Stories from the Land
Every story is rooted in place. Explore the voices and experiences of communities across Australia — from the red centre to tropical coastlines.
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15 stories · 253 storytellers · Click a pin to explore
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Elder Allan, a member of the Palm Island Aboriginal Community, embarks on a poignant journey to Mission Beach. This journey is not just a physical one but an emotional and cultural pilgrimage to uncov...
BG Fit's weekly Tuesday gym sessions at Mount Isa PCYC have grown from 5 to 20 regular attendees, building trust through consistency....
The Palm Island Aboriginal Community recently gathered to celebrate a momentous occasion, the opening of the newly upgraded Palm Island Early Childhood Center. The day was filled with joy and pride, d...
Agnes Watton - Riding Out the Storm Alone === [00:00:00] Because like she's the only one on the island that's got an elevator. Oh, really? Yeah. Not because of her health. Yep. Condition. Um, could...
Elder Ethel Robinson shares a poignant story of her family's history, weaving together threads of resilience and survival. Her father, Tom, was a Southie Aboriginal from Halifax, while her mother was ...
Elder Frank Daniel Landers shares a poignant story of resilience and community, reflecting on his life journey from Ingham to the Palm Island Aboriginal Community. Born in the 1940s, Frank's family wa...
Elder Ethel Robinson, a distinguished member of the Palm Island community, shares a poignant narrative of resilience and cultural heritage. Her story begins with her father, Tom, a proud Southie Abori...
Patricia Doyle: Palm Is Where the Heart Is === [00:00:00] Um, my name's Ben. Hi, Patricia Francis. And your sisters? Yeah. Proper sisters. Yep. I'm gonna record, is that okay? Yeah, that's fine. So...
Roy Pryor, a proud member of the Palm Island community, has dedicated his life to enhancing the well-being of his people. Born and bred on Palm Island, Roy left for the mainland to explore various job...
Elder Frank Anderson recalls his early life on Palm Island with a mixture of nostalgia and resilience. Born into a life of transience, Frank's family moved frequently due to his father's work on vario...
From Vouchers to Independence: Changing Our Attitude as Men === [00:00:00] And that's in there for money every fortnight. We are taught as men that when you grow up, when you get old enough, when ...
In the heart of the Palm Island community, resilience and connection weave through the everyday lives of its people, as seen in the experiences shared by members of the Ferdys staff. Iris, a dedicated...
Ethel, Frank, Elsa, and other elders gathered to discuss the storm's devastating impacts: severe flooding, power outages lasting days, barge delays cutting off supplies, critical food shortages, and e...
Jema Joyce Richardson, a devoted mother and community member of Palm Island, shares her story of resilience and connection. Living near the dam, she recalls the challenges of enduring floods and storm...
Jane, Sakia, Gary, Talitha, and Alice from the playgroup describe the devastating flooding that closed their early learning services for 2-3 weeks. Water damaged electrical systems throughout the buil...
Elsa Watson, a Cultural Advisor from the Palm Island Aboriginal Community, shared her family's poignant history and her own experiences growing up on Palm Island. Her journey is one of resilience and ...
Ethel and Iris Ferdies, sisters from the Palm Island Aboriginal Community, carry the stories and struggles of their family with profound dignity. Ethel, reflecting on her roots, introduces herself as ...
Clay Alfred - Staying Prepared, Staying Sober === [00:00:00] Oh yeah. What, what, um, what was it like for yourself? The storm? It was all right. Um, it was alright. And what was what, how do you s...
Elder Ethel Taylor Robinson, a revered member of the Palm Island community, shares a poignant narrative that weaves her family's history with the broader story of displacement and resilience. At 78, E...
Thomas - We Didn’t Need Anything === [00:00:00] Your house didn't leak or nothing? No, not, yeah. Good. What was your name? Sorry, brother Thomas. Thomas. Thomas The Tank. Ah, I'm Ben. And you are ...
The Palm Island Digital Service Centre opened in 2023, marking a significant milestone for our community. This centre provides sales and customer service for Telstra products to Aboriginal and Torres ...
58 Years on Palm: ‘I’ve Never Seen Rain Like This === [00:00:00] Oh, easy. Yeah. I'm grabby from kid. I'm 58 this year. Yeah. I never seen this ever. Really? Can you watch that? Never, ever. Hectic...
Keeping the Stories Alive: A Yarn at the Knowledge Centre === [00:00:00] I didn't need to go anywhere, so it really didn't matter to me. Yeah. And that, but yeah. Yeah. That's all I think I can rem...
In early 2024, PICC officially changed the name of the Primary Health Centre to the Bwgcolman Healing Service, with new signage installed. This name change occurred after extensive consultation with t...
