Community
28 November, 2023
Deadly women making waves
A FAR North Queensland program focusing on female Indigenous leadership is proving extremely successful, with a Kirriri (Hammond Island) woman establishing a successful small business in the Torres Strait.
Kirriri resident Georgina Dorante is one of the first success stories from the Deadly Women program, establishing a popular food van called Kirr-Rock Munchies, catering to locals and visitors right after the program’s culmination.
The Deadly Women program, run by Cairns-based not-for-profit Reef and Rainforest Research Centre (RRRC) and INLOC, delivers a ten-day leadership training program resulting in a Certificate I in Workplace Skills and Certificate I in Tourism (Australian Indigenous Culture).
The program was recognised in the state budget 2023-24 and has now gained support from the Investing in Queensland Women initiative through $15,000 funding.
Ms Dorante said the two-week program was life-changing.
“I recommend this program to any other deadly woman out there,” she said.
“You learn about starting your own business, managing and tourism.
“Since my husband runs a small business and I support it, with the information I gathered from the workshop, I said, ‘I’ll do something for myself now’.
“Attending the program opened my understanding of managing a small business; two weeks later, I opened Kirr-Rock Munchies.”
With very few options for food and beverage in Kirriri, Ms Dorante’s food service has been highly-successful with the community.
“My food cart offers coffee, pastries, snacks and healthy foods, and it’s located on the Esplanade; on Hammond, there’s only one mini-mart available, so it’s been very popular with the youths,” she said.
“I open on the weekends, and the community fully supports it, especially our youth; I have a passion for counselling, and with my cart I can engage with the youth; they come and share what they feel, and I support and encourage them.
“It’s a place to hang out and enjoy good food.”
The Deadly Women program is now open for applications, and the RRRC is encouraging Indigenous women to participate.
For more information and to apply for Deadly Women workshops, visit www.deadlywomen.org.au
