Bama Creative Collective- Our Story
Bama Creative Collective is born from over 20 years of walking across many worlds- media, Aboriginal community-controlled organisations, government, not-for-profits, advocacy, storytelling, and community engagement.
For much of my career, I have helped bring other people’s visions, strategies, stories, and projects to life. Through that work, I’ve carried my culture, my lived experience, and my creativity into every space I’ve entered. Now, it’s time to bring my own vision to life- from a place of self-determination, truth, and purpose.
“Bama” reflects who I am- a Rainforest Aboriginal woman from North Queensland, grounded in culture, community, and strong identity. My work is shaped by the cultural knowledge, lived experiences, and connections I’ve built throughout my life, walking alongside different mob, communities, and sectors across the country.
“Creative” speaks to the way I move through the world. Creativity is not just art- it is storytelling, problem-solving, relationship-building, vision, and truth-telling. It is the thread that connects everything I do.
And “Collective” reflects that this work has never only been about me. It’s about collaboration, community, and creating alongside others- whether that’s mob, partners, organisations, artists, advocates, or storytellers.
Our logo embodies every part of Bama Creative Collective- 'Buruburu', (Syzygium Tierneyanum, Bamaga satin ash watergum tree) is my traditional name in Yidiny language (Tableland Yidiny dialect). When Buruburu comes into flower, this is a signal to build up stone fish yards. A communicating tree with healing properties.
Bama Creative Collective is the coming together of all the paths I’ve walked so far, a place where culture, creativity, lived experience, and community connection meet. It is both a professional offering and a personal commitment: to create meaningful work, share cultural knowledge in respectful ways, hold space for truth-telling and conversation, and build projects that create impact for community and future generations.
Thanks for walking with me,
Carly Wallace, Founder and CEO of Bama Creative Collective
About the Founder and CEO, Carly Wallace
'Buruburu Dulguburra Yidinji Bama'.
Carly Wallace is a proud Dulguburra Yidinji bama from the Atherton Tablelands in Far North Queensland, based in Magandjin (Brisbane), and the Founder and CEO of Bama Creative Collective.
Carly's professional and cultural leadership sits at the intersection of First Nations self-determination and storytelling, disability justice, and human rights. She brings over two decades of experience across media and communications, First Nations engagement, youth work and disability advocacy.
Her expertise blends storytelling, strategy and community organising to create platforms where voices that are often excluded are centered and heard. Her work challenges traditional consultation models by embedding accessibility, cultural safety, and co-design as non-negotiables.
Carly and Bama Creative Collective is deeply committed to amplifying the voices Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities and using the power of story, culture and community to influence systems, organisations and build more just inclusive places and spaces for all.