Dharriwaa Elders Group’s Galuma-li Building Destroyed in Fire
17-12-2025
Despite the best efforts of emergency crews, the community service building was unfortunately consumed by the fire and burned down, destroying vital tools, materials, and spaces for the services they provide.
Thankfully, no one was harmed by the fire that broke out in the later hours of last Tuesday night, but the loss of the community centre has stunned the Walgett community who know the time and energy that went into building the space; a center for community to be helped, connect, and share culture.
Galuma-li was a new space for DEG, having established the centre in July 2025. Since then, it has quickly become a crucial hub for Walgett’s Aboriginal community members, with a holistic model of support where each team and service works together to provide the best possible standard of support. The building served as a home for programs such as men’s and women’s groups, activities for jarjum, providing access to ancestry services, fines services, as well as their food and water services, all while being a vibrant creativity hub.
Amongst the loss, Youth Ranger program materials including boats, tools, and more were all unfortunately destroyed. Given how vital the Ranger services are to the community of Walgett, it is imperative that they are replaced.
“We are all devastated” shared the Dharriwaa Elders Group in a statement on the Galuma-li Facebook page. “[We are] working hard together with Council to find a home for Galuma-li services until we can rebuild.”
Whilst DEG start on the task to rebuild, the team are hopeful that these services will continue, thanks to ongoing support from the Walgett Shire Council and the Walgett community as a whole that has come out in support of the highly regarded Elders group.
To stay updated on the rebuild project and aware of how we the community can come together to support DEG in this time, please keep your eyes on the Galuma-li’s Facebook page.
