Growth

In 2025, the Ngukurr to Newcastle project was successful in securing an ARC Discovery (Indigenous) grant, Ngukurr to Newcastle: intercultural collaboration and influence, to build on previous research by exploring the Ngukurr Mission Archives at the State Library of NSW. It will also consolidate and build research relationships with two key partners; Ngukurr Arts and Hunter Workers . Ngukurr Arts have expressed keen interest in using this material as a catalyst for their artists to re-tell Dexter Daniels’ story and subsequent exhibitions of this work will be held at both Ngukurr Arts Centre and Hunter Workers.

In addition, the project will more fully explore the intercultural links from Ngukurr, Newcastle and the broader Australian society that have arisen during the preliminary research. Challenging the dominant deficit-centered viewpoints of remote Aboriginal communities, this research will work with communities as sites for lively intercultural exchanges. It will support community members to collect and document stories about the people who were, are and continue to be influential. In doing so, it will tell national stories and histories from Indigenous Australian perspectives with a view to contribute to the truth-telling process of Australian national development.

Collaborative engagement with the community will ensure that these stories are preserved in accessible, creative and performative forms so that they are available for future generations and future leaders. Accomplished playwrights, Dr Ray Kelly, and Mr Brian Joyce, who are also Chief Investigators on the project, will write a play about Daniels to be performed at Ngukurr Community, the Darwin Festival and Newcastle.