‘Healing can begin with a handshake’: inside Sydney’s only Aboriginal-run drug and alcohol counselling centre

From massive loss and intense grief, the Marrin Weejali Aboriginal Corporation was born

• Read the first in our series of stories from Blacktown: Blacktown is a better place now': how a former refugee and coach built pride in his community

When Tony Hunter first shakes your hand, he holds your gaze a long time, calmly sizing you up, perhaps looking for a common bond. His outback New South Wales drawl is slow, but his mind feels fully engaged. Tell him he looks a lot younger than his 69 years and he looks sceptical: I lost 10 years to alcohol in there."

Twenty-seven years ago Hunter and his partner, Melinda Bonham, were sitting on the porch of their house in Shalvey, a suburb of Blacktown, when Hunter fell silent, lost in thought. It was 1994, and the local Aboriginal community had endured a long cycle of drug and alcohol addiction, trauma and premature death. After a while, Hunter spoke: I've gotta do something to help my people."

Marrin Weejali Aboriginal Corporation.