The Kula Project in Rwanda — $25,000 for coffee farmer fellowships and savings circles. Odette increased her coffee yields; a family achieved school for all children through a micro-business loan....
Winnie Oba, a cultural advisor from the Palm Island Aboriginal Community, shares a heartfelt narrative of her familial roots and the resilience embedded in her heritage. Her story begins with her moth...
Uncle Allan Welcome stands as a storyteller and custodian of Great Palm Island, weaving together the past and present of a land rich with culture and history. As he speaks, he paints a vivid picture o...
From Exemption Cards to Cyclones: Remembering, Surviving and Rebuilding on Palm === [00:00:00] Fires because it took bad or foot, whatever. Yeah. I didn't get affected by any of that. Yeah. But peo...
Ruby - Power out === [00:00:00] About Palm Island, you know? Yeah. So yeah, that's us. Amazing. Thank you. Might might take a few pictures. Yep. Yeah we can we do a picture on the beach? Come on, ...
Food, Water and Supply Stress === [00:00:00] Usually a letter, a letterhead, and it's like, I elder blah, support this program, blah. And then, and then it's got a signature. But in my, in my mind ...
Ruby Sibley is an Aboriginal woman who has spent her entire life on Palm Island, a place she describes with deep affection. "I love Palm," she says, relishing the peace and quiet her home offers compa...
Christopher - Two Different Judgements in Australia === [00:00:00] Yep. When that thing happened. Yep. I've got time happened. Yep. It just, it was just the whole island. Yeah. And kids Yeah, for s...
In the close-knit Palm Island community, Hailey Jane Wetzel stands as a pillar of support and resilience. As the manager of the Child and Family Center, Hailey has seen firsthand the profound impact o...
Rachel Atkinson, the dedicated CEO of the Palm Island Community Company (PICC), has spent nearly 18 years nurturing a model of community-driven empowerment. Reflecting on her journey, Rachel shares ho...
In the heart of the Palm Island Aboriginal Community, Elder Del Louise Pryor shares her poignant story, weaving a narrative of connection, loss, and resilience. She begins with her grandfather, Peter ...
In the heart of the Palm Island Aboriginal Community, an elder's voice resonates with wisdom and a vision for empowering the youth through meaningful engagement. The elder speaks of the disconnect bet...
In the heart of Palm Island, a story of resilience unfolds as community members strive to restore their vital daycare facility after a devastating storm. The storm left the building soaked and mold-in...
Elder Winifred Obar, a cultural advisor and a secretary for the elders advisory on Palm Island, shares a heartfelt story of community effort and personal connection as she reflects on the journey back...
Daycare Workers - Keeping Early Childhood Going After the Storm === [00:00:00] Are we gonna talk specific about the building? Uh, and not anything we can do wherever it takes us. Keen to learn Hous...
Rodney, Daniel, George & Carlos: 24 Hours Without Power === [00:00:00] What was that like for you? Oh, we, that power went off. Yeah. About six at, yeah. One to six dark. Yeah. Yeah. And we didn't ...
Men's Group Leader - What Gets Us Out of Bed: Choosing Our Own Day === [00:00:00] Some people get up. Purpose is to go to work every day. Some people might have purpose to, they might have somethi...
Justice Group === [00:00:00] Speaker 25: You Right. Just, yeah, I know, I understand. Wasn't he, wasn't he here before? Yeah. Speaker 26: Yeah. I mean, lots of times. Yeah, Speaker 25: I know. ...
Elder Ude Grace Richardson, a revered member of the Palm Island community, shared her life story, painting a vivid picture of resilience and belonging. From her early days in Georgetown to her decades...
Elder Frank Anderson's story is a testament to resilience in the face of challenge and change. Born in Ingham in 1939, Frank's early life was marked by a significant transition when his family was mov...
Elders - Rain, Roads and No Voice === [00:00:00] Put it, put it down here. No, I don't. You hungry then? No. I had something just not long ago. Thank you. You wanna start or what? Yeah, we can. Ye...
No One Will Do It for You: Purpose, Painting and Men’s Business === [00:00:00] Michael, there's two mic. Yeah. One is two or And one is my grandad. One. One. Follow this one, eh, call like me. Yeah...
Elder Marjorie Burns shares a poignant story of her childhood on Palm Island. Her memories are woven with threads of resilience and cultural heritage, set against the backdrop of a challenging era. Ma...
PICC has remodelled its Women's Healing Service to provide better services to women resident, or at risk of being resident, in the Townsville Women's Correctional Centre. For 2024, PICC has restructu...
Craig: ‘I Was Safe, But Others Went Under === [00:00:00] That's good point. Yeah. They're flood. Yep. Did it, did your house get flooded? No. No, no, no. Oh, do you? That's cool. How did it feel t...
