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14/09/2008
In 2004, following accusations by the tourism industry that traditional owners and staff were closing them out of the Park, its Board of Management agreed to develop a shared vision for tourism management. The story of this historic agreement is seen through the eyes of the Park’s traditional owners - Bininj/Mungguy.
07/09/2008
Message Stick producer Jeremy Geia has travelled to some of the most beautiful places in Australia, but it wasn't till he came to Pormpuraaw that he understood what heaven on earth was. He became a convert to the community, its relaxed way of life and now has close family connections to Pormpuraaw.
31/08/2008
Message Stick producer Jeremy Geia has travelled to some of the most beautiful places in Australia, but it wasn't till he came to Pormpuraaw that he understood what heaven on earth was. He became a convert to the community, its relaxed way of life and now has close family connections to Pormpuraaw.
24/08/2008
Message Stick producer Jeremy Geia has travelled to some of the most beautiful places in Australia, but it wasn't till he came to Pormpuraaw that he understood what heaven on earth was. He became a convert to the community, its relaxed way of life and now has close family connections to Pormpuraaw.
17/08/2008
Paul Fleming, an ambitious, 20 year old, 57kg featherweight boxer from Far North Queensland is one of the Indigenous athletes representing Australia at the Beijing Olympics. The featherweight southpaw recently beat Australian national champion Luke Jackson for the 57kg title at the Oceania Championships in April to take the spot on the Australian Olympics boxing team.
20/07/2008
The Gurindji cattleman’s strike and property demand became Australia’s first successful land rights struggle. This second, and concluding episode, recalls how the Gurindji stuck to their demands – through thick and thin – and forged alliances with a variety of supporters across Australia: from bricklayers to folk singers, , from university students to a new wave of young urban Indigenous activists.
29/06/2008
John Bradley was in his early 20s when as a new teacher he was sent to the remote aboriginal community of Borroloola in the Northern Territory. For most of his adult life he has been working with the Yanyuwa, documenting their language and culture, and is now a fluent speaker himself … one of the last.
22/06/2008
Yarning Up is a series of short and compelling films from emerging Indigenous directors in the Northern Territory. The 4 Yarning Up stories speak of an intimate connection to country and culture; dreamtime legends, history and personal stories from the Tiwi Islands, Katherine and the east Arnhem Land island of Galiwinku.
27/04/2008
Message Sticks’ ANZAC special looks at the Lovett Family from the Gunditjmara nation in south west Victoria. Twenty members of this family have served in every major conflict since World War One through to East Timor.
20/04/2008
Message Stick ventures into the studio to present “Talking Stick” a series of programs hosted by Miriam Corowa. Tim Goodwin, Megan Davis and Joel Pringle, three articulate young Australians who discuss what the future holds for us as a nation as we attempt to embrace Indigenous and non-Indigenous share history and different perspectives.
06/04/2008
Message Stick ventures into the studio to present “Talking Stick” a series of programs hosted by Miriam Corowa. Two of these countries leading Indigenous actors, Tom E Lewis and Noel Tovey are joined by one of these countries brightest up and coming stars Ursula Yovich and we explore their life and work on the stage.
09/03/2008
Agnes Abbott is an Eastern Arrente woman who has witnessed the transformation of her Central Australian homeland - from her early days working in the cattle industry, to seeing the arrival of missionaries and the damage caused by the introduction of alcohol.
Her determination to care for her community has seen Agnes at the forefront of initiatives to drive out alcohol and protect women and children from domestic violence.
Her determination to care for her community has seen Agnes at the forefront of initiatives to drive out alcohol and protect women and children from domestic violence.
17/02/2008
The Strong Men of Nguiu is a men’s group which for the past two years has been striving to restore cultural traditions among the youth on the Tiwi Islands. By setting their own example as leaders of their families and community, the strong men are role models who are steering the next generation away from the problems of substance abuse and crime to become the leaders of tomorrow.
