The First Sunrise is the first Mbabaram creation story to be published and uses the connection between traditional knowledge and science to impart facts and lessons for children.

Mbabaram creation stories are stories of the beginning of lands, skies and waterways environments. The stories hold lessons of culture and ways of working within the tribe. This first story recounts the important task given to Kangaroo and Emu to make the first boomerang and cause the creation of day and night and the directions.

It was told to Vanessa by her father, Colin Alec Stevens (Alick Chalk) who lived traditionally in the Aboriginal Camps of Irvinebank, Bakerville and Watsonville in North Queensland, from 1901 to 1916. His learnings, including the stories, remain important to Mbabaram culture, language and identity. These stories have been passed down to Vanessa to share with others.

The first in a new Magabala series: First Peoples • First Sciences. It includes fun science (with cute line illustrations) for young children such as how to use the sun to find your way always know where you are, and how to judge the time of day by the directions.

• Pages: 32

• ISBN: 9781922777553

• Format: Hardback

• Released: 2025

  • Teaching notes available here.