By Felicity Woodhill, founder of Inspire Music Australia
In July, the monthly free Music and Tea at Wollongong Art Gallery concert welcomes Ron Callaghan and Kyarna of the Yuin Nation to share their songs and stories, honouring the strength, resilience, and creativity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
A proud Walbunja and Dhungutti man, Ron is a singer-songwriter with decades of experience on stages across Australia. Adam Stokeld, of Highlands FM107.1, praises his “soulful melodies”, saying: “His gentle guitar playing and the quiet power in the way he shares his songs are the perfect backdrop for a voice with a unique vibrato; one that’s as moving as it is unforgettable.”
Kyarna grew up in Wollongong and is celebrated for her exceptional voice and talent for crafting songs that resonate. She has shared the stage with artists like Troy Cassar-Daley and Paul Kelly and supported performers such as the late Uncle Archie Roach, Casey Donovan and Mahalia Barnes.
Dr Joyce Donavan will open the concert with a Welcome to Country, and her great-grandson Quinten Dingo, a student at Dapto High School, will perform.
“I have been performing at NAIDOC events around the Illawarra since I was a teenager,” Kyarna says. “It’s always an uplifting experience, both for me personally and as a singer-songwriter. The songs I write are deeply personal.
“By sharing my stories about love, loss, addiction, and grief, I invite listeners to pause and reflect, to draw them into a space where they can connect in a meaningful way.”
Music and Tea at Wollongong Art Gallery will be on July 3 at 11am. Free, donations appreciated. Bookings via Humanitix
