30 Cape York and Torres influentials under 30
Advocates, community workers, musicians and coaches are some of the 30 of the biggest change-makers of Cape York and Torres Strait under 30. SEE THE LIST
Cairns
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cairns. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Leading Cape York and the Torres Strait Islands is 30 of the greatest and most influential young people under 30. From arts and volunteering to services and sports, these stellar individuals are shaping up to create a better and brighter community.
Marijke Bassani
Originally from Cooktown, Ms Bassani is a Lama Lama and Binthi Warra woman and has undergone the Cape York Leaders Program which built the foundations of her career as a human rights lawyer. Now an advocate for gender and ethnic equality, she is passionate about elevating the rights of LGBTQI+ Indigenous people.
Royston Sagigi-Baira
23 years old
From the town of Old Mapoon comes a musical talent who has been offered a $30,000 QUT Excellence Scholarship in elite visual and performing arts. Having now started university and studying Bachelor of Fine Arts (majoring in music), Mr Sagigi-Baira will be studying singing to advance his career.
Anthony Nicholls
Originally from Thursday Island, Mr Nicholls graduated AFL Cape York House for Boys and has since then gone on to coach the women’s AFL Giants team. He is leading, not only his team, but his community through his success and excellence.
Kitana Salee
23 years old
On the edge of Cape York is Injinoo where Ms Salee has taken her time with Cape York Land Council to a career, joining the community relations team to maintain transparent, honest and inclusive engagements with Cape York’s Aboriginal people. Eager to shape the community around her, Ms Salee provides guidance and direction regarding her role and actions.
Shaelanee Hegamaea
Cooktown resident and local, Ms Hegamaea was awarded Young Citizen of the Year in 2020 for her school contributions and community engagement. She is an active member in sports, primarily swimming, athletics, football and taekwondo and has gone on to teach and coach younger peers in both swimming and taekwondo.
Sam Simmonds
23 years old
A teacher aide in his spare time, Mr Simmonds is Lakeland’s community legend through his work – engaging students and youth in after school sporting activities. Gaining a place as the chair of Lakeland Cook Shire Youth Council, he is excited to organise monthly events to unite the small community and has seen a shift in attitude among the members.
Lowana Charger
19 years old
Ms Charger was pushed by Covid and homesickness to move back to Weipa from Cairns and has since found her passion for early childhood and development. Since then, she has completed her certificate in early childhood and secured her passion with her role as a preschool assistant at Napranum. Loving the challenge that the role brings, Ms Charger hopes to continue her career and serve her community through her work.
Ellen Hatton
22 years old
Ms Hatton is a marine officer with Maritime Safety Queensland and spends her time either educating students throughout Cape York and the Torres Strait Islands on boating and water safety or captaining boats and semi-submarines. She also is an off-site receivable supervisor for Rio Tinto and is on her way to steering the future of the marine industry.
Ella Hartwig
A Cooktown local, Ms Hartwig was awarded her community’s Young Citizen of the Year, Ms Hartwig is an upcoming singer-songwriter carving out a name for herself and her community. Ms Hartwig has received nominations the past two years in the Queensland Music Awards and was featured on Tripe J’s Unearthed. Receiving recognition both nationally and internationally, the artist is influenced by indie, folk and country music.
Zach Kulka
25 years old
Graduating from the Queensland Indigenous Youth Leadership Program with Cape York Land Council, Mr Kulka is a Burungu man from Eastern Kuku Yalanji who is moving into a career in law. Returning to QIYLP after his degree, Mr Kulka mentors young people to see younger Cape York and Bama people get involved in Native Title matters to carry on building the future that their elders fought for.
Leah Thompson
23 years old
An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander woman, Ms Thompson is central to the “Youth 4 A Voice” initiative as part of the Uluru Statement From the Heart Campaign and is a member of the King and Wood Mallesons inaugural First Nations Advisory Council. Working alongside Cape York Land Council, Ms Thompson is engaged in her community through various programs such as the Queensland Indigenous Youth Leadership Program (QIYLP) and working for the Deadly Inspiring Youth Doing Good ATSIC organisation.
Keithean Bowen
29 years old
Volunteering with the rural fire service and SES in Hopevale, Mr Bowen grew up in a family heavily involved in giving back. He left his job as a disengaged youth worker and now volunteers in fires and the SEQ floods, leads as a councillor and has a YouTube channel connecting young fellas with their community. Educating children about cultural practices of hunting and the land and animals, Mr Bowen has found a way to transform the lives of disengaged youth to get them passionate and involved.
Luana Healey
24 years old
Ms Healey is an AFL Cape York House for Girls strong Indigenous role model and female advocate who is respected in her community for her work as a student wellbeing coordinator, a football talent with the Cairns City Lions and representative player and junior coach. Recognised for her work and advocacy, Ms Healey was a finalist for Cairns Regional Council’s Young Woman of the Year award in 2022.
Talei Elu
29 years old
From Seisia, a small Torres Strait Islander community, Ms Elu left her federal government job behind in Canberra to return to Cape York with skills and experience to transform her community. Leading and advocating for grassroots projects, Ms Elu has witnessed the immediate effects of her work pushing for a cleaner environment free from littering and telecommunication services in remote areas where access to emergency services has proved difficult.
