Camping on Country

From a conversation around a campfire to a nationally recognised men’s health program

Client: Australian Government Department of Health
Collaborators: Ernie Dingo, Elders, Lore Men and community leaders across remote Australia
BushTV Role: Documentary production, program design, communications and funding support

The Challenge

For many years, actor and broadcaster Ernie Dingo had been talking with Aboriginal men, Elders and community leaders about the need for a different approach to men’s health.

Many existing programs were struggling to engage men in culturally meaningful ways. There was a growing recognition that healing, wellbeing and prevention could not be separated from Country, culture, relationships and identity.

The challenge was simple:

How do we create a men’s health program that feels culturally safe, community-led and genuinely relevant to remote Aboriginal men?

Our Approach

BushTV worked alongside Ernie Dingo and community Elders to explore this question through a series of on-Country conversations and pilot camps.

Travelling out of the back of Ernie’s four-wheel drive, we visited communities, listened to local perspectives and documented the stories, aspirations and challenges being shared by Aboriginal men.

Rather than arriving with a predetermined solution, the program was shaped through listening.

BushTV produced a short documentary and worked collaboratively with Ernie, Elders and community representatives to develop the concept that would become Camping on Country.

The model centred on a simple but powerful idea:

Lore Men and Elders passing on culture, knowledge and connection to younger men on Country.

The program brought together men’s health, social and emotional wellbeing, cultural continuity and community leadership in a way that felt natural and locally grounded.

The Outcome

The documentary and program proposal were presented to the Australian Government Department of Health.

The result was:

• Three years of Commonwealth funding secured
• Camps delivered across Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia
• Hundreds of Aboriginal men and young men engaged
• Health checks, social and emotional wellbeing support and cultural activities delivered on Country
• Strong partnerships developed with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and local communities
• National recognition through an award-winning program

The program’s evaluation framework recognised the importance of connection to Country, cultural authority and intergenerational knowledge transfer as foundations for wellbeing.

Social Impact

Camping on Country demonstrated that men’s health programs can be strengthened when culture is placed at the centre rather than the margins.

The camps created opportunities for:

• Reconnection to Country
• Strengthening relationships between Elders and younger men
• Social and emotional wellbeing support
• Health promotion and preventative health activities
• Cultural learning and identity building

While the program eventually concluded during the disruption caused by COVID-19, its legacy continues through the communities, relationships and ideas it helped shape.

BushTV’s Contribution

This project reflects BushTV’s approach to social impact storytelling.

We don’t simply document programs after they exist.

We work alongside communities, leaders and organisations to help turn ideas into compelling narratives, strategic communications assets and fundable initiatives.

Sometimes the story helps explain a project.

Sometimes the story helps create it.