Our Federation
Papua New Guinea citizens living in Queensland are spread out throughout the State and now number several thousand who have joined with people from their own communities back home forming small local community groups in Queensland. The main PNG population centers are Brisbane, Logan, Gold Coast, and Cairns with a presence in most other regions. There are also many former expatriates who grew up in PNG who have a strong affinity with their former homeland and many more who spent the best years of their working lives in the country who have fond memories of their time there.
Our History
Papua New Guinea Federation Queensland Inc. was incorporated on 13 February 2013 as an umbrella association to bring the Papua New Guinea Community together under a National Identity and to take responsibility for major Events such as Annual Papua New Guinea Independence Day celebrations in September each year and other fundraising activities held throughout the year.
Logo Background Information
From 2008, PNG Students, PNG interest groups throughout the community had been meeting at the PNG Consulate Office during Mr Paul Nerau’s term as PNG Consul General for Queensland and Northern Territory. The various groups came together to organise events. The underlying motivation for this groups coming together was Mr Paul Nerau who had given the community his office to have meetings and raise funds towards a PNG Cultural Centre that would have a conference centre and outdoor space to host the annual Independence day celebrations. The facility was also going to have a museum to transfer all cultural artifices currently held at the QLD State Museum/GOMA to be permanently displayed at this museum within the PNG Cultural Centre.
In 2012 Mr Paul Nerau who was finishing off his term as PNG Consulate General (he was there from 2002-2012) and challenged the community to set up a community organization. It was called the PNG Federation QLD Inc after fair trade Queensland rejected other names that had “PNG QLD Community Group” or other variations of this name. This was because there used to be another group that died/went dormant.
Wangian Manihia who was then the PNG Student Leader at that time was elected as the PNG Federation QLD Inc Treasurer in 2013 and was asked to look at logo designs. He came up with an earlier version of the current logo that had a fiery meteorite with the PNGFQI initials in it heading for a black shade outline of the State of Queensland in the background. Around it, we’re the words of the name of the Group “Papua New Guinea Federation Queensland Incorporated”. This design was brought to the 2nd Meeting in 2013 and the attendees asked to also add the term “United As One” at the bottom. So in summary, a Meteorite with Fire and the words PNGFQI symbolising individuals with fire in their hearts for their county PNG coming to Queensland and Uniting as One to form the Papua New Guinea Federation Queensland Incorporated. The logo was accepted at the 3rd meeting and used on our letterheads, social media and other merchandise to represent the group.