WHEN the ‘magpies’ gathered under the trees in Elders Memorial Park, it was all about trying to get a local youth centre established in the heart of Goonellabah.

The ‘magpies’, are a collection of local Bundjalung Elders and jarjums (children), along with representatives from local council, social service organisations and the wider community.

Together they shared tucker and had a yarn about how to help the local Aboriginal community – and give the young people a place to gather and call their own.

Event organiser and Bundjalung man Bradley Walker called this first community meeting a ‘healing on Country’.

“There’s lot of sorry business in our community – a lot of unhealthy stuff happening,” Bradley said.

“We come from a town (Lismore)…