It's better known for its akubras than its ball gowns, but in this outback Queensland town locals are donning glitter and frocks for a night to celebrate their LGBTQIA+ community and raise awareness of domestic violence.
In a tiny outback town, locals have brushed off the red dust in favour of glitter for their first-ever Mardi Gras ball. The small town of Cunnamulla, with a population of just over 1,000 people, is a long way from Queensland's capital, and its dazzling nightlife and gay bars.
Nearly 800 kilometres west of Brisbane, Cunnamulla sits squarely in the federal electorate of Maranoa, where 56.1 per cent voted "no" in the 2017 same-sex marriage plebiscite. But, as elaborate dresses are chosen, and long eyelashes, delicate nails and makeup applied, Cunnamulla says it's time to celebrate and embrace the LGBTQIA+ community of outback Queensland.For 36-year-old Phillip Mckellar, a local gay Aboriginal man from the Budjiti people in Cunnamulla, the outback has come a long way since he came out at 17. "Growing up here was a bit difficult in coming out that I was gay, but today it's a different lifestyle," Mr Mckellar said. Mr Mckellar experienced name-calling, hatred, and extreme fear that coming out would isolate him from his family, friends, and his close-knit community.He said he knew all along who he was but questioned whether other people would accept him living in a small outback community like Cunnamulla. "I still cry about it today as I didn't think the acceptance would happen as it did," Mr Mckellar said. "My mum was a big support, and as soon as I came out, my family and friends were accepting … it plays such a big part of my life."He was excited to see an event celebrating queer communities held in outback Queensland, something he could never have imagined as a child.Dallas Webster knows what it is like to grow up gay in a regional community. The Dunghutti man joined the community with his alter ego, Nova Gina, as the main act for the Mardi Gras ball."It was obvious to a lot of people, and [I was] not realising myself; I was quite camp as a young boy," he said.The internal pressure of coming to terms with his sexuality lead to a breakdown in his early 20s. It was those experiences that motivated him to come to Cunnamulla, with the hope that sharing his story would help others growing up regionally. "I don't want other kids having to go through that, and thinking they're some kind of freak," Mr Webster said.After a few years living in Sydney, Mr Webster returned to his home town of Kempsey and performed as a drag queen for a community event at the local RSL."And nine years later, I'm still at it."His alter ego and stage persona, Nova Gina, was born, and has gone on to be a leading Indigenous drag personality in Australia."She can be a bit sassy, not too quick, cheeky but not rude.Cunnamulla local Anna Murphy, an Indigenous worker with Lifeline Darling Downs, is one of the key organisers of Cunnamulla's first Mardi Gras ball. Beyond acceptance of queer relationships in outback Queensland, the ball had an important message of bringing awareness to domestic violence in same-sex relationships, which Ms Murphy said was largely under-reported.
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