Born 9/1 1960 at Cubawee Aboriginal Mission near Lismore NSW
Father: Cedric Roberts born in Lismore Widjabal
Mother: Agnes Jarrett born in Tweed Heads Minanjali/Bundjalung
Grandparents: Aubrey (Oral Senior) Roberts and caroline Roberts Widjabal/Wahrlabal
Oral is third generation Widjabal (Lismore) clan.
Oral was born on the Cubawee Mission and lived there for the first 2 years of his life.
The Mission was a safe place with strong family connection to all the Bundjalung communities along the North Coast of New South Wales and the teachings of Reverend Frank Roberts. Cubawee had a first Aboriginal School on the North Coast. His parents moved from Cubawee to Goonellabah where they lived the rest of their lives.
His Grandparents moved from Cubawee to Evans Heads in 1961, he visited there many times as a child which gave him a sense of place. He moved from Lismore in 2000 to live in Evans head he lived there until 2014, he now resides at Ocean Shores.
Orals works reflect his close connection to the Bundjalung land and culture. His painting express his strong connection to the spirit and the bush, scrub where many of the bird species and animals he paints are native. His outstanding work continually evolves.
