Indigenous Australians Enjoy New Platform for Sharing Faith Stories

Students and staff at Mamarapha College in Western Australia will now have their stories shared across the nation, courtesy of a new radio studio on campus. 

The new studio was built by Mamarapha students and Faith FM producer Bradley Martin, and members of the Australian Union Conference (AUC) board attended the opening ceremony earlier this year.

“We are thrilled to be able to assist Mamarapha in the production of this studio,” AUC president Terry Johnson said. “With the tools and partnership with Faith FM at their disposal, we are excited to see them create and share their stories to further the gospel.” 

During the past few months, Mamarapha students have worked on creating and broadcasting a new program called Australian Stories. Airing once a week, the show aims to share the various stories from Indigenous people all over Australia. 

“This [station] is about training and equipping our students to be confident Christian leaders in their own communities, sharing stories about themselves, and stories that their communities can truly connect with on a deep and personal level,” outgoing Mamarapha College principal David Garrard said. 

The radio studio is an ongoing collaborative effort with Faith FM, which will support Mamarapha students via video resources and training. 

“Australia is a multicultural country, and so being able to support Mamarapha and help amplify their unique voice across Australia has been a major milestone for Faith FM,” said Robbie Berghan, national content and promotions manager.

“One of the benefits of this studio is it will allow all types of Australians to share their stories in their own languages,” Darren Garlett, director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ministries (ATSIM) at the AUC, said. “This will help accelerate ATSIM work in parts of Australia that not many churches can reach.” 

About Mamarapha College

Mamarapha College is located in Karragullen, in the scenic bush surrounds of Perth’s orchard region in Western Australia. According to the school website, it is “a quiet, peaceful place where you can connect with God and grow in your walk with Him.”

Mamarapha’s impact reaches right across Australia, having educated thousands of students since its establishment in 1997.

“Considering our networking capacity and with the right support, Mamarapha has the potential to diversify and increase ministry impact and be known as a leading Indigenous institution throughout Australia,” Garrard said.

The original version of this story was posted on Adventist Record.