Indigenous mural in Lismore featuring animals and hand shapes

Community narratives

Find out more from Aboriginal people who provide examples from their lives of times when cultural difference was not understood and created conflict and/or trauma in their lives.

We interviewed Aboriginal community members from western New South Wales (NSW) to find out their views and experiences on issues affecting their lives, including:

  • key life events
  • education
  • health
  • social issues
  • legal issues
  • cultural issues. 

Interviews were conducted by Diane Riley-McNaboe, Connie Ah-See and Dr Lynette Riley.

Individual interviews

Beth Wright

Beth is a Gamilaroi person from far western NSW. She grew up in Walgett and Warren and has Kinship connections to Angeldool.

Connie Ah-See

Connie is from the Wiradjuri Nation (western NSW). She is one of the Wellington/Peak Hill Mob.

Peter Gibbs

Peter is a Gamilaroi person with Kinship ties in far western NSW, growing up in Weilmoringle and Dubbo.

Lyndon Lane

Lyndon is a Gamilaroi person from Goodooga (far western NSW) who has lived in Wiradjuri Country since 2003.

Mary Henderson
Mary Henderson

Mary is a Wiradjuri person from Wellington (western NSW).

Doug Gordon

Doug is a Wiradjuri person (western NSW), who grew up at Brewarrina with Kinship connections to Angeldool (far western NSW).

Rev Gloria Shipp
Rev Gloria Shipp

Gloria is a Gamilaroi person, who married a Wiradjuri man and had lived in Dubbo for over 26 years.

Rod Towney

Rod is a Wiradjuri person, born in Wellington at Nanima Reserve (western NSW). Rod grew up in Gilgandra and Peak Hill.

Lewis Burns

Lewis is a Wiradjuri person, from the Tubbo-ga Clan, who grew up in and around Dubbo (western region, NSW).

Malcholm Burns
Malcholm Burns

Malcholm is a Wiradjuri person, from the Tubbo-ga Clan, who grew up in and around the Dubbo (western region, NSW).

Glenn Blakey

Glenn has Kinship connections originally from Batesman Bay and Wollongong (south coast NSW) and now lives in Bathurst on Wiradjuri Country.

Aunt Gloria Whalan

Aunt Gloria is from the Wiradjuri Nation and is currently living in Victoria.

Chris Heckenberg
Chris Heckenberg

Chris is a descendant from the Eora Nation, Gadigal clan (Sydney region) and is living in southern Wiradjuri Country.

MaryAnne Seymour
MaryAnne Seymour

MaryAnne's Kinship connections are originally from the Flinders Ranges (South Australia). She was born in Queensland and is a Turtle Clan person.

Michael James

Michael is a Wiradjuri person from Parkes (western NSW).

Jacqueline Heterick
Aunt Jacqueline Heterick

Aunt Jacqueline is a Wiradjuri person, she was born in Trangie (far western NSW) and has lived in Narromine (western NSW), for over 30 years.

Jennifer Bates
Jennifer Bates

Jennifer is a Barkenji person from Wilcannia (far western NSW).

Michael Donovan
Michael Donovan

Michael is a Gumbangeri person from Eungai and Macksville (North Coast NSW). He lives in Dubbo, as his wife is Wiradjuri.

Aunt Patricia Powell 
Aunt Patricia Powell

Aunt Patricia is a Gamilaroi person, originally from Gulargambone, western NSW, and has been living in Wiradjuri Country, Dubbo for the last 50 years.

Rayleen Summers
Rayleen Summers

Rayleen is a Mootawarra Person from Weilmoringle, Goodooga, Brewarrina and Bourke (far western NSW).

Aunt Rita Merritt

Aunt Rita is a Gamilaroi person, born on Wiradjuri Country – Dubbo, with extensive time spent in far western NSW, such as Warren as a child and young person.

Susan Mitchell
Susan Mitchell

Susan is a Wiradjuri person, from the Tubbo-ga Clan, who grew up in and around the Dubbo western region, NSW.

Aunt Una Lake

Aunt Una is a Gamilaroi person from Coonabarabran (western NSW). She married a Wiradjuri man, Billy Lake from Dubbo and she has lived in the area for over 60 years.

Conversations with Aunties and Uncles

Connie and Diane

Connie Ah-See and Diane Riley-McNaboe discuss family and cultural connections.

 

Rod, Connie and Rob

Rod Towney, Connie Ah-See and Rob Cohen discuss education, careers and family and cultural connections.

 

Carol and Diane

Carol Riley and Diane Riley-McNaboe discuss family and cultural connections.