Apunipima emerged from a historic land and health summit held near Injinoo in 1994, and was established as the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) for Cape York shortly after. Over the last 30 years, Apunipima has grown from a small advocacy body to a large community-controlled organisation, providing primary health care and wellbeing services to the people of Cape York.
Our Timeline
1994
Pre-Pajinka
In 1994, there was consensus among Aboriginal
communities, senior Cape York
health officials, the federal
government and regional
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander organisations that the
existing health system was not
working to improve the health of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples on Cape York
and that a new approach was
needed. Funding was provided by
Queensland Health and Cape York
Land Council for a meeting to
take place to establish a new
Aboriginal Health Organisation
in Cape York.
1994
Pajinka
On 15th September 1994, a meeting was held with representatives from all Cape York communities at the Pajinka Lodge at Injinoo near the tip of Cape York. This took place over four days resulting in the establishment of Apunipima Cape York Health Council with a Chairperson, Chief Executive Officer and a Board of Directors made up of a man and a woman from each of the 17 communities. The organisation’s purpose was ‘a partnership arrangement with the Peninsula Regional Health Authority of the Queensland State Government and with other relevant Commonwealth and State departments [with the aim of] strengthening and improving the existing services and making them more appropriate to Aboriginal communities.’
1995
Apunipima officially begins work as an advocacy organisation
1996
Apunipima’s begins first ever ‘partnership’ with Fred Hollows Foundation
1997
Apunipima launches program about dangers of alcohol during pregnancy
1998
Apunipima develops the Family Violence Advocacy Project
1999
Apunipima begins developing River of Life Health Strategy focused on prevention and awareness of chronic disease
2000
Apunipima Board endorses River of Life Health Strategy
River of Life
Born out of meetings with community groups in the late 90s and adopted by the board in 2000, the River of Life Health Strategy said that we need to take a holistic approach to health care and
look at the ‘upstream factors’ (the social determinants)
that affect a person’s health, such as housing, family life,
nutrition, etc. For the first time at Apunipima, the River of Life looked past short-term funded programs at long-term
preventative health care. This would signal a shift in thinking for the organisation and would later prove to be a key driver for the transition to service delivery
2001
Community governance begins with the establishment of
Health Action Teams (HATs) in each community and work begins on individual Community Health Plans
2003
Apunipima joins Queensland Aboriginal & Islander Health Council (QAIHC)
2004
All 11 Cape communities develop Local Health Plans in collaboration with the Health Action Teams. HATs change from ‘as required’ to become permanent part of Apunipima’s community governance.
2005
Cape York Regional Health Forum saw creation of the Cape York Regional Health Strategy which was supported by Queensland Health regional management and which mandated the need for reform of health in Cape York
2006
Deed of Commitment signed to transition PHC services for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people living in Cape York to Apunipima
Deed of Commitment to Transition PHC
Services to Apunipima
Over the first decade of its existence, Apunipima experienced great success as an advocacy body, however it also realised its limitations under that model. Increasingly it became evident that for Apunipima to continue progressing its agenda, it would need to move into service delivery. Using the communities’ Local Health Plans (2004) and the Cape York Regional Health Strategy (2005), the Cape York Institute Health Reform Project provided the framework for Apunipima to transition to a Community Controlled Health Service. In August 2006, a Deed of Commitment was signed to transition primary health care services for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people living in Cape York to Apunipima, setting a target for a transition to a purchaser-provider model of service delivery by January 2007, and for full community control of health services in five years by June 2011.
2007
Apunipima prepares for service delivery Cairns office relocates to 186 McCoombe St Bungalow with 21 staff
2008
Apunipima begins to deliver maternal and child health services
2009
Apunipima employs doctors in Mossman Gorge and Hope Vale
2008-2010
Service Delivery
From 2008 to 2010 is a period of immense growth for Apunipima. The shift from advocacy into service delivery sees staff numbers go from 30 employees in 2008 to 85 by 2010. Apunipima begins to deliver a range of services like maternal and child health. The organisation also employs doctors for the first time in Mossman Gorge and Hope Vale. A Health Summit in Palm Cove in 2010 results in a clear plan for Apunipima to progress health reforms through community control.
2010
Apunipima hosts Health Summit in Palm Cove with mandate to progress health reforms through community control
2011
Apunipima begins delivering chronic disease services across Cape York
First-ever telehealth appointment
Inaugural Mini Health Summit held in Aurukun
2012
Apunipima opens first Primary Health Care Centre in Mossman Gorge
2013
Apunipima establishes a Mum’s and Bubs Centre when it moves into the Atharpuch Health Centre in Kowanyama
2014
Apunipima teams up with Deadly Choices for the first time to offer the Cape’s only speech pathology program
2014 Apunipima commences award winning Baby One Program
2015
Apunipima celebrates 21st birthday and marks coming-of-age milestone with rapid growth in service capacity including a large base of community-based and FIFO support staff
2016
Apunipima opens two new Primary Health Care Centres, Charkil Om in Napranum and Aurukun Health Care Centre
2016
Tackling Indigenous Smoking (TIS) launches in December
2017
Coen Primary Health Care Centre opens in March
2017
Apunipima hits 250 staff
2018
Apunipima’s Learning and Development team is established to support rapidly growing workforce
2020
Covid-19 severely impacts the organisation’s ability to deliver services which leads to innovations in service delivery
2021
Apunipima opens a brand new PHC Centre in Kowanyama – the Atharpuch Family Health Centre
2022
Hope Vale hosts Men’s Health Summit 2022
2022
Thimithi-Nhii PHC Centre opens in Mapoon, Apunipima’s 6th standalone PHC Centre. Health Action Team Forum in Cairns results in reinvigoration of Community Health Plans and solidifies HATs increasing role in Apunipima’s community governance
2023
Aurukun hosts the first of Apunipima’s Health Expo with all service providers and stakeholders in community taking part in the event. Health Expos are held in all communities over the next 12 months.
2023
Coordinated Case Care Trial
In November 2023, Apunipima began a trial in Napranum which aims to develop a health and wellbeing plan for individuals and families. The plan includes an assessment of the social factors impacting on the health and wellbeing of individuals and families. The trial is supported by all local service providers working together to ensure that there are no gaps in the individual’s or family’s care. The model is health worker led and supports the coordination of holistic care to Apunipima clients.
2024
Apunipima celebrates its 30 year anniversary with a 2 day Health Summit and Gala Dinner in Cairns
