Devils link with Garragal Women at Toomelah for Indigenous Round

Indigenous Round is an important part of the QRL calendar – a time to reflect on the painful past, as well as the success stories, and look towards a brighter future.

This weekend the Devils will run out in their second ever Indigenous jersey at Bishop Park against local rivals the Sunshine Coast Falcons.

The club will use the event as an opportunity to give support to the Toomelah community through raising funds for the Garragal Women’s Network.

The Garragal Women’s Network is a community group for women to find healing through their culture and country.

It is a space for women to support each other and take on new challenges together.

The network is a place for healing by meeting, discussing, and learning together, particularly through cultural activities.

The importance of the project stems from the difficult and painful circumstances many local women face in Toomelah.

The town became a focus for the public eye in 1988 after Marcus Einfeld released a report detailing the terrible living conditions the Toomelah people were being subjected to.

The Government intervened with attempts to improve local infrastructure, but in 2012 the town was again in the spotlight with many of the same issues persisting.

In 2017 the Australian Army was directed to assist the town as part of the Aboriginal Community Assistance Program (AACAP). The Army made vital infrastructure upgrades such as improving the roads and sewage system, to bring the town up to modern standards.

However, the town still has many social issues to overcome, with projects such as the Garragal Women’s Network looking to make a difference and continue the journey of healing.

The Devils will be fundraising this Sunday at Bishop Park at their match-up against the Falcons. Gates open at 12PM, the Hastings Deering Colts play at 1PM and the Intrust Super Cup kicks off at 3PM.