Entertainment
16 May, 2026
Stories told with art for 30 years
FOR 30 years, Cairns artist Norman Miller has used art to tell stories, mentor young people and celebrate Far North Queensland culture through his Reef and Rainforest Aboriginal Art Gallery.
Known by his Aboriginal name Munganbana, meaning mountain and water, Mr Miller said the milestone reflected decades of sharing Indigenous stories through painting, workshops and community projects.
Born on the Atherton Tablelands and raised near Herberton, Mr Miller said his artistic journey began as a child drawing with charcoal on rocks around campfires.
“I used to do my little drawings and those are on a rock that we had where I lived,” he said.
“I also was doing, believe it or not, Walt Disney sketches of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.”
Mr Miller opened his first home gallery in Manoora before later moving into the Cairns CBD.
His current gallery location has operated for almost seven years after earlier sites in Abbott Street and the former Andrejic Arcade.
Over the years, he has worked extensively with schools, community groups and visiting international students, running workshops focused on storytelling, culture and creativity.
“One of the roles I like to do is mentor generations,” he said.
“I want to see an inspiring generation of creative young ones coming through.”
Mr Miller said he once gifted a large painting to former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd following Mr Rudd’s national apology and reconciliation speech in 2008.
The gallery owner said art had the power to connect people and build confidence across all cultures and age groups.
“Art is therapy,” he said. “It’s amazing when you combine the art and the music, too. It’s a good balance.”
He is also the author of the award-winning book ‘Reef and Rainforest: An Aboriginal Voice Through Art and Story’, which won an international award in 2017 and shares stories inspired by the rainforest and reef cultures of Far North Queensland.
As part of the 30-year celebrations, Mr Miller is preparing a colourful float for Cairns Festival celebrations in August and is inviting the community to get involved.
“If any in the community would love to support me, and I think, celebrate with me of the 30 years, look, I’m making it open for you to get in contact with me,” he said.
The Reef and Rainforest Aboriginal Art Gallery continues to host exhibitions and workshops, with Mr Miller hoping to inspire the next generation of Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists in Cairns.
For more information about workshops, exhibitions or the 30-year celebrations, contact Munganbana (Norman Miller) at Reef and Rainforest Aboriginal Art Gallery, Shop 7, 34 Lake Street, Cairns, on 0407 128 199.
