My parents and grandparents came to Australia from war-torn Europe, and it is thanks to their embrace of this ancient country that I have been involved with, and friends with, First Australians my whole life.

In 1992, my children ― then aged four and six-years-old ― came with me to Uluru. It was for the launch of a book I was working on about Maruku, a not-for-profit art and craft corporation, owned and operated by the Anangu people.

The local Indigenous community, known as Mutitjulu, welcomed us with a spontaneous corrobboree as their celebration of this book.

That sincerity with which we were being included and the generosity of spirit was so real so heartfelt, it has stayed with us ever since.

Learning from the past

Through my friendship with Aboriginal people around Australia, I treasure the knowledge that is shared with me and I learn by listening.

I am constantly in awe of the philosophies and wisdom of our Indigenous people, and their considerations for future generations and for the good of the country.

For tens and tens of thousands of years Aboriginal laws have sustained and maintained the eco system of Australia. It is only the last couple of hundred years that have challenged nature.

Ngemba Elder Feli McHughes once told me: "We can't do much about the past, but we can certainly do something about the future ― and we can learn from the past".

This way of thinking that inspires the work that I do as a filmmaker and as CEO and founder of Oneland, a not-for-profit organisation that promotes arts, sport and education in remote communities and brings Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultures together.

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Whatsapp Filmmaker Susie Agoston worked with Ngemba Elder Feli McHughes on a documentary project.

Capturing connections on-screen

Over 2011 and 2012 I was making a documentary with Feli about the Darling River near Brewarrina, and I invited my daughter Alexandra to come.

The experience had such a strong impact on her, it gave me the idea. I asked the local Elders if I could invite some of the girls from the netball teams I coach in Sydney to come to Brewarrina, too. I hoped that, like Alexandra, they'd be able to meet the Elders and schoolchildren in this community.

My son David suggested I take a film crew with us to make a documentary about it.

Initially, I said no.

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Whatsapp More than a netball match, the city students and Brewarrina locals bonded during their time together.

I'd already assumed the role of 'mini-bus driver', and the prospect of transporting a group of teenagers and a 10-year-old for 1,600 kilometres to an extremely remote area seemed enough of a challenge.

Luckily my son talked me into it.

My instructions to the two-person crew were to "be invisible" and "not to interfere with anything that was happening ― even if it would look good on camera, but to err on the side of not filming if filming might change the dynamics".

This experience was about bringing the two groups of children together, not creating moments for television.

The guys on crew were amazing, we all forgot they were there, and we ended up with raw footage that unfolds its own story.

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'It made everything real'

The Sydney students were fascinated to learn about a traditional Australian Culture they knew nothing about.

One girl, Lena, was so stirred and motivated after returning from Brewarrina, she asked her school if she could give a talk about it at assembly.

"I thought Australia 'began' with Captain Cook and I feel betrayed ― after already being at school for nine years ― that I wasn't told about the real history of Australia," she told me.

Another student, Emily, pointed out that in the classroom, Indigenous histories are usually taught by non-Indigenous people.

"It was so good to meet the Indigenous Elders ― it made everything real ... to meet individual people who are sometimes grouped into one entity," she said.

"But each person has their individual lives, their individual personalities, individual hobbies, and jobs and families and identity.

Emily added: "It was really eye-opening to see there is a struggle, and how poorly Indigenous people were treated with colonisation. It is still under estimated and we don't see that in the city. It's too easy, out of sight, out of mind, and going to Brewarrina made that tangible"

I thank the Elders for trusting me, the friendships of the children of Brewarrina who welcomed us, and the girls from Sydney who embraced this beautiful Culture.

Susie Agoston is the producer and director of Oneland, which aired on Compass Sunday 7 July. Watch the full episode below or here.

The video is no longer available.