Growing up in Yarrabah, Makaela Maloney-Connolly always understood the power of connection – to family, to country, and to culture. Today, as the newest caseworker in Link-Up (Qld)’s Cairns office, that understanding continues to guide her work supporting Stolen Generations survivors and their families.
Before joining Link-Up (Qld), Makaela worked as a mentor with the Parent Pathways program, helping parents in her community explore study options and employment pathways. It was work that required compassion, trust, and patience – qualities she now brings to her casework role.
Above: Makaela Maloney-Connolly, Caseworker at Link-Up (Qld).
“I have a personal connection to the Stolen Generations, and I understand how rewarding and life-changing it can be to help clients find their connections to country and families.”
– Makaela Maloney-Connolly
As a caseworker, Makaela is the client’s primary point of contact, guiding them through every stage of the process with cultural care, consistency, and respect. Although her work is supported by a team of researchers and social and emotional wellbeing counsellors, it is Makaela who builds and maintains the direct relationship with each client. She keeps in regular contact from intake to reunion and beyond, working hard to ensure a positive, culturally safe, and empowering experience for everyone she supports. Whether organising travel, gathering records, or simply checking in, Makaela is a constant presence on what can be a complex and emotional journey.
Makaela’s work also involves supporting applicants of the Territories Stolen Generations Redress Scheme, which provides financial and wellbeing payments to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were removed from their families as children in the Northern Territory, ACT, or Jervis Bay Territory.
Above: Link-Up (Qld)’s Cairns Team: Joshua Thompson, Makaela Maloney-Connolly and Jack Webster..
For Makaela, the most meaningful part of her work is the opportunity to walk alongside clients as they uncover their past and reclaim their sense of belonging.
“I’m most looking forward to helping families reunite and find their connections to country. I love that this role gives survivors and their families a chance to finally have answers to those questions that have been with them for so long.”
In the Cairns office, where many clients are from remote and regional communities, Makaela’s presence brings both lived insight and fresh energy to the team. Her journey is only just beginning, but her commitment to supporting others on theirs is already leaving a quiet and powerful impact.
Published April 2025.
