Victor Patrick - count me in

Release date is on the International Day of  People with Disability Wednesday, 3rd December 2025

As aN Aboriginal man living with disability, Derby and fitzroy crossing legend, Victor Patrick, has a lot of truly amazing stories.. when he's not got you in the grips of his latest joke..

My name’s Victor Djungadi Patrick. I’m a Bunuba man from Fitzroy Crossing in the Kimberley. I’m about access and inclusion, and my songs are about this and my stories.

I was born in the Marduwarra Fitzroy River. Me, my twin and my mother were taken to Derby Native Hospital by the Flying Doctor where she passed away two weeks later of Pulmonary Embolism. The nuns at the hospital couldn’t find any relatives around Derby (at the time) and our mother went only by one name, so we were baptised at the Derby Catholic Church under the name of St Patrick.

The Derby Native Affairs Office decided to take me and my brother and foster us to a missionary couple at the United Aborigines Mission in Derby. In their terms, we then became “inmates” at the age of two and a half, which is a description we laugh at today. We were fostered all over the state, but spent most time at the Fitzroy Crossing Mission. All through childhood I was flown to the Children’s Spastic Hostel for treatment at Princess Margaret Hospital in Perth for the trauma I received at birth. 

In my 20's, I faced a lot of discrimination for my disability and Aboriginality when trying to find employment; so many times ending up in the sheltered workshop for people with disabilities. 

While I was in Perth I got given an incredible opportunity to become an Aboriginal Health Worker and the doors really opened for me after that. I got various jobs related to health and disability advocacy which took me all over the state, Australia and even to Canada.

In my later years, I did even more touring when I was on advisory boards for the NDIA, the Disability Assembly of WA, First People’s Disability Network and other organisations. Now, after living my life, struggling with discrimination and racism and all that, just to be a participant in our country, now I’m out to make sure that other people can be participants too.

In Derby, I run the International Day of Disability every year. I’m also helping to put together a new Derby Ability Activity Centre, and that will be a process. We’ve got the interests from the Shire and others, and hopefully one day we will be in a building of our own. Might take 2, 3, 4 years, doesn’t matter. I'll still be young and handsome to see it all come in to fruition!

Next year I’m starting a degree in Creative Writing to find ways of telling all my stories.

For now, I hope you enjoy these ones.

Listen and purchase below or stream on any platform

Count Me In

Adventuresof_Sam

Buy album
My name’s Victor Jungarri Patrick. Im a Bunuba man from Fitzroy Crossing in the Kimberley. Im about access and inclusion, and my songs are about this and also about country. In Derby, I run the International Day of Read more
My name’s Victor Jungarri Patrick. Im a Bunuba man from Fitzroy Crossing in the Kimberley. Im about access and inclusion, and my songs are about this and also about country.

In Derby, I run the International Day of Disability every year. I’m also helping to put together a new Derby Ability Activity Centre, and that will be a process, we’ve got the interests from the Shire and others, and hopefully one day we will be in a building on our own. Might take 2, 3, 4 years, doesn’t matter, ill still be young and handsome to see it all come in to fruition.

I was born in the Marduwarra. At birth, my mother died and I was transported from the Derby Native’s Hospital to the Fitzroy Crossing Mission and we were called “inmates” at the United Aborigines Mission, those were the words used at that time. I’ve lived and worked in Perth, Bunbury, Margaret River and have travelled to places all around the country and the world. I’ve been on advisory boards for the NDIS and state government. Now, after living my life, struggling with discrimination and racism and all that, just to be a participant in our country, now I’m out to make sure that other people can be participants too.

Next year im starting a degree in Creative Writing to find ways of telling all my stories.

For now, I hope you enjoy these ones!
0:00/???
  1. 1
    Walk Me To The End Of The Marsh 2:18
    0:00/2:18
  2. 2
    Count Me In 2:49
    0:00/2:49
  3. 3
    Long Time Before Drinks 3:26
    0:00/3:26
  4. 4
    Big Red Bus 2:51
    0:00/2:51