Elder Allan shares a profound connection to his art, a connection nurtured in his youth by his father's teachings. As he recalls, "My dad first taught me when I was a young boy. He gave me a piece of ...
On a bright morning, the Palm Island community gathered to celebrate a new chapter in their shared story. Elder Allan, a respected member of the community, stood before a crowd of eager faces and spok...
Allan, a member of the Palm Island Aboriginal Community, shares his childhood memories with a mix of nostalgia and reverence for his heritage. Born in the mid-1960s, Allan recalls a time when the worl...
We Look After Each Other: Palm Island Stories From the Flood === [00:00:00] That rain. Yeah. Power. Yeah. Lot of family, lot of households went out with power and food. Food, yeah. True. Yeah. Um, ...
Mount Isa Trip is part of the Confit Pathways program....
Growing up in Cabramatta, I was surrounded by a life that many can't even imagine. If you do the research on back in the eighties and nineties it was rooted with a lot of heroin, a lot of crime, a lot...
From Floods to Forty Tribes: Yarning About Healing, History and Recovery === [00:00:00] And, um, oh yeah, yeah, yeah. The more I, the more I talk to people, the more I get to understand like, what'...
BG mission and vision...
Looking back, my life's been a bit of a rollercoaster. Growing up in Mount Druitt was tough. We had fun, sure, but it wasn't easy. Being in a gang felt like belonging to something, even if it meant ge...
Joe is part of the Confit Pathways program....
"I was actually signed to the Rabbitohs when I got locked up for armed robbery. It ended up being three years inside...but like Joe Kwon always says it was a part of my life and I can now use that t...
Moana is part of the Confit Pathways program....
Who am I? Just a young and dumb kid, trying to make money for the family. I took the fast route instead of the slow one. That's who I am. My name is Metan Bacir Kapula. They call me the Turkish Stal...
Stealing began with little things, like chocolates from a store. It was a way to feel in charge of my life that was getting messy. But being around others doing the same, it got worse. Bad decisions c...
The Unspoken Narratives and Their Impact: An Odyssey Begins In the intricate weave of the criminal justice system, a hidden odyssey emerges: the profound tales of those who've journeyed through its d...
Dani is part of the Confit Pathways program....
A 15-year funding journey with the School of St Jude in Tanzania — from 3 students to thousands, $128,000+ invested, witnessing Gemma Sisia's dream come true....
I'm now five and a half months out of detention and working at the Confit gym, living what I consider the dream. My name’s Gaith, I'm 19 years old and proud of my Iraqi Muslim roots. My early year...
The number of staff and trainees we employ has increased by a third since last year, with nearly two hundred people now working for PICC. We now employ 197 staff members, up from 151 the previous year...
The Palm Island Child and Family Center stands as a beacon of hope and resilience for the community, especially after the devastating storm that left the facility inoperable. Hayley Jane Wetzel, the d...
Henry Doyle, a dedicated member of the Palm Island community, has been a steadfast presence on the island since birth. His love for the island is palpable as he describes it as a 'good place, beautifu...
Rachel Atkinson, the CEO of the Palm Island Community Company, has spent over 17 years dedicated to transforming the community through sustainable models of care. Her journey is one of resilience, emp...
Patricia Doyle, a proud member of the Palm Island Aboriginal community, shared her experience during a recent storm that tested the resilience and unity of her community. "Palm is where the heart is,"...
On a day marked by the resilience of the Palm Island Aboriginal Community, families gathered from far and wide, defying the weather, to celebrate a cornerstone event at the Palm Island Early Childhood...
The community on Palm Island is at a crossroads, as the last of their elders has passed, leaving a profound gap in leadership and cultural transmission. The storyteller, speaking on behalf of the elde...
Elder Ethel Taylor Robinson, at 78 years old, stands as a pillar of wisdom and resilience within the Palm Island Aboriginal Community. Her life story is a tapestry woven with memories of her ancestors...
Overview In 2024, members of the Palm Island Elders Advisory Group made a significant journey from Palm Island through Townsville and Ingham to Hull River in the Mission Beach region. The trip brough...
Iris Forfoot, a member of the Palm Island Aboriginal Community, recounts a poignant chapter from her family's history, encapsulating the spirit of resilience and kinship. Born to parents who met in th...
Elder Allan reflects on his childhood years, growing up in a time of change and continuity on Palm Island. Born in 1961, he remembers the era of the Vietnam War and the peaceful 1970s. As one of four ...
Brodie shares the founding story of BG Fit — born from witnessing too many Indigenous young people cycling through the justice system without support....
The Naramatisho Women's Centre — $105,000 in JCF funding built a social enterprise hub empowering Maasai women across pastoral tribes....
The first BG Fit bush camp took 12 young people on country near Mount Isa for three days of cultural connection and Elder guidance....