26/11/2007
Life for Indigenous people on Cape York isn't always smooth sailing. But for the Community of Hopevale, the future is looking a little brighter thanks to a Melbourne man and his Catamaran.
19/11/2007
The Queensland Governments’ decision to forcibly reduce the state’s number of shire councils has met with widespread opposition but its repercussions may be most keenly felt in The Torres Strait Islands. Under the proposals, one regional authority would replace the 17 island councils but there would be community boards on each of the islands.
12/11/2007
The Wanga Idingii project, based on the south coast of NSW, is an early intervention project involving Aboriginal youth. As part of the scheme a group of potential leaders walked the Kokoda track in August.
05/11/2007
Earlier this year, in a historic agreement, Crown land at Stockton Bight, near Newcastle was handed back to the traditional owners, the Worimi people. The new conservation area will be co-managed by them in partnership with the National park and Wildlife Service.
29/10/2007
Fifteen-year-old Dion Beasley is from Tennant Creek. Dion is fascinated by dogs and sketches them constantly.
22/10/2007
Message Stick travels to the small Cape York community of Lochardt River which is fast making its mark on the international art scene. But not only is the community becoming well known for its art but it is also looking at other cultural exports that could give the community greater financial independence.
15/10/2007
Miriam Corowa continues her look at the fallout from the abolition of ATSIC, with an examination of the struggle many Indigenous communities face in trying to achieve economic independence. Initiatives such as the Community Development Employment Program have provided much of the financial underpinnings and infrastructure in communities across the country, but changes to Commonwealth policy are forcing a re-think of how many community-based organisations operate.
08/10/2007
Three years ago the Federal Government abolished ATSIC, the peak Indigenous representative body and Message Stick examines the events leading up to that decision and the impact ATSIC’s demise has had on communities across Australia.
Its absence has driven some communities to take matters into their own hands forming stronger local and regional structures to deal with the challenges that face them.
Its absence has driven some communities to take matters into their own hands forming stronger local and regional structures to deal with the challenges that face them.
24/09/2007
Eighty years ago the Northern Territory was perceived to be a vast, barren, inhospitable place, the last frontier of twentieth century Australia.
Willaberta Jack is a tragic tale of murder, injustice, bush craft and pride as an Aboriginal man runs for his life pursued by the full force of the law.
Willaberta Jack is a tragic tale of murder, injustice, bush craft and pride as an Aboriginal man runs for his life pursued by the full force of the law.
27/08/2007
The Yuendumu Magpies are a dominant force in Central Australian Football and ABORIGINAL RULES is a two part documentary that follows the mighty Magpies across the course of a year as they play their exciting brand of grass roots footy Warlpiri Style.
20/08/2007
The south-western Brisbane suburb of 'Inala' was originally established to provide affordable accommodation to World War 2 veterans during the post war housing shortage. By the early 60s, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people had also moved to the area and today, nearly eight percent of residents living in Inala are Indigenous.
13/08/2007
Fran Dobbie, based in Sydney’s western suburbs, is one person who recognizes the vulnerability of youth. She runs self-esteem workshops for children through the charity organisation, Essere.
06/08/2007
'Ghost of the Gulf' looks at the Saltwater people’s relationship to sea country and their efforts in caring for the great oceans of the gulf region. It explores the innovative steps Indigenous people are taking to rid the coastal waters of perhaps the biggest man-made threat to sea turtles - fishing nets.
30/07/2007
In 1992, motocross enthusiast, Ethan Dagg built a track in his local community of Pukatja, about 500 kilometres south of Alice Springs. It soon became a community project aimed at reducing boredom and low attendance rates at the community’s school.
23/07/2007
For the last four years, Quenten Agius and his family have battled to try and save what is left of their cultural heritage and sites – but it's not only about saving what exists within the landscape, it's also about saving their culture.
16/07/2007
Quenten Agius is the keeper of his generation's Dreaming stories. For him the Dreaming is his bible – an invisible force that guides him through life and connects all things.
