This notebook is falling apart and tied together with a shoelace. Written on the inside cover of this notebook is 'S. Coolwell. Days Store. Dunwich.' It contains lists of groceries and their prices and totals. There are no dates for this section of the notebook . Inserted at back of the notebook are pages with lists for charcoal orders from 1940 to 1942

This collection contains poetry, prose, speeches, and reports; correspondence; photographs, newspaper cuttings; press releases; invitations; programmes; research material; and plans.

The papers in this series relate to Kath Walker's involvement in North Stradbroke Island issues in general, and also more specifically to Moongalba on North Stradbroke Island.

Stradbroke island was a large sand island that formed in Moreton Bay, off the coast of Brisbane, Queensland, that split into two islands in the late 19th century: North Stradbroke Island and South Stradbroke Island. The Quandamooka people are the traditional custodians of North Stradbroke Island. North Stradbroke Island, also known as Straddie or Minjerribah, is where Kath Walker spent much of her life. It has been home for many years to the Noonuccal (or Nunukul), Nughi and Goenpul people. The papers relating to North Stradbroke Island reflect Kath's involvement in issues such as opposition to sand-mining on the island, and opposition to a proposed bridge connecting North Stradbroke Island with the mainland.

Moongalba was established by Kath Walker as a cultural education centre in 1971. It was visited extensively by school children, as well as teachers, students, academics, writers and others. Kath Walker was initially granted a twenty-five year lease to the land by the Redland Shire Council; this was later extended to her lifetime. However, she was never granted legal title to the land, despite the support of many influential people. In 1979 Kath Walker prepared a submission to the federal Department of Aboriginal Affairs, requesting financial assistance and support in obtaining title to the land. Her application was never answered.

The First World Festival of Black Arts was held in 1966 Dakar, Senegal. Nigeria was invited to hold the second festival in 1970. This second festival, called the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture was to be held in November/December 1975. Political problems in Nigeria caused the festival to be postponed for some years, but it was finally staged as "Festac '77" in Lagos in January, 1977.

As part of the preparations for Australia’s involvement in the festival, an Australian Coordinating Committee was formed in February 1974. In October 1974 Kath Walker was asked to become involved in this committee. Kath Walker attended the 5th meeting of the International Festival Committee held in Kaduna in November 1974. On her return flight, the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) plane she was travelling on was hijacked in Dubai and flown to Tunisia. The hijack lasted three days, and one passenger was killed. She wrote two poems during this ordeal (held in Series A Subseries 1).

During the lead up to the Festival in 1977, Kath Walker was involved in the preparations for the event and eventually attended it as an Australian delegate and senior advisor.

These folders include documents from the Department of Aboriginal Affairs; correspondence, meeting agendas, minutes and reports for the Nigerian Co-coordinating Committee of the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture; an open letter to the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies (dated 24 Jul 1975) regarding the poems, Yussef and Commonplace which she wrote when her plane was hijacked; reports from other countries; contract between Kath Walker and The Elizabethan Theatre Trust; Itineraries and quotations for proposed group travel to Nigeria with general background information about Africa from ACTU World Travel; Aboriginal Theatre Foundation - correspondence with Department of Aboriginal Affairs and interim reports regarding costings and budget for dancers, musicians and song men for trip to festival; and Tickets, invitations, brochures, programmes, report by Kath Walker about festival to the Australia Council, souvenirs, 1977.

Kath Walker conducted a study tour of the United States from September 1978 to March 1979 as a Fullbright Scholar. Her itinerary was divided into two sections: first, she was Poet-in-Residence at Bloomsbury State College from 1 October 1978; and from January 1979, sponsored by the National Endownment for the Arts, she was centred on Berkeley and other Southern campuses, Indian communities and Arts Centres. Included in these papers are: Letters of appreciation, photographs, postcards, programme for speaking engagements; her report on Fulbright Scholarship; correspondence 1978 - 1979 about the Scholarship and from North American contacts; travel documents; flyers; and newspaper cuttings.

Kath Walker was a delegate at the Fifth Conference of the Association for Commonwealth Literature and Language Studies (ACLALS) from 3-8 January 1980, at University of South Pacific, Suva, Fiji. This file includes the programmes for the official opening, bus time-table for special trips during the conference, a list of delegates, abstracts, notices, notes, articles of association, business cards, a map of University of South Pacific, and names and addresses collected by Kath Walker.

Kath Walker was the Australian delegate at the International Writers' Conference (Hari Sasra) in Malaysia, 1974. This file includes:
correspondence between Department of Foreign Affairs and Australian High Commission, Kuala Lumpur; newspaper cuttings, 'Report of the Malaysian visit' by Kath Walker (August 1974), menu, 'Welcome' booklet for the conference (with annotations), certificate (of attendance), and invitations. It also includes two exhibition catalogues (one inscribed) and a book of poems (inscribed). Some material is in Malay.

Kath Walker toured New Zealand between September 1 and October 16, 1972, under the auspices of the Citizens' Association for Racial Equality. This file consists of two folders of papers and 4 items. One folder includes: timetable for her visit, a Certificate of Appreciation from Lions Club of Dunedin South, a 1972 flyer for Kath Walker's New Zealand tour, and correspondence between Kath Walker and J C Nacola and Noel Parsloe (4 letters). The other folder has newspapers with articles covering her tour. The items are: a desk diary for 1972 with the names and addresses of people from New Zealand; and three booklets with inscriptions.

Includes titles:
Item 2 - Nema Namba - Poems by Henginike Riyong, Papua Pocket Poets, Port Moresby, 1974.
Item 3 - The Taiaha and The Testament by Leo Fowler - A Verse Play based on the life of Te Kooti Rikirangi Te Turuki.
Item 4 - Waitara, 1859-1936 Souvenir of Pomare Memorial Meeting, Manukorihi PA, Waitara, June 27th 1936.

Kath Walker travelled overseas on several occasions to attend conferences, as an official Australian delegate for committees, on speaking tours, lecturing and as a poet-in-residence. Included in this series are her files from her trips to New Zealand (1972), Malaysia (1974), Nigeria (in 1974 and 1977), North America (1978-1979) and Fiji (1980).

Kath Walker was invited to Papua New Guinea in 1973 and 1976.

In 1973 she was invited to attend the Third Nuigini Arts Festival with the Yirrkala Aboriginal dancers. She presented poetry readings and spoke about Aboriginal literature. Included is correspondence, itineraries, and programmes relating to her attendance at this Festival.

At the First Independent Papua New Guinea Writers' Conference, held between July 1 and 4, 1976 at Port Morseby, she presented a keynote address. A copy of her speech is included as well as programmes, workshop information and schedules, an invitation, an information sheet and a writers survey form (not filled in). A book which was given to her is included with this PNG material and is inscribed by the author to Kath: Liyong, Taban Lo (1976). Myth language and literature. 2. The literature of developing nations: negritude. University of Papua New Guinea