Hunter artist Aunt Ella McGrath has shared her remarkable life journey, including the day she first learned the family secret of First Nations heritage, in a new biography.

Aunt Ella, of Macquarie Hills, learned she was Aboriginal at age 23 following the death of her white mother. Her father revealed that his own father, John Henry Lewis of Dubbo, was a Wiradjuri man — a revelation that would reshape the rest of her life.

Today, Aunt Ella, 75, is a prominent advocate for First Nations people in the Hunter. She has been associated with the Awabakal Land Council, Yarnteen Indigenous Development Association, and the Yamuloong Centre, and has served as chair of the Awabakal Aboriginal Education Consultative Group. She has also supported local police in their work with young Aboriginal offenders.

Her Life Story — more than 21,000 words — was created as part of HammondCare’s Life Stories program.

HammondCare is rolling out the program in the Hunter with up to 30 Home Care clients, including Aunt Ella, and residents of HammondCare Waratah to date, having their stories completed or in progress. The program will expand as more volunteers are recruited. To learn more about being involved, click here.

Aunt Ella’s Life Story covers her early family experiences growing up in Dubbo, her commitment to cultural identity, and her more recent years with husband Gary. Life Stories volunteer Jen Smith spent six sessions with Aunt Ella interviewing her.

Aunt Ella believes her dad kept his Aboriginality hidden for so long because he was raised by his white grandparents. He believed his mother was his sister.

“You have to remember that being Aboriginal back then wasn’t easy (it’s not now either for many, of course). There was a lot of discrimination, and we saw that,” she says in her Life Story.

“My grandparents (who had brought Dad up) wanted to ignore that Dad was Aboriginal. My Mum’s family had sort of rejected us because of why my dad was (I think).”

Aunt Ella said she and her brothers and sisters took the revelation in different ways, but she knew instantly “in her heart” her Aboriginal heritage was “something I wanted to acknowledge and explore.”

A notable inclusion in Aunt Ella’s Life Story are copies of letters from people who knew her dad, submitted to the Awabakal and Dubbo Land Councils to confirm her membership as a First Nations person.

Art, in both painting and woodwork, has been central to Aunty Ella’s life and gained renewed focus during her rehabilitation following a recent stroke. Her bold works have been exhibited in the Hunter, including at John Hunter Hospital.

HammondCare CEO Andrew Thorburn first met Aunt Ella in 2024 and was so taken by her artwork he commissioned a painting for HammondCare. That artwork is on display in the HammondCare boardroom.

Mr Thorburn said the Life Stories program helps older people share their knowledge, experiences, and wisdom with future generations.

“The memories and stories of older Australians should be treasured and preserved for the benefit of their families and communities,” Mr Thorburn said.

“In Aunt Ella’s case, this includes her wish to pass on to her children and wider family her proud legacy as a First Nations elder.”