BG Fit's Doomadgee bush camp brought fitness and cultural activities to one of Queensland's most remote Indigenous communities....
BG Fit's program at Spinifex Residential works with young people in out-of-home care and the justice system, using sport to build trust....
The Safe Haven continues to be a vital service for Palm Island, providing safe accommodation and support for children and young people who need a safe place to stay. In 2023/24, the Safe Haven suppor...
Irene Nleallajar reflects on her life and heritage on Palm Island with profound appreciation and respect. Born in the 1960s, Irene has witnessed the evolution of the community over decades. She speaks...
Elder Frank Anderson, born in 1939, shared a vivid recollection of his early years, offering a glimpse into a challenging yet formative period of his life. "We got sent to Palm, then that's where I gr...
Gale Larry - Caring for Elders, Kids and Country === [00:00:00] Yeah. With our power, some dinner with power was, uh, especially, you know, when the little ones Mm. Elderly people. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Be...
Ethel Robertson, a respected elder from the Palm Island Aboriginal Community, shares a poignant narrative of resilience and family bonds. Born into a large family of seventeen siblings, Ethel's story ...
A major change to caring arrangements for vulnerable children is at last coming to Palm Island through delegated authority. PICC has named this approach Bwgcolman Way: Empowered and Resilient. "Bwgco...
Goonyun Anderson’s story is one of connection and resilience, a narrative that seamlessly intertwines his experiences of growing up in Townsville, moving to Brisbane, and his deep-rooted ties to Palm ...
Elder Iris Forfoot shares a poignant narrative of her family's resilience and unity in the face of hardship on Palm Island. Her parents, Norman and Audrey, came from diverse backgrounds and met in 193...
In September 2023, PICC presented twice at the biennial SNAICC Conference, which was held in Darwin. "The Storyline of the Palm Island Children and Family Centre" told the history and the successes o...
Allan-1's story is a vibrant tapestry of memories from his formative years on Palm Island, where family, culture, and community were tightly woven together. Born in the mid-1960s, Allan recalls a chil...
There is a version of this story told through numbers. It has its place. But numbers are a translation, and something always gets lost in the translation. This is the fuller version.The cost of a cell...
Last month we took eight young people out to Atnarpa for three days on Country. Some of them hadn't been out bush since they were little kids. You could see it in their faces when we got there — somet...
There is a room I want you to sit in. It is small. The light is fluorescent. We spend $1.3 million a year per child to put them there. And 85 percent go straight back in. The cure already exists — in ...
It costs AUD 2,355 per day to detain a child in Brisbane Youth Detention — AUD 859,575 per year — for an 84% reoffending rate. Meanwhile, community-led programs achieve 88% success at AUD 75/day. The ...
How the 2022 floods devastated the oyster leases and how the farming community pulled together to rebuild....
The art and labour of grading Sydney Rock oysters — teaching the next generation about quality and pride in craft....
Brodie Germaine, a young Pita Pita Wayaka man from Mount Isa, reflects on taking young people out to the Junction on Kalkadoon country through his BG Fit program....
Henry Doyle, a young Aboriginal man born and raised on Palm Island, works in youth services helping kids who've fallen through the cracks. From organising footy teams to converting a bakery into a you...
Kylie Bloomfield speaks powerfully about creating new history on ancestral land. Welcoming school groups, building intergenerational enterprise, and watching her father see the family homestead restor...
Henry Bloomfield, a 67-year-old Elder, shares the multi-generational story of the Bloomfield family's deep connection to Love's Creek station in Central Australia....
In a raw men's group session on Palm Island, an Elder facilitator challenges the men to examine what gets them out of bed each morning. confronting the cycle of addiction, dependency, and self-punishm...
Uncle George Leon, a Kalkadoon Elder in Mount Isa, spent decades as a Police Liaison Officer engaging four to five hundred kids a week in schools, building trust through tough love....
Dianne Stokes, a traditional owner in Tennant Creek, has spent twenty-four years transforming bare country into a home, starting with nothing but her car for shelter....
Iris, a sixty-five-year-old Elder on Palm Island, tells the story of her father building a small boat called the Ivy May to row to Possum Island and feed the family on turtle, fish, and damper....
Three generations of oyster farming on the river — reading the tides, the seasons, and the signs that nature provides....
When a brand-new washing machine arrives at Alba Camp in Tennant Creek, Dianne Stokes can't contain her joy. This is the story of beds, washing machines, and what happens when a community decides that...
Barry Rodgerig grew up in the Sunshine Coast hinterland when timber was king. His mother made it to ninety-one and chose her own exit. This is the story of a man shaped by sawmills, sovereignty, and t...
These stories represent real voices from real communities. Share them, learn from them, and help amplify the voices that need to be heard.