Centre for Stories

Anamarija Mraz is an emerging writer and a graduate of the University of Western Australia. Anamarija writes Slavic fairytales, Australian fairytale retellings, migrant fables and fantasy stories. Anamarija’s journey starts with her grandmother and fairytales. Here, she shares how the white ibises of Stirling returned her to the storyteller she was always meant to be. ABOUT THE COLLECTION: City of...

This is Melissa Marshall ABOUT THE COLLECTION: Funded by the City of Armadale, Humans of Armadale is the third series of podcasts about Community Volunteers in the Humans of Armadale series showcasing the diversity of City of Armadale residents. Exploring why they choose to volunteer in their local community, the participants engaged in interviews with Jacqueline Kelly, sharing their love for the...

Katie Pope is a lawyer, a mother and an aspiring storyteller from Boorloo/Perth. Her creative work has been published in places including TEXT, The Suburban Review and The Little Journal (forthcoming). Katie experienced a significant change in 2012 when she experienced unusual symptoms. Here, she speaks about the importance on starting conversations around complex mental health disorders, by shari...

Larissa Muir is the CEO of 12 Buckets, a local charity operating within the City of Stirling. She has over 15 years of experience in the not-for-profit sector. Growing up, Larissa felt like she was waiting to exit a long game of Snap. As an adult, this feeling continued to emerge, shaping how she views navigating life, relationships and challenges. ABOUT THE COLLECTION: City of Stirling Backstorie...

Min Sheen Tan is a UX designer, speaker and former food technologist with expertise in human-centered design. He has spoken at various events and functions. Min is woken up at 3AM every morning by mysterious, loud knocks on his bedroom door; his first experience in Perth, and a strange welcome to his newest home. ABOUT THE COLLECTION: City of Stirling Backstories at Perth Festival is a collection...

Robyn Jean is a Noongar/Yamatji artist and photographer whose work explores cultural identity, resilience, and the healing power of nature. A Curtin University graduate, she creates layered imagery and collaborates on public art projects. After receiving an unexpected epiphany while watching Star Wars, Robyn decided to chase her dreams. ABOUT THE COLLECTION: City of Stirling Backstories at Perth F...

Casey Mulder is a Ballardong Noongar yorga with Dutch and English heritage. She works in a variety of education roles and is a freelance editor and writer. Casey shares how many cups of tea and an unusual friendship with an elderly couple in the Kimberley taught her the wisdom of creating safe spaces for Aboriginal stories to be told. Content Warning: These stories may include triggering content f...

Nyul Nyul and Nyikina man Jason Hunter shares his journey of learning about the true history of his family: stolen land, people massacred, children stolen, lives controlled. He encourages all listeners to understand this is our shared history and our shared responsibility to change Aboriginal Australia’s future. Content Warning: These stories may include triggering content for Aboriginal and Torre...

Phil O’Donoghue is the Media Officer for UnionsWA and was actively involved in volunteer coordination and training in WA for the YES23 campaign during the Voice Referendum. He shares his story of the failure of the Yes for the Voice referendum campaign and advocates for Australians to embrace uncomfortable conversations, political debate and get involved in grassroots activism. ABOUT THE COLLECTIO...

Holly Story migrated to Perth, Australia as a ‘ten-pound pom’. Her ideas about Australia included expansive red spaces, kangaroos and Aboriginal people living in the remote northern deserts. As she began to ask more questions about Aboriginal cultures, she was shocked to discover a systematic, forced erasure of Aboriginal people and a more nuanced, complex picture of Australian history. ABOUT THE...

Abid Imam is a Sports Manager, Presenter, Podcaster & DJ. Born to Pakistani and Fijian parents, he always felt like the odd one out amongst his classmates and friends. He started to use a fake name to introduce himself: ‘Steve’. Here is Abid’s journey of learning to reclaim his true name and why he believes authenticity is an important aspect of building a relationship to boodjar/country. ABOUT TH...

Trish Ratajczak was born and raised in Walyalup. She remembers a difficult childhood, with a hungry stomach and chaos that threatened to enter her bedroom. When she went in search of her biological father, she discovered she was Aboriginal. This is her journey of finding her mob. Content Warning: These stories may include triggering content for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. So, if...

