By Lisa Burns

Deep in the South Australian outback lies a place only accessible via dirt track and almost 200km from the nearest town. Out-of-towners know the small, mostly Aboriginal community of Oodnadatta as little more than a fuel fill and a quick feed. Few venture beyond the bowsers of the iconic Pink Roadhouse.

But over at the church ground rises the Cathedral of a Thousand Stars. It’s an open-air church run by Julia Warren, a local Aboriginal woman. Julia founded the Oodnadatta Faith Community in 2007, on the same earth that missionaries from the United Aborigines Mission built the Oodnadatta Children’s Home in 1924. A slab of concrete is all that remains of the Home, but for generations past and present, its impact has been much more lasting.

Cathedral of a Thousand Stars follows the stories of two Aboriginal women separated by time but united by place. Their stories are shaped by family, culture, survival and hope, and together they highlight the diversity of spirituality and faith in Australia. 

A heartfelt thank you to the Aunties for sharing their stories. Julia Warren (Preacher, Oodnadatta Faith Community Leader), Mona Olsson, (Yankunytjatjara Woman, Stolen Generations Survivor), Reverend Denise Champion (Adnyamathanha Woman, Minister at UAICC Port Augusta), Linda Sutton (Poet, Writer, Former Minister & Gulf FM 89.3 Broadcaster), Karina Lester (Yankunytjatjara Woman, Aboriginal Language Worker, Niece of Auntie Mona Olsson) and Merrilyn Maine (Organist at Western Link Uniting Church).

Oodnadatta Image by Lisa Burns.png   Open-air church Oodnadatta Faith Image Lisa Burns.png

Thanks also to the Oodnadatta community, Ian Dempster from Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, Reverend Jenny Swanbury, Radio Adelaide, the CMTO trainers and mentors, and my friends and family for their ongoing support throughout the making of this feature.

By Lisa Burns Deep in the South Australian outback lies a place only accessible via dirt track and almost 200km from the nearest town. Out-of-towners know the small, mostly Aboriginal community of Oodnadatta as little more than a fuel fill and a quick feed. Few venture beyond the bowsers of the iconic Pink Roadhouse. But over at the church ground rises the Cathedral of a Thousand Stars. It’s an open-air church run by Julia Warren, a local Aboriginal woman. Julia founded the Oodnadatta Faith Community in 2007, on the same earth that missionaries from the United Aborigines Mission built the Oodnadatta Children’s Home in 1924. A slab of concrete is all that remains of the Home, but for generations past and present, its impact has been much more lasting. Cathedral of a Thousand Stars follows the stories of two Aboriginal women separated by time but united by place. Their stories are shaped by family, culture, survival and hope, and together they highlight the diversity of spirituality and faith in Australia. A heartfelt thank you to the Aunties for sharing their stories. Julia Warren (Preacher, Oodnadatta Faith Community Leader), Mona Olsson, (Yankunytjatjara Woman, Stolen Generations Survivor), Reverend Denise Champion (Adnyamathanha Woman, Minister at UAICC Port Augusta), Linda Sutton (Poet, Writer, Former Minister & Gulf FM 89.3 Broadcaster), Karina Lester (Yankunytjatjara Woman, Aboriginal Language Worker, Niece of Auntie Mona Olsson) and Merrilyn Maine (Organist at Western Link Uniting Church). Oodnadatta Image by Lisa Burns.png Open-air church Oodnadatta Faith Image Lisa Burns.png Thanks also to the Oodnadatta community, Ian Dempster from Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, Reverend Jenny Swanbury, Radio Adelaide, the CMTO trainers and mentors, and my friends and family for their ongoing support throughout the making of this feature.

From water and drought to coal mines in small towns, a neighbourhood's safe-injecting room to the Country Women's Association's brand of feminism, each year these and more stories are told by Australian communities in their own words through the National Features and Documentary Series.

City to the bush, coast to coast, since 2013 the NFDS has commissioned audio works from all over Australia by budding community radio producers. 

Produced for the Community Radio Network at the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia with training and mentoring from the Community Media Training Organisation.

From water and drought to coal mines in small towns, a neighbourhood's safe-injecting room to the Country Women's Association's brand of feminism, each year these and more stories are told by Australian communities in their own words through the National Features and Documentary Series.
City to the bush, coast to coast, since 2013 the NFDS has commissioned audio works from all over Australia by budding community radio producers.&nbsp;
Produced for the <a href="https://www.cbaa.org.au/crn">Community Radio Network</a> at the <a href="https://www.cbaa.org.au/">Community Broadcasting Association of Australia</a> with training and mentoring from the <a href="https://cmto.org.au/">Community Media Training Organisation</a>.

An annual showcase of new audio works from Australian community radio producers

National Features & Documentary Series

From water and drought to coal mines in small towns, a neighbourhood's safe-injecting room to the Country Women's Association's brand of feminism, each year these and more stories are told by Australian communities in their own words through the National Features and Documentary Series.

City to the bush, coast to coast, since 2013 the NFDS has commissioned audio works from all over Australia by budding community radio producers. 

Produced for the Community Radio Network at the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia with training and mentoring from the Community Media Training Organisation.

 

From water and drought to coal mines in small towns, a neighbourhood's safe-injecting room to the Country Women's Association's brand of feminism, each year these and more stories are told by Australian communities in their own words through the National Features and Documentary Series.
City to the bush, coast to coast, since 2013 the NFDS has commissioned audio works from all over Australia by budding community radio producers.&nbsp;
Produced for the Community Radio Network at the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia with training and mentoring from the Community Media Training Organisation.
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National Features and Documentary Series

By Lisa Burns

Deep in the South Australian outba…

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