Richard was born on Wiradjuri country. His conception Spirit Well site was near the top of Gaanha-bula (two shoulders) on Mount Canobolas, close to the city of Orange in NSW. He grew up along the Belubula River (stony river or big lagoon), near the small town of Canowindra (home or camping place), a key Wiradjuri traditional homeland. In his late teens, he was a lead guitarist in a rock band with two of his brothers and two friends called the South Side Five. He trained as a fitter and turner.
He arrived in Arnhem Land in the NT in 1973 to volunteer for 12 months. He was compelled to learn Yolngu Matha and remained to work alongside some of the most traditional First Nation Australians, the Yolngu People. Trained as a community worker-educator, he speaks Djambarrpuyŋu to a deep legal, economic, and medical level. He has now collaborated with Yolŋu people for over 45 years.
He was the CEO of Aboriginal Resource and Development Services (ARDS) for 10 years, during which he developed the Discovery Education methodology with Rev Dr Djiniyini Gondarra OAM and also established Yolŋu Radio in 2003. He was asked by the Yolngu elders to write "Why Warriors Lie Down and Die" and to train mainstream Balanda to understand Yolngu law and culture. He ran ‘Bridging the Gap’ seminars and corporate workshops across Australia, focusing on cultural competency and cross-cultural communication.
He is currently the CEO of Why Warriors Pty Ltd, a community development social enterprise working with Yolngu people. He spends his days writing, producing podcasts, building an online learning centre for Yolngu, creating videos, developing online cross-cultural training materials, running workshops for Yolngu and Balanda, and working with Yolngu to develop family businesses.
