20th Anniversary Collection: The male midwife who birthed babies in Arnhem Land

Male midwife, Christian Wright tells stories of emergency evacuations and surfing with crocodiles while working in remote Indigenous communities, helping Yolŋu women birth their babies.

Growing up South of Sydney as one of six boys, midwifery wasn't the occupation Christian Wright expected for himself.

At the age of nine he experienced a vision that gave him a sense of his future in a life of service.

In the tiny town of Nhulunbuy, right on the tip of the Northern Territory, Christian worked with Yolŋu women of remote Arnhem Land to help them birth their babies.

Further information

First broadcast March 2021.

2025 update: Several years ago, Christian married his beloved, Caroline in Gove.

On the first day of their honeymoon as they were driving up the track, their troop carrier rolled.

Christian’s spine was broken, and he was airlifted to Royal Adelaide Hospital, where the doctors feared that he may not walk again.

Christian went back to work within six months of the accident and has since worked in the NT and Papua New Guinea.

He and Caroline now have a baby boy. And yes, Christian did deliver the baby!

Learn more about Christian's research into pregnancy and birth.

Discover the Djakamirr program, training doulas to help Yolŋu women give birth on their own country.

Christian also recommends the book Why Warriors Lie Down and Die by Richard Trudgen as a valuable resource on Indigenous Australia.

Standout story – Nigel Newton

You can hear Richard's full conversation with Nigel Newton on the ABC Listen app or wherever you get your podcasts.

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/publisher-nigel-newton-on-harnessing-the-harry-potter-effect/7788834

You can read all about the Conversations origin story on the ABC News website.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-03/richard-fidler-reflects-on-20-years-of-conversations/105495784

This episode of Conversations explores birth, midwifery, Yolŋu country, First Nations birthing, the fourth trimester, active labour and a male midwife.

To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.