Big Fire – Big Dream Forum continues to grow a movement

More than a men’s forum, the Stronger In Our Way Men’s Forums have become a growing movement bringing men together to heal, reconnect and strengthen their roles as fathers, leaders, mentors and community members.

This week Aboriginal men, community leaders, service providers and practitioners from across the Kimberley and northern Australia have gathered on Country at Home Valley Station for the 2026 Big Fire – Big Dream Men’s Forum, hosted by Kununurra Waringarri Aboriginal Corporation (KWAC).

Now in its third year, the forum continues to evolve in response to what men themselves have said they need. Feedback from previous forums highlighted the importance of creating safe spaces where men can connect with each other, spend time on Country, share stories, learn from lived experience and explore pathways to healing.

This year’s program has been deliberately designed around those reflections, creating space for men to slow down, connect, participate in workshops, hear from speakers with lived experience and build relationships that extend well beyond the two-day gathering.

KWAC Chief Executive Officer Adrian McCann said the forum demonstrates the power of listening to men and continuing the conversation year after year.

“One of the strongest messages we heard from previous forums was that men need opportunities to come together not just when things are going wrong,” Mr McCann said.

“This year we’ve focused on creating that space. Time on Country, opportunities to yarn, practical workshops, cultural connection and hearing from men who have walked their own healing journeys.”

“What makes this forum special is that it continues to be shaped by the men who attend. Each year we listen, learn, and build on what we’ve heard. The forum is evolving because the conversation is evolving.”

“The forum is ultimately about strengthening men so they can strengthen families, communities and future generations.”

The forum features presentations and workshops from leading voices in men’s wellbeing, healing, trauma recovery and leadership, including Associate Professor Dr Clinton Schultz, First Nations psychologist and Director of First Nations Strategy and Research at the Black Dog Institute; Darryl Gardiner, founder of Rolling With The Punches; Jeremy Donovan, Director of the Jeremy Donovan Group and lead of the Northern Australian Aboriginal Men’s Alliance (NAAMA); Troy Reardon from The Comeback Co.; and local facilitators and men’s champions from Ord Valley Aboriginal Health Service (OVAHS), Gawooleng Yawoodeng Aboriginal Corporation (GYAC) and KWAC’s Men’s Shed.

The incredibly talented Salty One (Lowell Hunter) also ran a creative workshop with the men that will become artwork for future forums.

Alongside the formal program, the gathering provides valuable opportunities for men from different communities, organisations and backgrounds to build relationships, share experiences and explore how they can collectively support the next generation.

The forum also reflects the growing collaboration occurring across the men’s sector, with local Kununurraservices continuing conversations that have emerged through previous forums and a series of men’s sector gatherings held throughout the year.

While the challenges facing many men are complex, the message emerging from the forum has been clear: solutions are most effective when they are shaped by men themselves, grounded in culture and supported by strong relationships. The forum has provided an important opportunity to listen, learn and continue building pathways that support men, families and communities to thrive.