Elijah Douglas, from Doomadgee to Gallipoli

In his last year of high school at the Spinifex State College in Mount Isa, Queensland, Elijah Douglas of Doomadgee is living on campus and set a goal to get a good education and return to his community with a qualification to work with his people.

“School is very important. A lot of our people in communities are going through struggles. It’s important that Indigenous people get a good education so that they can be employed and help build our communities and make them stronger,” Elijah said.

Elijah is keen to do just that. As well as full time study, he is doing work experience at a local health clinic each week to gain hands on experience, which he can use back in community.

“I want to get experience working in health so that in the future I can promote health, education and employment in Aboriginal communities, not just in Doomadgee but in communities all over Australia”, Elijah said.

Spinifex State College teacher Greg Hanrahan has seen Elijah overcome the pressure of being a year 12 student and suffering homesickness to becoming a strong leader.

“It’s easy to identify the people who’ve got a spark and he’s certainly one of those. As soon as I gave him opportunities to develop programmes at the school alongside other students, he put together a cultural group. This encouraged others to tell cultural stories through dance or plays, with Elijah leading the process. He also taught students how to make didges and decorate them traditionally. He’s been a real leader by encouraging people to embrace their traditional practices,” Greg said.

Elijah has already achieved a lot. He is Indigenous school captain and an inspirational role model for other Indigenous students. He has written a fantasy book and is currently writing another book about Aboriginal history and the Dreamtime.

“Everything he’s done has been huge steps for him but he has bigger plans, and that’s not going to benefit just his community but everybody. The opportunities that have come his way have been perfectly timed to motivate him and help him to understand what the possibilities are for his future and he sees them as endless,” Greg said.

In 2013, Elijah was selected by the Premier's Anzac Award Committee as one of five Queensland students to travel to Gallipoli and the Western Front for Anzac Day ceremonies.

“We had to create a video presentation and share what we knew about the war, I was the only Indigenous student that entered and I spoke a lot about Indigenous soldiers,” Elijah said.

Elijah was keen to visit Gallipoli and the Western Front to learn more about Australia’s war history.

“I really wanted to find out about the Indigenous people that served in the war and I got to play my Didgeridoo at the Menin Gate Memorial and Anzac Cove”, Elijah said.

This year Elijah was also nominated for The Pride of Australia Young Leader Medal due to his ongoing enthusiasm, achievements and leadership qualities.