About BushTV
Hi, I’m Tom Hearn, founder of BushTV.
For more than 20 years, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia, documenting remarkable people and helping organisations tell stories that create understanding, strengthen relationships and inspire change.
Some of the most innovative solutions to Australia’s biggest challenges already exist in communities. Whether it’s health, healing, education, caring for Country or cultural renewal, I’ve seen firsthand that communities often have the answers.
The challenge is making sure those stories are seen, heard and understood. That’s why I started BushTV.
How I work
I don’t see myself as an external communications consultant. I become part of the team.
Whether I’m working with a health service in the Torres Strait, a Traditional Owner group in Cape York or a university research project, I spend time listening first. Good storytelling and strategic communications start with relationships, not cameras.
From there, I help organisations capture their work through documentary filmmaking, photography, writing, websites, newsletters, annual reports and strategic communications. Every story and project is different because every community is different.
What BushTV does
BushTV is my storytelling practice, but no two projects are the same. Sometimes I’m making a documentary. Sometimes I’m facilitating a complex community consultation. Sometimes I’m writing a report or redesigning a website. Sometimes I’m helping a CEO rebrand their Organisation and building a long-term communications strategy.
When a project requires additional expertise, I bring together trusted collaborators, including photographers, drone operators, designers, writers and filmmakers I’ve worked with over many years – many of these are First Nations Creatives.
And my clients are all First Nations. They don’t need a large agency. They need someone who gets it, who understands people, relationships and how to tell stories, co-design programs and write reports with integrity.
What I believe
After more than two decades, one lesson continues to shape everything I do. Communities have the solutions. My role isn’t to create those solutions. It’s to listen carefully, earn trust and help communities share their stories in ways that build understanding, influence policy, attract investment and celebrate the incredible work already happening.
Storytelling isn’t just about communication. It’s about relationships. It’s about accountability. It’s about ensuring the people closest to the story remain at the centre of it.
A little about me
I hold a Master of Arts in Documentary and have spent more than twenty years producing documentaries and strategic communications alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations across Australia.
Along the way, I’ve been fortunate to receive a Queensland Government Reconciliation Award and to work with hundreds of remarkable people whose generosity continues to shape both my work and my life.