Miromaa Aboriginal Language & Technology Centre

Daryn McKenny is the Co-founder and Managing Director of Miromaa Aboriginal Language and Technology Centre, an Aboriginal-led organisation based on Awabakal Country in Newcastle, NSW, dedicated to the revival, conservation and strengthening of Indigenous languages and culture for more than two decades.

Under Daryn's leadership, Miromaa has equipped hundreds of communities across Australia and around the world with culturally secure digital tools to document, archive and teach their languages — ensuring cultural knowledge is not only conserved, but actively lived, taught and carried forward by future generations.

He has championed Miromaa On Country, a model that reconnects community with traditional ecological knowledge by tying language directly to wildlife, waterways and natural environments. This work has contributed to the identification of one of the largest koala populations on the east coast of Australia — demonstrating the power of cultural knowledge in caring for and protecting Country.

Through the internationally recognised PULiiMA Indigenous Language Conference, now attracting over 1,000 delegates, Daryn has created a global space where communities share practical solutions, showcase innovation and strengthen networks.

At the heart of his work is a clear conviction: language and culture cannot exist without one another. By strengthening language, Miromaa strengthens cultural practice, connection to Country and community identity — helping restore wellbeing and secure a thriving cultural future for generations to come.