Standing Together in Reconciliation
Published on 09 December 2025
South Burnett Regional Council and the Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council have joined forces in more ways than one. Chairs have been placed at Cherbourg and across the South Burnett as a show of unity and in honour of the long- standing commitment to working together for the betterment of both communities.
The Cherbourg Council in partnership with the South Burnett Council were successful in obtaining a grant to place seats across both regions. Cherbourg Council had the seats made at the Cherbourg Joinery and commissioned local artist Maurice Mickelo to paint the seats.
On Tuesday 26 August 2025 a celebration was held at the Cherbourg Ration Shed with the Cherbourg and South Burnett Mayors and Councillors gathering with the community to present the chairs which have now been placed across both communities.
Mayor Duff said “It was great to see the Councillors discussing together the best places for the chairs as each one has its own unique painting. The one with the ants has been deliberately placed in Kingaroy the home of the “Red Ants” footy team and the one with the Bunyas is in Cr Linda Little’s area that takes in the Bunya Mountains, that is a special place for both Cherbourg and the South Burnett”
Mayor Bruce Simpson said “The Reconciliation Chairs are a deeply meaningful recognition of our first Indigenous business owner in Murgon, Tyrone Murray, who felt the hurt and unfairness when the chair outside his barbershop was removed. Today, these chairs stand not just as symbols across the South Burnett, but as reminders of unity, forgiveness, equity, and the social change we are committed to. They call us to stand together, shoulder to shoulder, in the true spirit of reconciliation.”
The seats have been positioned in Cherbourg, Murgon, Proston, Wondai, Kingaroy, Blackbutt and Nanango. Each seat also has a QR code that is linked to both Council’s websites and a logo that reads “Many tribes, one community”
Locations for the Reconciliation Benches are as follows:
- Cherbourg – Ration Shed
- Murgon – QE II Park below the toilet block
- Proston – On the footpath outside the Proston Hall
- Wondai – Back patio of the Art Gallery.
- Kingaroy – O’Neill Square below P & C building
- Kingaroy – Glendon Street shared zone (southern end)
- Nanango - Ringsfield House
- Blackbutt – Next to the Skate Park