The Hall
Coomaditchie Hall
Known affectionately as Coomie Hall, the Kemblawarra Community Hall has been the home of Coomaditchie United Aboriginal Corporation since 1992. It is one of the most significant Aboriginal cultural spaces in the Illawarra, and it is open to you.
Come In and Experience Culture
When you walk through the doors of Coomie Hall, you step into a living, working creative space. The walls are filled with original artworks by Coomaditchie artists, works that reflect the stories, colours, and spirit of the East Coast Saltwater People and their connection to Country.
The hall is open to the public as both an exhibition and retail space. You are welcome to browse, learn, and take a piece of that culture home with you. Original paintings, prints, textiles, and homewares are available for purchase, with all proceeds reinvested directly into employment, training, and cultural programs.
A Space Where Culture Lives
Beyond the gallery and shop, Coomie Hall is a place of activity and purpose. On any given day you might find artists working on major public commissions, students participating in the Ngaramura Project, school groups taking part in cultural workshops, or community members gathering for programs and events.
The hall sits alongside Coomaditchie Lagoon, one of the last perched freshwater lagoons on the east coast of Australia. Visitors are welcome to walk the grounds and take in the lagoon and surrounding environment at their own pace.
It is a space that belongs to community and welcomes everyone who wants to be part of it.
A Place of Significance
This hall has been a gathering place for generations. In 1961, it was where the South Coast Aboriginal Advancement League was founded, with founding members including Uncle Fred Moore, Aunty Olga Booth, Aunty Linda Cruise, Aunty Gladys Douglas, Aunty Elizabeth 'Dolly' Henry, Aunty Mary Davis, Uncle Bobby Davis, Uncle Teddy Davis, unionist Joe Howe, and the South Coast Labour Council. Their work helped advance Aboriginal rights and wellbeing across the region.
Adjacent to the hall, at the mission, a small tent was set up in 1983 and the Illawarra Aboriginal Medical Service began operating as a branch of the Far South Coast Aboriginal Service in Nowra. The service initially provided the local community with a doctor one day a week, through an arrangement with Redfern Aboriginal Medical Service.
Beyond its political and health roles, the hall has hosted meetings, dances, Christmas parties, and wakes across many generations. Today, that same spirit of strength and creativity lives on in everything that happens within these walls.
Plan Your Visit
Coomie Hall is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm.
No booking is required to visit the gallery, browse the retail space, or walk the grounds. The space is fully accessible.
If you are interested in a school workshop or structured cultural program, we ask that you please book in advance. Our artists and Elders are working people with full programs and commitments, and pre-arranged visits ensure we can give your group the time and experience they deserve.
To enquire about bookings for school groups or cultural programs, please contact us at admin@coomaditchie.org.au
Find Us
Coomaditchie - Kemblawarra Community Hall, Corner of Shellharbour Rd and Parkes St, Port Kembla, NSW