Who is Tom Molyneux?
I’m a proud Gunditjmara man, actor, playwright and currently working at Deakin University as the Manager of Indigenous Inclusion.
What would you do differently from what you do now?
Nothing, I love being able to balance my creative pursuits with meaningful work in the education sector. I’ve got a great passion for the power of education. My boss talks a lot about the way in which your Ancestors can help to guide you to be in the right place at the right times – that really resonates for me at the moment, and being able to take a heartfelt show about my ancestor Uncle Allan on a national tour means a lot.
Who inspires you and why?
So many people. But it’s hard to go past the Aboriginal diggers who fought in World Wars for a nation that didn’t even recognize them, or allow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to enlist. They laid it all on the line, and it’s only recently that our country has started to appropriately express its gratitude. They were following in the footsteps of their Ancestors whose resistance in the frontier conflicts is still not fully understood.
What would you do to make a difference in the world?
I hope I already am.
Favourite holiday destination and why?
When the international borders are open, it would be The Faroe Islands, nestled between Scotland and Iceland in the middle of the ocean. A rugged, beautiful and untouched place, and the cherry on top is that it’s full of puffins!
When friends come to town, what attraction would you take them to, and why?
Budj Bim. Down on Gunditjmara Country, there are eel traps that are more than 2,000 years older than the Egyptian pyramids. It’s the first location in Australia to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list purely on the basis of its Aboriginal cultural heritage. So needless to say, it’s well worth a visit – the whole region is teeming with stories.
What are you currently reading?
Forgotten War by Henry Reynolds.
What are you currently listening to?
Nadje Noordhuis’ meditative trumpet music.
Happiness is?
Hitting the road with my husband to tour our theatre show, meeting communities all over the continent and sharing stories. Doesn’t get much better than that.
What does the future hold for you?
If you live in the moment the future will take care of itself.
Tom is the Co-Writer / Performer (with Joel Carnegie) in Stardust + The Mission – which is touring nationally in 2022 to over 35 venues across Australia including: Chapel off Chapel (Melbourne), Lighthouse Theatre Warrnambool, Riverside Theatres Parramatta, Theatre Royal Hobart, Civic Theatre Newcastle and Capitol Theatre Tamworth. For more information and touring schedule, visit: www.thespacecompany.com.au for details.
Image: Tom Molyneux – photo by Sarah Walker