Meet our team

President

Clacy is a proud Australian South Sea Islander. His father’s family were ‘blackbirded’ from Malaita, Gela and Buka and his mother’s family from Malekula, Banks and Malaita. He was a paramedic for over 20 years and held the rank of Officer in Charge, Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) Mackay station.

Clacy was awarded the Queensland Ambulance Service Distinguished Service Medal and retired from the QAS in 2012. He has a Diploma of Business (Management) and an Associate Diploma of Applied Science (Ambulance). He is currently the executive officer for a health charity based in Brisbane.

He has been actively involved in the Australian South Islander community for most of his adult life and been part of Australian South Islander organisations in Mackay and now on the Sunshine Coast. He has a keen interest in his Malaitan heritage, having learnt about his kustom and culture from his father and uncles. He first visited Malaita in 1978, when his family returned to the Solomons at the invitation of his late Uncle, Noel Fatnowna and family. Since than he has made numerous trips to connect with his family and to reclaim his culture. He is married to Sara, and they have four children. He enjoys playing guitar and piano and along with his family provides music for their church..

Treasurer

Uncle Dennis Bobongie is an Aboriginal and South Sea Islander. He is of the Olkolo & Kukumini peoples from far Nth Qld on the Palmer River, Cape York Peninsula; and the Rakwane tribe, Sango, Malaita, in the Solomon Is, and the Woilep tribe,Tongoa Isand with the Kanamaga language of Vanuatu where the name Bobongie is found today. His Culture is very valuable and extremly important to him.

He has an Arts Degree as well as a Postgrad Diploma in Education from the University of Queensland. Uncle Dennis has been involved in Education and Social Welfare Community work for over 50 years both here in Queensland and interstate.

Secretary

Aunty Joanne Warkill is of Aboriginal (Yidinji) nation tribe Gimuy Walubara and Australian South Sea Islander blackbirded descent of Pentecost Island Vanuatu and Malaita Island Solomon Islands!

Aunty Joanne’s mother is first generation and her dad is second generation from the islands.

Throughout her life she has always been brought up to strongly identify as a proud Australian South Sea Islander and was not until later on in life that she found out her Dads Grandmother and Great-grandmother were beautiful Aboriginal ladies.

Aunty Joanne is married to a blackbirded Ambrym descendant man Kerry Warkill and they have four beautiful daughters and two son in-laws, and two grandsons!

Aunty Joanne currently sits on the Executive Committees of Rock Covenant Love Ministries Inc and Bridging Health Inc, is a life member of the Rockhampton All Blacks Sports Club Inc and also an active fundraising member for the Australian South Sea Islander United Council Independant Rockhampton and District Inc .

Aunty Joanne is employed by Indigenous Workstars to assist mob with employment and training needs and a current member of the 2022 NAIDOC Committee.

Management Committee representative

Management Committee representative

Management Committee representative

Management Committee representative