Woolworths’ new store in Gordonvale to strive for at least 20 per cent Indigenous employees

Gordonvale’s new Woolworths store is a brand leader on reconciliation as it reveals both symbolic and practical measures in its embrace of community and local culture. FIND OUT MORE

WOOLWORTHS’ new Gordonvale store is embracing local Indigenous culture and putting that proudly on display as acknowledgment of the First Nations peoples upon whose traditional land the store stands.

The new centre’s design includes large external artworks by Indigenous artist Michael Anning Booiyol.

The centre also displays the traditional name for Gordonvale, Gubuda, on its entrance canopy, a first for the Woolworths group in North Queensland.

Regional development manager Marissa Hopewell and group manager Mark McNaught in front of the store's Indigenous artwork. Picture: Brendan Radke

Group manager Mark McNaught said understanding First Nations history is important for business.

“When it comes to reconciliation people talk about a gap … that gap’s real,” said Mr McNaught.

“I think we have to do everything we can to bridge that gap. A lot of us take things in life for granted that just doesn’t come easy to other people.”

The store will also strive for 20 per cent of its employees to be Indigenous, which Mr McNaught said was a starting target that will be a building block for more ambitious employment goals in the future.

“It’s about reflecting the community that we serve,” he said.

Woolworths' brand new Gordonvale store is ready to open to the public on Wednesday, July 20. Operations manager Gary O'Donnell in front of the store's Indigenous artwork. Picture: Brendan Radke

“We thought it would be a fantastic thing to shoot for as high a number as we could of the people who live in the community. If you start a store a certain way, it will operate that way its whole life.

“We’re really keen to keep those pathways for First Nations people open; it’s really important to us. It’s important that they know we’re a team that wants them on the team.”

The Woolworths group in FNQ isn’t a stranger to leading the way on reconciliation. Mr McNaught said one of his team members thought up an idea for a NAIDOC week program called “Seven Deadly Acts” where employees had the chance to engage with local Indigenous culture during work hours.

“That program was then rolled out across all Woolworths supermarkets nationally, which is a great recognition of our team.”

Originally published as Woolworths’ new store in Gordonvale to strive for at least 20 per cent Indigenous employees