Goomblar Wylo is an extraordinary Australian Aboriginal man who comes from the Birri-Gubba and Wakka Wakka tribes of South East Queensland. He was born on the Aboriginal settlement Cherbourg that is north of Kingaroy in Queensland. Cherbourg saw Aboriginal people from over 100 tribes placed together by the Australian Government in a single settlement. This policy created many problems but it did lead to different Aboriginal groups swapping ideas, dances and culture. The Aboriginal children of Cherbourg enjoyed cultural richness and varied Dreamtime stories.
Goomblar is one of the most internationally travelled indigenous artists today. His humanitarian outlook has seen him work with homeless children and inmates in the toughest gaols. He has worked in the NSW Corrective Services as a Drug & Alcohol Counsellor attending Parklea, Long Bay, Goulburn & Lithgow Gaols. It was in Parklea gaol that he started the first dance troupe to tour other prisons for Naidoc Week. This was a first in Australian prisons.
Goomblar was taken away from his parents at the age of 4 years and separated from his 10 brothers and sisters. He is still trying to find some of them and sadly a number have have died before any reunion was possible. In the early 2000’s he settled in the NSW Blue Mountains and became an icon in that area. When not touring or in scheduled shows he could often be seen at the Echo Point lookout at Katoomba performing to the delight of the tourists. He managed to master quite a few languages and regularly conversed with international travellers in their own tongue.
The lure of his own Country eventually drew him back to Hervey Bay in South East Queensland in 2013 where he has been working as a Police Aboriginal Liaison Officer. Now he is back on the stage again performing to the delight of audiences!
Goomblar has long provided invaluable social and community support services and is always happy to share his talents and assist Aboriginal groups and performers to develop their skills.
- 2013-2020 Working as Queensland Police Aboriginal Liaison Officer at Hervey Bay.
- 2009-2013 Goomblar’s Dreaming daily performances in Blue Mountains as well as schools, corporate events and cruise liners.
- 2010 Guest performer at Macquarie Bank’s international anniversary celebrations in Seoul, Korea.
- 1997-2009 Descendance/Ngaru in (Sydney/Australia): completing Corporate work, International Conventions, Schools, Community Work, Radio Work, Festivals, Jails, Cruise Liners, Workshops, Galleries, Theatre, Museums, Expos, TV, Political Events, Recordings, Humanitarian projects for UNESCO and assignments for The Australian Government.
- 2007 Tour of Dubai to launch Arab Emirates airline Etihad.
- 2007 Three Week theatre tour of Hawaiian Islands with Austrade.
- 2006 Discovery TV Documentary Atlas Australia (Oct), released in 170 countries narrated by Russell Crowe.
- 2006 Tour of Hong Kong for Discovery Asia to promote Atlas Australia.
- 2006 Tours Canada as didgeridoo player with pop icon Xavier Rudd.
- 2005 The Artkenciel Festival in the Reunion Islands, Eastern Coast of Africa with Xavier Rudd, and Descendance.
- 2005 Tours Hungary with Descendance, performing in the major summer festivals over one month, including Europe’s biggest festival Sziget, and performances in Vienna, the tour included many major TV appearances.
- 2005 Performs at Munich Olympic Stadium, Midsummer Nights Dream festival with legendary German conductor, Eberhard Schoener and orchestra to a staggering audience of 87,000.
- 2005 Austrade event in Russia, completed over 20 major events including opening the great Moscow Circus, performing at the Bolshoi Theatre.
- 2005 Thuringowa Festival North Queensland, with Descendance
- 2005 New Zealand tour with Descendance, sponsored by Air New Zealand, Descendance performed at The Oz Talk conference, and performed for the traditional land owners of Auckland, the Ngati Whatua Ki Orakei tribe.
- 2005 Descendance in Hawaii, the Honolulu Festival, TV, and Radio.
- 2005 A film script about his life is written by Australian writer Mark Fitzpatrick, the script is still circulating Hollywood producers.
- 2005 With Descendance at the Dome Olympic Park, 30 piece dance ensemble performs at the biggest corporate event ever held in Sydney for Amway China, nine shows.
- 2004 Seoul Korea the International Drum Festival (Oct)
- 2004 Tours France with his one man shows, at some of the countries leading festivals.
- 2003 Descendance at Disneyworld Florida: Goomblar performed three times a day for one month at The Epcot Centre, and helped take away the title for best show for Descendance.
- 2003 Descendance tours Hungary: performed at 35 major festivals, and made 15 TV appearances.
- 2000 Goomblar tours Japan with his one man show.
- 2001 Tours Lithuania with his one man show.
- 2000 Goomblar Wylo is the face of the Olympic Games in Sydney for its coverage in Germany and other parts of Europe during the 2000 Sydney games. He was also booked out solidly for the entire three weeks of cultural activities.
- 1999 Goomblar tours Poland as the first Aboriginal artist to ever tour the country.
- 1999-2001 Artist in residence at The NSW Art Gallery performing daily one man shows.