Roads, rates and rubbish are the cornerstones of local governments across Australia, but in Cherbourg in southern Queensland the Indigenous council has added ham deliveries to bring some festive cheer.
Key points:
- The Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council has gifted every household in the town a leg of ham for Christmas
- The council says its used left over community funds, as well as donations, to buy the hams
- The hams were dropped off to homes by garbage truck drivers, who used a ute — not their trucks — to deliver the goods
The Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council this week delivered a leg of ham to every household in the town as a Christmas present.
For local elder Leila Davison, the fresh delivery will help fill all the mouths she has to feed this Christmas.
"I've got family coming from the Sunshine Coast, even my daughter from Lismore," she said.
"It will be a special Christmas this year.
"I really appreciate what [the council has] done and how they're looking after everybody."
Mayor Elvie Sandow said it had been a tough year for the small community of 1,194 people, with several prominent deaths and the Voice to Parliament referendum.
"The cost of living has had a big impact [on Cherbourg], our families are struggling," Cr Sandow said.
"We've had a lot of sorry business in the last few weeks, so that takes a toll on our families.
"When someone passes away in our community it affects everybody, because we're a close-knit community."
In recent weeks, the town has laid to rest to a popular local community radio host and two young boys who died in a car in Woorabinda in November.
Bringing some joy
Cherbourg is about three hours' north-west of Brisbane on the traditional lands of the Wakka Wakka people.
Thousands of Indigenous people were forcibly moved to the site, then known as Barambah, in the early to mid-1900s by successive governments.
According to the Bureau of Statistics, it is Queensland's second-most disadvantaged local government area.
Given its status as an Aboriginal shire, the council is also responsible for managing housing and other programs in the town.
Cr Sandow said she hoped the hams would put a smile on people's faces and bring them some joy.
"It's one less thing families have to worry about buying," she said.
"We try to help our families any way we can, especially around Christmas, because it's the hardest time for families."
The council sourced 350 hams from the Swickers abattoir in nearby Kingaroy.
It used leftover community engagement funds, as well as some donations, to fund the bulk ham order.
Helping with the cost of living
Resident Lillian Arnold said the gift was "deadly".
"It's a big help especially with meat and food [prices] going up," she said.
Deputy Mayor Tom Langton said while this was the first time the council had given out hams, it was not the first time it had given residents a Christmas gift.
"We gave out food vouchers, we've given donations to the Salvation Army, we've given out gift cards," he said.
The council's rubbish collection team delivered the produce, following its usual rubbish route.
This time, however, the workers were driving a ute, complete with tinsel and a loudspeaker blasting Christmas music, with a cold room on a trailer.
Council employee Jarrabah Davison said it meant a lot to him to take part in the ham deliveries.
"I just love to see my old people happy and the kids get happy when they see the ham," he said.
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Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council gifts households a leg of ham for Christmas - ABC News
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