from 4pm) and Saturday, August 30-31.
It’s also a breakthrough year for headline act Jem Cassar-Daley, who took out gongs at the Queensland Music Awards for her song King of Disappointment.
The daughter of country music singer-songwriter Troy Cassar-Daley and radio/television presenter Laurel Edwards, Cassar-Daley is a Maltese, European Australian and Gumbaynggirr Bundjalung woman. She says it is an honour to be invited to play such an important role at the Quandamooka Festival.
“This is absolutely the first time I’ve headlined a festival, so I’m really looking forward to it,” Cassar-Daley says. “I just know that it’s going to be special.
“Quandamooka Festival has been something that I’ve wanted to do for the longest time because Minjerribah is such a special place for me. I have so many memories, beautiful memories, of growing up in Brisbane and being able to head over there for my holidays with my friends and family. I think that it’s going to be a beautiful showcase of really unique stories.
“For so many years music has been such a fundamental medium for us telling our stories and sharing who we are. That’s something that is always going to be there and can never be taken away. I have a real connection with Minjerribah, so I’ve got songs that I’ve written about this beautiful place that I’ll definitely be playing.”
Cassar-Daley will perform on the Friday night of the festival alongside acclaimed Indigenous artists Joe Geia and Quandamooka musician and internationally renowned hip-hop artist Sachem.
“It’s a really important time to showcase the culture and the way of life over there,” says Cassar-Daley. “And it’s just going to be such a beautiful blend of music and art. I honestly think that Minjerribah is one of the most special places on Earth. If anyone in Brissie hasn’t been before, I think that this would be the perfect time to go.”
There is also a lot of excitement about Joe Geia performing at the festival with his six-piece band. His contribution to the Australian musical landscape is legendary.
“Who says there’s an expiry date on music?” Geia says. “I’ll just keep going until I drop. We still feel the struggle as Aboriginal people … whether it’s 1981 or 2025. There’s still that struggle. If you slow down the rap, they’re rapping about the same thing.”
The rap that this respected Aboriginal Elder speaks of is from performers such as Sachem, a Noonuccal Ngugi and African-American man who is a featured artist at the festival. Ending his national tour, at the festival Sachem will perform some of his well-known tracks as well as test new work from his upcoming debut album.
“This is one of the only Aboriginal festivals that really has a focus on bringing in top Aboriginal talent from across the country,” Sachem says.
“It’s also held on one of the best places in the world – North Stradbroke Island. Best beaches in the world, best seafood in the world. And it’s all wrapped in culture. When you come to the Quandamooka Festival you get a very small taste of that, but it’s very, very powerful.”
Last year the festival had a smaller footprint as part of the Wynnum Fringe, but festival curator and Quandamooka woman Avril Quaill says it’s a relief to have it back on the island where it belongs, with its focus being Friday’s headline act Jem Cassar-Daley and the Kunjiel Corroborree on Saturday.
“It’s in the campus grounds of Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation, our native title body at Dunwich – wonderful grounds surrounded by the beautiful bottle brush trees. Often you can see koalas there, beautiful bird life and lovely grasses and it’s within walking distance from the beach.”
Quaill hopes the festival will return permanently to its annual winter festival tradition so patrons can experience the continuing culture of the Nughi, Nunukul and Goenpul clans of Quandamooka.
This year’s festival starts with a traditional smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country to celebrate the return of the yalingila/whale migration season, followed by a diverse mix of musicians and cultural activities, including traditional dance groups performing the Kunjiel/corroboree, tours, food, weaving, art, Indigenous film and panel discussions.
“We’ve invited eight dance troupes that have those connections with Quandamooka people,” Quaill says. “And it’s all absolutely free. The whales are here now, so there’s plenty to see, experience and learn from Quandamooka peoples’ perspective.”
Quandamooka Festival, August 30-31, Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation campus, 100 East Coast Rd, Dunwich/Goompi.