Nandi Chinna had no real understanding of Aboriginal people or our colonial history until she moved to Walyalup/Fremantle as a young woman. After reading books and listening to Noongar elders, she began to feel uneasy about her own place in Australia – could she ever live here without a guilty conscience? This is her journey to finding belonging while acknowledging Aboriginal sovereignty. Content...

In this story, Brendan shares his experience of training for the Rottnest Island Swim with an all-Aboriginal team while reflecting on Wadjemup’s (Rottnest Island) painful history. Content Warning: These stories may include triggering content for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. So, if you’re struggling while listening to this story, please don’t hesitate to connect with 13 YARN on 13...

Story Hour is Centre for Stories' regular monthly podcast where we sift through our archives of recorded stories to bring you up to an hour of diverse, intriguing, and real experiences from (extra)ordinary people. This month's theme is SELF LOVE. Our storytellers share their personal experiences with self-love. They remind us that self-love is never simple, but it is always transformational. The j...

In this episode, Gerrard Shaw, a Whadjuk Elder with connections to Yued and Ballardong country, reflects on the long journey Australia has been on toward truth telling, reflecting on key historical moments and his own experiences being impacted by the Stolen Generations. Content Warning: These stories may include triggering content for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. So, if you’re st...

Bill Adlam was born at and grew up in Merredin, Western Australia. Merredin is situated on the land of the Njaki Njaki people… but Bill didn’t know this growing up. In this story, he shares his journey of discovering the dark history of his home town and that the past isn’t often so far away as we think it is. Content Warning: These stories may include triggering content for Aboriginal and Torres...

Mariela Espino Zuppa lives in Walyalup/Fremantle but is originally from Mexico. Her work aims to bridge divides—between ‘here’ and ‘there’, and ‘us’ and ‘them’—fostering curiosity, connection, and systems of reciprocal care. In this episode, she shares her journey emigrating to the USA and later, Australia. Her deep desire to find a place she could belong to, where she would finally be accepted, i...

Vaughan Wayne is a Whadjuk Nyungar man with connections to Yued and Ballardong country. He reflects on a haunting childhood memory of a shag, or cormorant, covered in oil by the Derbarl Yerrigan/Swan River. ABOUT THE COLLECTION: Truth Telling in Walyalup is a collection of stories from Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians that were shared in local resident’s backyards all around Walyalup/Frem...

Story Hour is Centre for Stories' regular monthly podcast where we sift through our archives of recorded stories to bring you up to an hour of diverse, intriguing, and real experiences from (extra)ordinary people. This month's theme is CROSSROADS. Being at a crossroads means grappling with indecision and the weight of potential outcomes. It's when the comfort of the known meets the uncertainty of...

Story Hour is Centre for Stories' regular monthly podcast where we sift through our archives of recorded stories to bring you up to an hour of diverse, intriguing, and real experiences from (extra)ordinary people. This month's theme is THE BODY. The body is more than just flesh and bone; it's a canvas on which society paints its expectations, norms, and judgments. We are all subject to the world’s...

CONTENT WARNING: This story contains content that will be triggering for some, including mental illness and substance abuse. Please take care of yourself while listening and take a break if needed. If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14. After Kelly Campbell experienced a stroke, she lost her job and was suddenly dependent on welfare payments. Shocked to f...

CONTENT WARNING: This story contains content that will be triggering for some, including mental illness and substance abuse. Please take care of yourself while listening and take a break if needed. If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Anthea Corbett was always good at school – particularly art and painting. But as her life took a series of twists and tu...

CONTENT WARNING: This story contains content that will be triggering for some, including mental illness and substance abuse. Please take care of yourself while listening and take a break if needed. If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Lana Moon was always told she had so much potential. Yet the abuse and violence secretly occurring against her at home m...

CONTENT WARNING: This story contains content that will be triggering for some, including mental illness and substance abuse. Please take care of yourself while listening and take a break if needed. If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Due to family issues at home, a spiralling drug addiction and the consequences that followed, Gabby was already incarcer...