By Gemma Lloyd of Sacred Country Consulting
Gumaraa is one of the incredible stallholders you’ll be able to meet at October 31's Illawarra Indigenous Business Expo (IIBE), an event that brings together more than 60 First Nations businesses from across the region and beyond. The expo is about more than products and services, it’s about story, culture, and connection. Gumaraa embodies all three.
Founded by Richard, a proud Yuin man, and Lisa, who has a background in community work and education, Gumaraa was born from a deep passion to keep culture alive and to share it in ways that bring people together. Their work spans schools, councils, community groups, and tourists right across NSW, and whether it’s through performance, cultural camps, or hands-on learning, every experience they create is grounded in truth-telling, respect, and cultural pride.
At the expo, you’ll have the chance to meet Richard and Lisa in person, hear their story, and learn more about how Gumaraa continues to grow as a space for cultural survival, revival, and healing. Ahead of the event, I sat down with them to talk about their journey, their hopes for the future, and why the work they do is about so much more than business.
What’s the story behind your business? Where did it begin, and what brought you to this path?
Gumaraa started from a deep passion to share and keep Aboriginal culture alive in a way that brings people together, connecting them to country, culture, and community. Richard is a proud Yuin man who’s been carrying the teachings of his ancestors for as long as he can remember. Lisa comes from a background in community work and education, and she saw firsthand how powerful and healing cultural reconnection can be. Together, we created Gumaraa to offer real, meaningful experiences built on truth-telling, cultural pride, and education. What started as a few small workshops has grown into something much bigger. Now we work with schools, councils, tourists, and community groups right across NSW.
How does your culture or community show up in your business? In what you do, how you do it, or why it matters?
Culture is at the core of everything we do. Whether it’s a performance, an excursion, a piece of artwork, or a learning session, it’s all grounded in respect for Country, proper cultural protocols, and the sharing of traditional knowledge. We don’t just teach culture, we live it. From Welcome to Country and song and dance, to teaching traditional symbols and the stories behind language and land, everything we do is guided by our Elders, our connection to the Dreaming, and our responsibility to pass knowledge on the right way. Our community is a big part of that too, a lot of our team are local mob, and we always try to create space and opportunities for others to walk this cultural path with us.
What do you love most about the work you do?
There’s nothing better than seeing people light up when they connect with culture. Whether it’s an Aboriginal child painting their totem for the first time, or someone hearing the didge and really feeling it, those moments of connection and understanding are powerful. That’s what it’s all about. This work is healing, not just for others but for us too. It’s a real privilege to be trusted with sharing culture, and we’re proud to carry it with us every day in everything we do.
Can you tell us about a moment where your business made you feel proud, connected, or inspired?
There’ve been so many special moments, but one that really stays with us is a cultural camp we ran for Aboriginal youth. Over a few days, we saw these kids, many who’d never had the chance to connect with culture, start to open up. They painted their stories, learned dances, joined in yarning circles and you could just see it in their faces, that feeling of belonging. Some of them even told us it was the first time they’d ever felt proud to be Aboriginal. That’s what it’s all about. For us, this isn’t just a business, it’s about cultural survival, revival, and giving that pride back.
What are your hopes or plans for the future of your business?
We’d love to see Gumaraa grow into a national cultural experience provider but always stay true to where we started. Our goal is to create more opportunities for Aboriginal employment, run more immersive on-Country camps, and eventually build a dedicated cultural centre, a space for learning, sharing, and ceremony. In the long run, it’s about helping to grow strong, proud, and culturally connected communities, not just for today, but for the generations to come.
The Illawarra Flame is a proud supporter of the 2025 Illawarra Indigenous Business Expo, which will be held from 11am-2pm on Friday, October 31 at the Novotel Wollongong Northbeach.
