Exclusive: Goori Camp Embassy vows to keep Sacred Fire burning after police removal

Joseph Guenzler
Joseph Guenzler Updated June 4, 2026 - 8.30am (AWST), first published June 1, 2026 at 4.00pm (AWST)

The Goori Camp Embassy has vowed to continue its resistance at Barrambin / Victoria Park in Magandjin after police moved supporters from the Sacred Fire site about 1am on Monday.

The camp, established by father and son Uncle Derek Oram Sandy and Derek "DJ" Oram Sandy Jr, has maintained the Sacred Fire since 5 April in opposition to the proposed Brisbane 2032 Olympic stadium development.

A proud Yagara, Yugumbeh, Gangalu and Waanyi man, DJ, told National Indigenous Times police arrived with a large presence and ordered people to leave the ceremonial space.

"About 100 police at quarter past one in the morning come through," he told National Indigenous Times.

"Surrounding us, five motorbikes, eight cop cars, 100 cops."

DJ said officers moved toward the front of the embassy while lights were shone on the group.

"They jumped on the speaker... saying, 'You have to leave, you're trespassing'," he said.

"When we tried to ask him about the Human Rights Act and the Sacred Fire and how long it's been burning for, he ordered the police to remove us and forcefully remove us from our cultural ceremonial space."

He said about 80 people at the site had been taking part in cultural practice.

"They all had ochre on them, crushed up from local story place here in Barrambin," DJ said.

"They were part of the cultural practice that we were doing there."

The group had moved to a new location after the original camp was removed on Friday, when several people were taken into custody.

He said his father was doing well, but bail conditions had stopped some embassy members from returning to the site for a month.

"Dad's doing good," he said.

"So him and two others, they were arrested after that incident."

Derek "DJ" Sandy. (Image: Joseph Guenzler)

The Sacred Fire has now been burning for more than 70 days, with embassy members describing it as living evidence of culture and ceremony on Country.

DJ said the fire remained central to the embassy's cultural and legal position.

"The fire is important because as a living heritage, evidence of culture, it's a living evidence," he said.

"When you're in ceremony and practice, you don't have a time frame when ceremony stops.

"For as long as that fire is going, we're in ceremony."

The protest comes as Section 10 applications under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 remain before Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt.

The Queensland Human Rights Commission has also urged authorities to consider the rights of all people at Victoria Park, noting the Human Rights Act 2019 protects the distinct cultural rights of First Nations peoples.

The Commission said large projects would normally be subject to consultation and review under Queensland cultural heritage laws, but Olympic legislation passed last year created an alternative process and removed some pathways for challenge.

The Queensland Government said GIICA took possession of Victoria Park on Monday to begin initial works for Brisbane Stadium and the revitalisation of surrounding parkland.

The latest location of the Goori Camp Embassy, located just outside of the fenced-off site. (Image: Joseph Guenzler)

The government said about two thirds of Victoria Park would remain designated green and public space once works were complete.

Premier David Crisafulli said the start of early works was a major milestone.

"It's game on - we have a plan to deliver for the 2032 Games and beyond, and today, we get cracking on delivering it," he said.

Deputy premier Jarrod Bleijie said the project would deliver sport and event facilities alongside open green space.

"While parts of the park now need to be closed, we've ensured sections can stay open while work is underway to transform the surrounding parkland into a vibrant, green and connected precinct," he said.

GIICA chairman, Stephen Conry, said Queenslanders could be confident the authority would care for the park during construction.

However DJ said embassy members would continue to stand against the project and push for the protection of Barrambin.

He noted the dispute had become a painful reminder of earlier removals of Aboriginal people from the area.

"For our mob it's like it's on repeat in a way," he said.

"But we hope that the outcome is a bit different, a bit more positive."

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National Indigenous Times

Disclaimer: This function is AI-generated and therefore may mispronounce.