09/07/2007
The year 2007 and specifically Sunday, 27 May 2007, marked the 40th Anniversary of Australia’s most successful referendum and a defining event in our nation’s history.
18/06/2007
'Living Country' is a story about the campaign by Aboriginal people of Central Australia. They want to protect their homelands, the animals, dreaming sites and stories from two proposed uranium dumpsites.
11/06/2007
Recently in the media we have seen a political debate rage in regards to Sexual Abuse and Domestic Violence within Aboriginal communities. Many members of the Aboriginal community felt that the portrayal by the mainstream of Aboriginal men, and their communities, was sensational, and not entirely truthful.
04/06/2007
Musee Du Quai Branly is the new museum featuring Australia's Indigenous artworks in Paris, France.
28/05/2007
For more than a decade, Jackie Huggins has been pushing the reconciliation bandwagon, and for the last six years, she's been the national face and Co-Chairwoman of Reconciliation Australia. But after 14 years of campaigning, Jackie has signalled she's looking for a change.
07/05/2007
Set in the dust and excitement of the Mt Isa Rodeo, Rydin’ time is about family support and unity. Already seasoned rodeo riders themselves, three young people, Kaleb Comollatti, Dallas McNamara and John Stacey, are continuing a proud family history of professional saddle bronc and bull riding.
30/04/2007
Two sisters revisit the landscapes of their early childhood and recount their young lives as Wirrangul women. Doreen and Gladys live in their home community of Scottdesko, 100km from Ceduna on the Eyre Peninsular in South Australia.
23/04/2007
Indigenous veterans are still waiting for the same level of recognition and access to services that has been afforded to non-Indigenous servicemen and women. This situation is slowly changing with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs recently appointing Robert Nobel as its Indigenous Veterans’ Affairs Policy Officer.
16/04/2007
Believed to be the highest serving Indigenous police officer at the time of his retirement in 2001, Col Dillon has faced racism and adversity head on and has never shied away from exposing those who dishonoured his profession.
09/04/2007
‘Ripples from Wave Hill’ tells the story of a group of Aboriginal stockmen who walked off a cattle station in the Northern Territory in a bid for better pay and conditions. The strike went on for eight years and eventually became Australia’s first successful land rights campaign.
02/04/2007
‘Ripples from Wave Hill’ tells the story of a group of Aboriginal stockmen who walked off a cattle station in the Northern Territory in a bid for better pay and conditions. The strike went on for eight years and eventually became Australia’s first successful land rights campaign.
26/03/2007
Some Legal Experts and Politicians have suggested that the changes to the Electoral Act will make it more difficult for Indigenous Australians to cast their vote at this year’s Federal Election.
12/03/2007
Max Stuart is a senior Arrernte Elder and Traditional Owner of what is today known as Alice Springs. Convicted of murder in 1959, Max was subjected to several unsuccessful appeals and a Royal Commission, which upheld the verdict.
05/03/2007
Terri Janke is a Sydney-based Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) lawyer, whose firm is the only one in the country dealing with the issue of ICIP rights for Indigenous people, and for a number of years, she’s been pushing for the legislation to be changed so that there’s stronger intellectual property protection for artists.
26/02/2007
The coast of Portland is the site of Victoria's earliest white settlement as well as the massacre of the Kilcarer Gundidj clan in a dispute over a beached whale in 1834. It took place on the beach of Allestree at Portland Bay, otherwise known to the local Indigenous people as the 'Convincing Ground'.
19/02/2007
The coast of Portland is the site of Victoria's earliest white settlement as well as the massacre of the Kilcarer Gundidj clan in a dispute over a beached whale in 1834. It took place on the beach of Allestree at Portland Bay, otherwise known to the local Indigenous people as the 'Convincing Ground'.
12/02/2007
Well-known Australian singer/songwriter, Paul Kelly has brought together the crème of the Australian Music Industry to record the songs of Aboriginal singer/songwriter, Kev Carmody, as part of a tribute album to a man who’s been called among other things the “Black Bob Dylan”.
