Cafe Chloe

Tully, Australia

Impact

Indigenous tour operator Ingan Tours used income from travel to ensure local Indigenous culture was celebrated and that a space was made to educate visitors about local Indigenous art, stories, and culture. Their work went a step further, setting up Cafe Chloe as a training centre where Indigenous youth in Tully could learn skills in the hospitality industry, including service and public speaking. 

* After many years of working in tourism in Australia, the owners of Ingan Tours decided to move on from the business, and as a result Cafe Chloe is no longer open to receive travellers.

Critical Need

The Jirrbal people are descendants of an Indigenous rainforest community, occupying land between Cooktown and Cardwell in Northeastern Queensland. The Jirrbal are descendants of hunter-gatherers, who made many trade routes through the forest that are still present today and are being preserved by descendants. Without access to jobs, many youth leave the region in search of other opportunities in larger cities. As a result, the traditions and stories of the Jirrbal people are being lost. Recently the land of the railway station in Tully was given back to the Jirrbal people, providing an opportunity to access jobs in tourism for the first time.

Our Involvement

With the help of Planeterra, the old Tully railway station was repurposed into a training café, offering lunches and training workshops in Aboriginal arts to international travellers. By supporting the development of the café, Planeterra helped provide at-risk Indigenous youth with an opportunity to learn skills that will help them find jobs and gain confidence, while also connecting with and preserving their own culture. The small museum located in the restaurant displayed cultural artifacts that were passed on for generations and shared Indigenous history with the public.

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