Many months of conversations, direct feedback from First Nations people and those with lived experience of disability has enabled FNQ Connect to proudly launch our new, fully accessible, logo and brand identity.
Inspired by the work of Cairns-born First Nations artist Bernard Lee Singleton and his work “Crossing Country”, the new logo has been developed to represent the people FNQ Connect intends to support, while illustrating the unified nature of the collective.
The inspiration behind the artwork
Bernard Lee Singleton is an established craftsman, curator and designer, who has exhibited widely, staging major events and curating numerous exhibitions.
His work is shaped in part due to his deep knowledge of culture, growing up watching his grandfather make Wagay (swords), and sitting with his mother’s people as they craft rainforest-swords, shields, boomerangs, throwing sticks, spears and baskets.
Bernard describes his work as a ‘way to acknowledge and remember the times of my great-grandmothers and great-grandfathers’.
“My designs are inspired by the laws of nature and the forms found in the creation stories around me. Using these basic forms or designs, I work to represent the bond of art and the continuation of culture.”
This is a portrait photo of the artist Bernard Lee Singleton.
First Nations artist Bernard Lee Singleton was born, lives and works on Yidinji and Yirrigandji country (Cairns).
FNQ Connect worked alongside First Nations Digital Creative Agency Saltwater People to adapt Bernard’s artwork to a logo-suitable format, while acknowledging accessibility requirements for those with lived experience of disability.
The relevance of Bernard’s artwork to the FNQ Connect initiative
Bernard’s original artwork “Crossing Country” (below) tells the story of Aboriginal trade between clans, where resources, stories and cultural knowledge flowed across Country, building strong connections and mutual respect.
In a similar way, FNQ Connect passionately believes connection and collaboration is key when it comes to building a more inclusive and accessible future for residents across FNQ.
As a Collective Impact Initiative led by the community, this is more than a vision – it is a movement towards a better future in FNQ.
This is a picture of Bernard Lee Singleton’s artwork titled “Crossing Country” working with Saltwater People Copyright 2026.
‘Crossing Country’ by Bernard Lee Singleton working with Saltwater People copyright 2026.
Continuation and connection (in our logo and through our ways of working)
The nature of a Collective Impact Initiative is one that forms a feedback loop: it’s essentially a continuous movement that builds into something greater.
The visual elements within “Crossing Country” help to embody this notion – specifically via the linking stones which carry a dual meaning. Firstly, they represent each individual within a greater collective, and secondly – that many individual elements come together as a unified whole and finally – serving as a reference to the traditional stone markers placed across the landscape which helped to guide Ancestors across Country.
When incorporated into our logo, we have allowed these stones to illustrate the interconnected nature of our ‘collective’, portraying the individuals that link together to embrace something bigger. This reflects the continuation and interconnectedness of our overall FNQ Connect initiative and the communities, organisations and people who we work alongside. While the colour palette references the vibrant hues from across North Queensland’s landscape.
Keep your eyes peeled for this logo out and about in the community as our movement continues to grow… we are here to support change for a better future across FNQ!