04/02/2007
A half hour documentary looking the heroic efforts of an Indigenous man from Broome who received a bravery award from the Dutch government, yet, has never been recognised by his own country.
28/01/2007
Message stick profiles a group of young Indigenous people who have been tagged as the Next Big Thing. Joshua Ross is a sprinter from Newcastle.
21/01/2007
Stephen Hagan is the former government bureaucrat who became a household name when he fought to have the word “Nigger’ removed from a Toowoomba sports stadium. He took his fight all the way to the United Nations.
07/01/2007
Message Stick documentary. This story looks at how Aboriginal art and artistic expression is being used to help Indigenous women coping with mental illness.
24/12/2006
Vic Simms is a Sydney Based entertainer who recorded a top 10 hit in prison and then literally sang his way out of jail. Fame and fortune eluded him and Vic spiralled into alcoholism.
15/12/2006
Hula Time! Seaman Dan become an overnight success at 70! At 75 he picked up an ARIA award and he’s been touring ever since… This profile takes place on Horn Island in the Torres Strait.
08/12/2006
It was set p in 1972 and it’s been the focal point for many important protests over the years… but what does the future hold for the tent embassy site? . We follow the community consultation process and focus on three stakeholders.
01/12/2006
Cathy Freeman is famous around the world but few know the real story of her life and what motivated her to run like a champion. This film reveals her secret weapon, the inspiration that made our Golden Girl of the track fly into the record books and the hearts of all those who ever watched her run.
24/11/2006
This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the birth of Television in Australia. What have been the images of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on our television screens during this time?
10/11/2006
People either love or hate Aboriginal Lands Councils, and the mere mention of them to most Aboriginal people will be met with a comment and indication of their true feelings. Over the past 2 years a review has taken place, which will change the face of NSW Land Rights Act if it is passed through parliament.
03/11/2006
Still speaking their traditional language we watch as these elders make a boomerang just as their grandfathers had taught them. A CAAMA Production which follows the journey of a group of men who set out to make boomerangs the traditional way.
27/10/2006
NSW Health Department Centre for Aboriginal Health has set up a phone inquiry line to assist Indigenous families with the repatriation of human tissue belonging to loved ones retained after hospital or coronial autopsies. The NSW Human Tissue Inquiry Project is the State’s response to the Australian Health Ministers Advisory Committee and Australian Health Ethics Commission recommendation of 2001.
20/10/2006
An inspiring story about a common issue facing young Aboriginal people. When given the right mentor and social venture the world of opportunity can open up.
13/10/2006
A major commemoration and celebration of the 40th anniversary of the 1966 Wave Hill Walk Off – a highly significant event in Australian history – will be held in the communities of Kalkaringi and Daguragu in the Northern Territory. This is the second part of a two-part music special featuring prominent Aboriginal bands who performed during the three-day event.
06/10/2006
This is Part Two of a two part music special featuring prominent Aboriginal bands who performed during the three day event commemorating 1966 Wave Hill Walk Off.
29/09/2006
The Gathering is a 3 part documentary series filmed over the past 10 years, and is a story of the re-awakening of the whale dreaming by the Mirning people of the Nullabour. The journey details the unlikely collaboration between English born film-maker Kim Kindersley and Bunna Lawrie, formerly front man of one of Australia’s most popular indigenous bands “Coloured Stone”, and the call for an international gathering of respected elders.
22/09/2006
The Gathering is a 3 part documentary series filmed over the past 10 years, and is a story of the re-awakening of the whale dreaming by the Mirning people of the Nullabour. The journey details the unlikely collaboration between English born film-maker Kim Kindersley and Bunna Lawrie, formerly front man of one of Australia’s most popular indigenous bands “Coloured Stone”, and the call for an international gathering of respected elders.
15/09/2006
The Gathering is a 3 part documentary series filmed over the past 10 years, and is a story of the re-awakening of the whale dreaming by the Mirning people of the Nullabour. The journey details the unlikely collaboration between English born film-maker Kim Kindersley and Bunna Lawrie, formerly front man of one of Australia’s most popular indigenous bands “Coloured Stone”, and the call for an international gathering of respected elders.
