Full-Time Broadcasting, Yabun Festival and Returning Home

GIS Secures a Full-Time Broadcasting Licence

The journey to establishing a permanent voice on Sydney's airwaves was a long and determined one. For many years, new FM community broadcasting licences were not scheduled to be allocated, leaving Gadigal Information Service (GIS) to build its reputation through a series of temporary test broadcasts under the name Koori Radio.

These broadcasts provided invaluable opportunities to develop programming, train Aboriginal broadcasters and demonstrate the growing demand for a dedicated First Nations radio service. Through years of commitment and community support, GIS successfully secured a 50kW full-time FM broadcasting licence in May 2001, marking a historic milestone for Aboriginal media in Sydney.

The Birth of the Yabun Festival

In 2003, GIS proudly presented the inaugural Yabun Festival at Waverley Oval, Bondi Junction. What began as a community celebration quickly grew into one of Australia's largest and most significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural events.

As attendance continued to increase, the festival relocated to Redfern Park before finding its permanent home at Victoria Park, Camperdown, where it continues to bring together thousands of people each year to celebrate First Nations culture, music, art, dance and community.

A Search for a Permanent Home

While achieving major milestones in broadcasting and community events, GIS continued its search for a permanent base. After leaving its leased premises, the organisation operated from shared office space within the former Marrickville Hospital in Sydney's Inner West, alongside several other Aboriginal organisations.

Although temporary, the move allowed GIS to continue delivering essential broadcasting and community services while planning for the future.

Returning Home to Redfern

In 2008, GIS returned to Redfern its spiritual home following an invitation from the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC), which had developed a new office building on the historic site of the original National Black Theatre in Cope Street.

Purpose-built recording and broadcasting studios were established on Level 3 with government funding, providing GIS with modern facilities to support Aboriginal media and storytelling for generations to come.

On 22 January 2015, GIS proudly secured ownership of Level 3 of the building from the ILSC, ensuring a permanent home for Koori Radio and the organisation's expanding programs.

A Building Rich in History

The striking exterior of the GIS building was designed by renowned Redfern-based Aboriginal artist Adam Hill (Blak Douglas). The artwork honours the profound cultural and political history of the site and celebrates the enduring strength of Aboriginal storytelling.

The design draws inspiration from the remarkable story of Kevin Gilbert and his groundbreaking play The Cherry Pickers. While imprisoned, Gilbert famously wrote the play on toilet paper and secretly smuggled the manuscript out of prison. It later became the first Aboriginal play to be published, symbolising resilience, creativity and the enduring power of First Nations voices.

Today, the building stands not only as the home of Gadigal Information Service and Koori Radio, but also as a living reminder of the legacy of Aboriginal resistance, creativity and self-determination.