Winanjjikari Music Centre

05/09/2025

Winanjjikari is proud to present The Lonely Road to Calvary, the follow up album from the Country Gospel Band's debut self titled release of 2024. Led by Kelvin Ladd, this project represents a year-long journey through the vast catalogue of gospel standards cherished across the Barkly Tablelands. With Ladd’s encyclopedic knowledge of this repertoire and the dedicated support of the Winanjjikari team, the band has expanded its craft while staying true to the heartfelt spirit of their music.

Led by Kelvin Ladd and made up of lifelong friends from across the Barkly, the band has been sharing gospel songs for over 20 years — singing in both English and Alyawarr with heart, soul, and Country at the centre of it all.
Grab the album on the Winanjjikari Music Centre Bandcamp - https://winanjjikarimusiccentre.bandcamp.com/

https://winanjjikarimusiccentre.bandcamp.com/album/lonely-road-to-calvary

29/05/2025

Winanjjikari Music Centre, the musical arm of Barkly Regional Arts, plays a significant role in providing sound support and mentorship at Bush Bands Business and Bush Bands Bash each year, in collaboration with and various other music collectives across the Northern Territory.

If you're a bush band based in the Barkly Region and are interested in applying to perform at Bush Bands but need assistance with the application process, writing a bio for your band, or collating and engineering your recordings, feel free to reach out to Winanjjikari Music Centre for support!

28/05/2025

Check out our impromptu live session with The Country Gospel Band at the Winanjjikari Studio!

The session features Kelvin Ladd on guitar and vocals, Derek Beasley on guitar, Ivan Ross on bass, and Marcus Finlay on drums.

Led by Kelvin, The Country Gospel Band is a close-knit, rotating group of friends who have been performing together for over twenty years across the Barkly region of Central Northern Territory. Having grown up around the Epenarra community, surrounded by cattle stations and mustering life, they sing in Alyawarr and bring a genuine authenticity to their traditional country gospel sound.

Kelvin Ladd - Guitar and vocalsDerek Beasely - GuitarIvan Ross - BassMarcus Finlay - Drums

12/05/2025

Winanjjikari Music Centre and Barkly Regional Arts are excited to present the music video for ADR's release, Thinking About My Home.
This project was a collaborative effort between Winanjjikari and the band, as we explored DIY cinematography together.
A big thank you to the band for showing us their favourite local spots and to the Ampilatwatja School for their ongoing support of local musicians—providing rehearsal spaces and hosting music events—and to the wider community for their warmth and hospitality.
Thanks to Matt D'Penguin and Amaziah Club for all of their on the ground coordination!!

Check out the full album on your favourite streaming services!

Arlywarre Desert Reggae “Thinking About My Home”Written by Maxfield HolmesDirected by Arlywarre Desert Reggae & Winanjjikari Music Centre Production Company:...

07/12/2024

Winanjjikari Music Centre Presents: WMC - 10ANTS

The Winanjjikari Music Centre (WMC) is thrilled to announce the release of 10ANTS, a vibrant new album showcasing the creativity and collaborative spirit of our talented collective.

WMC has long been a hub of collaboration, where musicians from Tennant Creek and its surrounding communities come together to create. Between recording sessions for community projects, our dedicated staff channel their passion into crafting their own compositions. These tracks reflect an ongoing pursuit of innovation, honing production skills, and exploring fresh approaches to music-making, all while paying homage to the sounds of the central deserts of the Northern Territory.

Experimentation and the exploration of new sonic landscapes are at the heart of our process, brought to life with a spirit of laughter and camaraderie. 10ANTS offers a unique glimpse into 2024’s creative journey, capturing vignettes crafted in moments between community visits, event planning, and the production of WMC’s extensive body of work.

Grab your copy from December 4th on the Winanjjikari Bandcamp page:
https://winanjjikarimusiccentre.bandcamp.com/ Or listen on all streaming platforms
Also available on .org.au to community radio broadcasters!
fm

04/12/2024

Winanjjikari Music Centre Presents: WMC - 10ANTS

The Winanjjikari Music Centre (WMC) is thrilled to announce the release of 10ANTS, a vibrant new album showcasing the creativity and collaborative spirit of our talented collective.

WMC has long been a hub of collaboration, where musicians from Tennant Creek and its surrounding communities come together to create. Between recording sessions for community projects, our dedicated staff channel their passion into crafting their own compositions. These tracks reflect an ongoing pursuit of innovation, honing production skills, and exploring fresh approaches to music-making, all while paying homage to the sounds of the central deserts of the Northern Territory.

Experimentation and the exploration of new sonic landscapes are at the heart of our process, brought to life with a spirit of laughter and camaraderie. 10ANTS offers a unique glimpse into 2024’s creative journey, capturing vignettes crafted in moments between community visits, event planning, and the production of WMC’s extensive body of work.

Grab your copy from December 4th on the Winanjjikari Bandcamp page:
https://winanjjikarimusiccentre.bandcamp.com/
Also available on .org.au to community radio broadcasters!
fm

26/11/2024

From Winanjjikari Music Centre in Tennant Creek comes the debut album from the Arlywarre Desert Reggae band, Go Crazy. Hailing from the small community of Ampilatwatja in the heart of the central deserts of the Northern Territory, Arlywarre Desert Reggae honed their talents on basketball courts, at community gigs, and during sports carnivals. This group of friends has crafted an electrifying fusion of desert rock and reggae.

Drawing on stories of home, heartbreak, and celebration, Arlywarre Desert Reggae channels the energy and resilience of their community into every performance. Their music is a heartfelt expression of life in the remote desert and an irresistible invitation to let loose on the dance floor.

This album will be available tomorrow the 27th November! Stream or grab yourself a copy from the Winanjjikari : https://winanjjikarimusiccentre.bandcamp.com/

.org.au

23/11/2024

Barkly Regional Arts team spent the last week in Mparntwe/Alice Springs with artists and arts workers from the Territory discussing ways to keep NT's unique artistic diversity strong and lasting at the Meeting of Arts Professionals conference, hosted by ARTS NT.

WMC's Laurence Williams spoke on a panel- Connecting Culture: underscoring the vital role of Aboriginal and multicultural stories, honouring their place at the heart of the Territory’s arts and cultural identity. 🤩

12/11/2024

🌟 Alpurrurulam is the place to be 🌟
WMC spent a week in Alpurrurulam working with musicians on recording and production skills and introducing basic sound making to kids.
The week wrapped up with a community concert and sausage sizzle at the basketball courts under a gorgeous desert sunset!