08/09/2006
An Elders’ Debutante Ball is being held in Kempsey! The “debutantes” are aged 42 to 84 and are being partnered by husbands, sons and grandsons – the youngest is 13. This story will give us the opportunity to reflect on the lives of some of these extraordinary women and to delve into universal themes of ageing, family and community.
01/09/2006
Musician, dancer, man of culture, yet Matthew Doyle grew up in the city not even knowing he was Aboriginal, this is his story.
25/08/2006
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is one of the fasting growing and youngest populations in Australia …. but this means there is a large number of teenage pregnancies and a growing threat of sexually transmitted diseases … SnakeFest is a story about Rachel Molloy and her work in communicating with young people – providing the opportunity for choice and staying informed to stay healthy.
18/08/2006
The Aboriginal population is one of the fastest growing and youngest is the nation. On census night 8th August most Australians of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage will tick the box identifying them as Indigenous – but what does this mean today and for the future of the Indigenous peoples?
11/08/2006
The story of three talented young Aboriginal people, their aspirations and their dreams to reach the top of their chosen field – but how have they fared?
28/07/2006
An investigative film on the views and the influence the traditional owners who share the mighty Murray River have on the health and the future of the river.
21/07/2006
Highlights of the 2006 NAIDOC Ball held in Cairns, Queensland. Hosted by Leah Purcell with performances by Seaman Dan, Shakaya and Yothu Yindi.
14/07/2006
It is estimated that today 80% of Indigenous Australians live in urban environments. What impact is urbanisation having on Indigenous Australians and what does this mean for the future of Aboriginality.
07/07/2006
It is estimated that today 80% of Indigenous Australians live in urban environments. What impact is urbanisation having on Indigenous Australians and what does this mean for the future of Aboriginality.
30/06/2006
Goodooga born musician Glenn Skuthorpe is recognized in the music industry as a compelling storyteller, a modern day troubadour and urban cowboy, singing stories of love and loss, betrayal and renewal with considerable skill, charm and good looks.
23/06/2006
Recently unearthed in an America University, 30 precious paintings by the Aboriginal artists of Carrolup Settlement. Political activist Robert Eggington is now on a one-man campaign to repatriate rare ‘Carrolup’ artworks from the United States and some priceless prison artwork being held by the West Australian government.
16/06/2006
Six at the Crossroads - is an inspiring story narrated by Jimmy Little, about a group of 6 teenagers from a small outback town putting together a performance for the Croc Festival. The teenagers achieve success by working as a team and defying pressure to conform to what others consider acceptable….
09/06/2006
Waverley Stanley is a young man with a big dream. He wants as many kids as possible to have access to prestigious private schools around the country.
02/06/2006
In every entertainers life there is a single moment that they can remember where the penny dropped about wanting to entertain others for the rest of their lives. For Lillian Crombie this time was also the most horrific moment in her life.
26/05/2006
Academic Henry Reynolds and Queensland woman Bron Nurdin have never met, but they’re on the same journey. Both are trying to trace their Aboriginal heritage, their families and where they belong.
19/05/2006
Connie McDonald is a woman who has been liberated by love. Born in the Kimberley with a debilitating bone disease, Connie’s first baby steps broke both her legs.
12/05/2006
3 on 3 is a high energy weekend event organised for children from remote country towns to play basketball, dance, rap, & paint, all the time competing for points but knowing that everyone will walk away a winner.
The aim is to instil positive messages of health, music, fitness and fun.
The aim is to instil positive messages of health, music, fitness and fun.
05/05/2006
Lloyd McDermott was the first Aboriginal man to play international rugby for Australia, but within a year it was all over when he refused to play in South Africa as an ‘honorary white’. Lloyd went on to become a successful barrister and founder of the Lloyd McDermott Sports Foundation.































