Uncle John Ridgeway

Uncle John Ridgeway is a Koori man from New South Wales, with connections to Worimi Country and family ties to Cherbourg in Queensland. After moving to Queensland over thirty years ago, Uncle John built a strong connection to the Ipswich region through his work with Queensland Health and his ongoing involvement with the men’s group at Leichhardt, where he now volunteers as President.

Uncle John’s story highlights how fear of child removals, through policies associated with the Stolen Generations, disrupted identity and cultural connection. He reflects on discovering his Aboriginal heritage later in life while in high school, and the lasting impact this had on his understanding of self, family and community. Uncle John shares how this moment changed his outlook on life and the way he viewed the world around him. 

Driven by his own lived experiences and barriers to employment, Uncle John went on to obtain qualifications in counselling, where he discovered a strong passion for supporting others through their mental health struggles. Though now officially retired, he continues to use these skills to support the work of the Leichhardt Community Centre, connecting with and helping others no matter what their story looks like.