Ken Duncan near Memory Mountain

Ken Duncan, high profile landscape photographer and passionate Christian is working with Indigenous communities near Alice Springs to erect a giant, 20metre-high illuminated steel cross on a mountain in central Australia.

In 2009, at the foot of a mountain which lies between Papunya and Haasts Bluff, three Indigenous community leaders shared with Ken their vision of a cross standing tall on the mountain which would unify Christians, help reconcile Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia and claim the country for Jesus.

“Three different elders came up to me with a vision about building a cross on top of this mountain. I thought, well, this is weird—independently of each other they’ve had this vision to build a cross.

“And they said, ‘Ken can you help us?’ And I’m going, ‘Um, ok. But why are we building a cross?’ And they said, because we want people to know that we are in spiritual warfare in this nation and that our land is covered by the blood of Jesus and we are covered by Jesus.”

Five years on, the cross has been given sacred site clearance by the Central Lands Council, plans have been drawn up and now all that’s needed is to raise $1.2 million to make the cross a reality.

There’s been a lot of media attention on the project, which, apart from seeming like a crazy idea to non-Christians (and probably lots of Christians), is seen as an impossible feat in an area tightly controlled by the Central Aboriginal Land Council. That the project has been granted clearance by the CLC is being seen by many as a miracle.

“We haven’t done any media releases or anything like that, but there’s been interest,” says Ken. “I’ve had a journalist from the Australian tell me he’s dealt with these regulatory bodies over many years. He said he’s not a Christian, he doesn’t believe in miracles, but having permission to build a cross in the heart of Australia going through all the government bodies—that’s a miracle.”

Artist’s impression of the cross

With such a high profile and headlines popping up like ‘Ken Duncan wants a light to lead second coming’, Ken is keen to dispel the myth that it’s his efforts, or his cross. He says, it must be a project of the whole church under God, or it won’t make an impact on the rest of Australia.

“The unbelieving world needs to see Christians working together … It’s not about me building a cross, it’s about the body building a cross—that’s where the power is. And if we really want to see the Holy Spirit move, we have to be in unison.”

Bible Society Australia has teamed up with Ken in a joint fundraising effort to raise $3.1 million for their Indigenous audio Bible projects.

“Bible Society is on board, which I think is so exciting, because the Bible is one of the most important things that we need out there while this whole thing is going on … There’s something about being able to read the word in your own language that’s very powerful.

“I believe God is going to bring revival through the Indigenous people, as Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians connect with each other. I think that’s his strategy.”

In what is an ambitious timeline, Ken’s hoping the cross will be built by November, a goal he’s given over to God.

“I’ve said to the Lord, whatever it takes. I could be doing more galleries, but what for? When I stand before the Lord, he’s not going to say, ‘Gee, I loved your photos, Ken’. He’s going to say, ‘What did you do with my Son?’

“You know, I hear a lot of Christians talking about how we need to do something to show the unbelieving world the one we serve. What better way than sticking a cross right in the heart of the nation, joining in with these Indigenous Christians who really want to claim Christ over the nation. What an amazing way to do it!”

Donations to the Raise the Cross Project can be made through Ken’s website, while donations to Bible Society Australia’s Indigenous projects can be made here. Ken also has plans to crowd-fund and is challenging 100 individuals or organisations to raise $5000 each towards the project.