Wyndham East Kimberley

Distinguished and Famous people from Wyndham East Kimberley

🗣️ David Newry

David Newry helped establish the work of Mirima Council from the 1990s and chaired the organisation for more than two decades. His work in Kununurra has included language and cultural teaching, developing the Miriwoong Seasonal Calendar and supporting the establishment of other Aboriginal organisations. He also helped initiate the work that led to the Kimberley Interpreting Service in 2000, responding to interpreting needs in health and justice. These are practical cultural contributions: helping knowledge pass between generations while making institutions more accessible to the people using them.

📻 Che Kelly

Che Kelly has brought Miriwoong language teaching from the Kununurra classroom to a wider listening audience. A teacher at Mirima Dawang Woorlab-gerring, he presented a 26-part series produced with Waringarri Media, sharing language through community broadcasting. His appearances on the ABC’s Word Up also introduced listeners to words and the cultural knowledge connected with them. His local association is ongoing work in language revitalisation and media, showing how a community language centre can reach beyond its own doors without losing its grounding in Country and local speakers.

🎨 Alan and Peggy Griffiths

Alan and Peggy Griffiths made substantial artistic and cultural contributions from Kununurra. Alan's earlier work as a stockman on northern stations preceded government machine-operating work in the developing town and a painting career from the 1980s. Both artists participated in exhibitions and printmaking, while public performances of the Bali Bali Balga Joonba connected painting with song and dance. Peggy made woven dance headboards, and Alan's prints of the performance entered collections including Parliament House. Their local association joins employment, creative practice and teaching, with cultural work extending beyond paintings displayed on a gallery wall.

🖌️ Paddy Bedford

Paddy Bedford's public painting career began late in life after decades as a stockman and continuing responsibilities as a Gija elder. His association with Jirrawun Arts brought a large and innovative body of work to audiences. The Australian War Memorial records a 1998 painting as made at Wyndham, giving the shire a specific working connection. Other works reached major collections and an international museum commission in Paris. His birthplace was Bedford Downs, beyond this shire; the local association is artistic production, distinct from the wider Country and histories carried in his paintings.

📖 Daisy Utemorrah

Daisy Utemorrah moved to Kalumburu after a stroke during her final years, following decades of community work at Mowanjum. A writer and respected elder, she helped preserve and share Wunambal, Ngarinyin and Worrorra languages and stories. Her book Do Not Go Around the Edges recalled childhood at Kunmunya and reached a wide readership. Kalumburu is a documented later home, while her teaching, writing and cultural responsibilities belonged to a much wider Kimberley life. Keeping those different places distinct gives a more faithful account of her contribution than assigning her whole career to a single settlement.