Stafford Charger
27 years old
Based in Amrun, Cape York, Mr Charger is a young plant operator at Rio Tinto who hopes to move up in his role to eventually land a leadership opportunity. Within his role, Mr Charger has also visited schools in Western Cape York and Weipa where he speaks with children about his role and encourages them to seek out careers that interest them.
Madeina David
23 years old
From Lama Island in Torres Strait, Ms David is a marine biologist who has always had a passion for the marine and conservation. Wanting to bridge the gap for traditional land and sea management, Ms David is keen to encourage and support others within the industry.
Shanella Majid
21 years old
From the Wuthathi tribe in mainland Torres, Ms Majid is a writer for Torres News and has been in the region her whole life. Mother of two and Seisia resident, Ms Majid is passionate about getting local youth involved in sporting activities and has put together a girls team to promote opportunities for them. She also is a photographer who aims to share the beautiful sights of the Far North with others.
Yehusha Lifu
16 years old
2022 House Captain at AFL Cape York House for Girls, Ms Lifu is an emerging student who is a confident and empowered young leader. Involved in diesel fitting, a U15 Youth Girls AFL Coach and a cultural leader in Aboriginal dance, Ms Lifu is a powerhouse leading and encouraging her peers.
Rachel Brooker
21 years old
A TAFE Queensland graduate based in Weipa, Ms Brooker is a qualified diesel fitter who fiercely advocates for females getting into a trade. She spends her time talking to people inquiring about being a woman in a male-dominated industry and partakes in videos and interviews to create interest. Ms Brooker has noticed women in Weipa supporting each other through their journeys as an apprentice.
Sodyla Kris
28 years old
Ms Kris is a business support coordinator at AFL Cape York Girls House and is an impressive football talent. She is involved in her community through volunteering with the Eagles FC and is driven and committed. When she’s not leading her community, Ms Kris also is a brilliant Indigenous artist.
Sharee Yamashita
Ms Yamashita, originally from Thursday Island, was the winner of the 2017 National NAIDOC awards and won the apprentice of the year, securing a role and working her way up to a high voltage technician within Rio Tinto. Ms Yamashita is leading the way for other young Indigenous women to pursue their careers.
Terence Creek
29 years old
Coen’s most passionate community worker, Mr Creek primarily works as a domestic violence prevention worker at Coen Regional Aboriginal Corporation. Witnessing and experiencing social injustice, Mr Creek also works within programs tailored to suicide prevention and community engagement. Knowing a little goes a long way, Mr Creek is determined to remain within the community service space throughout his career and give back to those in need.
Xavier Blanco
Mr Blanco graduated high school to now work for Aurukun Earth Moving in Cape York as a Dozer Driver where he clears trees. Passionate and driven and wanting to gain experience in all areas, Mr Blanco is keen to move up in the world of earthmoving.
Chris Tamwoy
26 years old
From the Torres Strait Islands, Mr Tamwoy is an Indigenous singer and artist who’s quickly emerging within the music scene. In his career, he has also made the finals for Australia’s Got Talent and shared his vocals with the nation. His name (and voice) is one to watch.
Latisha Tamwoy
18 years old
Graduating AFL Cape York’s House for Girls last year, Ms Tamwoy has went on to work in a traineeship program with Rio Tinto where she’s secured a two year role in childcare. Quickly becoming an emerging leader within her community, Ms Tamwoy has plans to return to her school to encourage students to be resilient and persistent.
Sha-lane Gibson
27 years old
Working as an economic development and trade investment officer with the Cook Shire Council, Ms Gibson loves her community and wants to develop the region to be sustainable, thriving and self-reliant. Growing up in Hopevale, Ms Gibson is heavily involved in community engagement and will be shadowing the British Consul General to further learn key development plans and techniques to bring back to her region.
Keara White
25 years old
A strong advocate for young Indigenous people, Ms White works with Australian Training Works Group and helps provide a range of work and study options through varying employment contracts such as apprenticeships and traineeships. She is passionate to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people gain employment and is an inspiring leader in her community.
Jessica McKechnie Hart
29 years old
Ms Hart has set up the Yuwaal Thiithaarr Warra Aboriginal Corporation out of necessity due to the mining proposal within her traditional land of Hopevale. She started it to build representation and managed to get a seat on the table of the negotiation committee for the mining proposal. Passionate about Native Title and protecting her land, Ms Hart is fighting for her community and the greater environment.
Lydia Sigai
26 years old
Interested in childcare, Cape York’s Ms Sigai is a kids assistant and educator with Rio Tinto and has been recognised for her work through a trainee of the year award. In her role, Ms Sigai makes an effort to introduce and share her culture to the kids through songs, paintings, singing, art and play. Ms Sigai is passionate about sharing her Indigenous background with others.
Wudarabin Snider
17 years old
Awarded the Young Citizen of the Year by Cook Shire Council, Ms Snider’s awards don’t stop there with wins for her music, paintings and Indigenous dancing. She is a successful artist and has been recognised for both her art and dance. The young Cooktown local is an emerging influential in her community.
More Coverage
Originally published as 30 Cape York and Torres influentials under 30
Fire services called to beaches house fire overnight
Firefighters were called to a suburban house blaze late last night in the Cairns northern beaches.
Cairns health professionals unhappy with fluoride survey
Health professionals from Cairns are collectively calling for greater community consultation on water fluoridisation, stating council surveying of 6 per cent of residents “doesn’t cut it.”