Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website may contain images and voices of deceased people.
"My artwork is a combination of my photography, drawings, and graphic design work - representing the ages and colours of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and their strong spiritual and cultural connection to the land and the sea.
"The artwork depicts an Aboriginal mother who is an ‘Unsung Hero’ leading her children through example, showing that actions can speak louder than words.
"My artwork features three brothers with their land behind them and the horizon before the. Their Elders are reflected in the water, giving the brothers the strength to overcome what lies over the horizon.
"This artwork represents the elders teaching and keeping watch over the young as they learn and grow into adults to then carry on the culture. The painting also depicts the old ones who watch over everyone to protect and guide us through our lives.
Ash Barty AO was born in Ipswich, Queensland. Through her great-grandmother, Ash is a member of the Ngarigo people, the Aboriginal people of southern New South Wales and north-eastern Victoria.
Ashleigh (Ash) Gardner is a Muruwari woman from south-western Sydney. Her Mob and Country – the Muruwari people, are from south-west Queensland and rural north-west New South Wales. Ash plays on the Australian women’s cricket team and is an accomplished all-rounder.
Ash played a number of sports as a child but quickly realised that cricket was her number one. Not only did cricket give her the drive to excel, it also seemed like a potential future career possibility. She was fortunate enough to receive her first state cricket contract at the age of 17. Even though she was still completing her HSC, it was quite clear where Ash’s priorities were – and that was cricket! Exposure to professional sport environments helped Ash to learn that talent was only going to get her so far and that she had to change her attitude if she wanted to achieve her lifelong dream of playing for Australia.
At the age of 18, Ash was named Captain of the Australian Indigenous team completing a tour in India. Two years later, Ash captained that same side for the 150th anniversary of the first Aboriginal cricket team who played in Britain in 1868. By the age of 22, Ash was a two-time world champion and continues to be destructive with the bat and a match-winner with the ball.
In 2022, she was recognised for her outstanding achievements by Cricket Australia who named Ash the Belinda Clark Medallist – the highest individual honour in Australian Women's Cricket – and awarded to Australia’s best women’s international cricketer. Ash and her team went on to win the 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand where she and her teammate went undefeated. Ash and her team also won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
After Australia won the 2023 Women’s Twenty20 World Cup, Ashleigh received the International Cricket Council’s Player of the Tournament Award.
Being a role model for young aspiring Aboriginal athletes was never something Ash thought she would be but understands that this comes with being a professional cricketer. Her aim is to always be professional both on and off the field and to showcase positivity for young kids.
Ash also founded The Ashleigh Gardner Foundation whose goal is to increase the number of Aboriginal kids finishing high school and aims to provide a healthy start to the school day for Aboriginal kids: “we believe by delivering a positive experience at school through providing breakfast and unstructured play, it will encourage these kids to complete their education long term”.
The Ashleigh Gardner Foundation’s mission is to foster a positive culture and a healthy lifestyle through sport, education and art with hope of increasing positive self-belief and confidence at a young age.
To kick off her 2023 year, after a successful WBBL season for the Sydney Sixers, Ash was named Player of the Tournament. Following the WBBL season, Ash travelled to South Africa with the Australian women's team, where they secured a historic sixth T20World Cup crown, with Ash playing a starring role and being named the Player of the Tournament.
She is proud to represent her Mob and culture, with her clan name tattooed on her arm to remind her of her roots.
Video created by Blacklock Media.
Ashley Farrall is a 22 year old Arrernte Man from Alice Springs, and a second year apprentice chef at Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park. With a passion for food and a creative flair, Ashley experiments with local bush foods and inspires the other chefs with his enthusiasm.
Auntie Ali Golding is a grassroots Indigenous leader recognised as a valued elder who demonstrates compassion, humility and justice.
A proud Bripi woman, Ali grew up on the Taree Mission in New South Wales.
Dr Aunty Bilawara Lee is a proud Larrakia woman and Senior Elder who works tirelessly in her community to continue Larrakia people’s connection to Country, culture, and Ancestors through education, language, spirituality and healing.
Aunty Bilawara grew up in Darwin, and is the eldest child of Larrakia Elder Mary Lee (nee Cubillo), and Herbert Lee, a Karajarri man from north Western Australia. Her name Bilawara, means the red-tailed black cockatoo, and is an Ancestral spirit that brings about change. She is a mother of three, grandmother to nine and Aunty to all.
Aunty Bilawara has experienced a diverse career and is passionate about reviving and teaching the Larrakia language and culture for future generations. Aunty Bilawara has been working closely with the Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation to revive the Larrakia language, songs and dance. As part of her work to revive and maintain Larrakia culture, Aunty Bilawara attends many workplaces to teach Acknowledgment of Country in Larrakia language and facilitates language workshops. This has included radio presenters at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the Australian Defence Force and other government departments. Dr Aunty Bilawara has also taught the Governor General and the previous and present Northern Territory Administrators an Acknowledgement to Country in Larrakia language and regularly performs Welcomes to Country and Smoking ceremonies.
This work does not stop her from continuing the grass roots level work on the ground, and in community, where she organises and cooks a monthly lunch gathering for Larrakia Nation Elders group, the Danila Dilba Stolen Generation Garden Point group, and the Stolen Generation Organisation and works closely to teach language and share culture with local schools and charity organisations.
Aunty Bilawara is recognised by the Larrakia community as a Gurdimin-ba Bali, a Spirit Doctor, a healer and teacher of the ancient wisdoms of Aboriginal Spirituality and Healing. She is also an internationally published author, with two books, Star Dreaming and Healing from the Dilly Bag. She has travelled nationally and internationally conducting workshops on Aboriginal spirituality and healing, and sits on several boards, committees and community groups for her knowledge in Aboriginal culture and practices. This includes being the Chair of the Northern Territory Minister's Health Advisory Committee, Chair of the Menzies School of Health Research's First Nations Advisory Committee, and is a member of the Northern Territory Clinical Senate since January 2018. In 2021 she represented Australia on the International Indigenous Grandmothers Council who are recognised as the wisdom keepers of the world’s ancient sacred knowledges.
Aunty Bilawara is currently the inaugural Larrakia Academic in-Residence at Charles Darwin University where she is actively involved in providing culturally informed guidance on cultural protocols and practices, and support to the University’s staff and students. As an ambassador for Charles Darwin University and a link between higher education, health and the community, Aunty Bilawara encourages others to continue their education as she believes it helps people better their lives, health and employment resulting in better living conditions for all. In April 2023, Aunty Bilawara was honoured with an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Charles Darwin University for her work in health, education, cultural and spiritual work.
In 2021, Aunty Bilawara won the Northern Territory NAIDOC Female Elder of the Year Award and in 2022 was a finalist in the Senior Australian of the Year Award, received a Senior of Excellence Award and an Award from the Mental Health Foundation of Australia. Aunty Bilawara’s generosity in building a rich diverse community extends to giving her energy, knowledge and skills to other communities, such as the LGBTIQA+ community and many different ethnic communities who have settled in Darwin. She works closely with the Multi-Cultural Council of Darwin and the Melaleuca Refugee Centre, providing classes to newly arrived refugees, including on how to gain employment.
Aunty Bilawara has supported and worked alongside many of our First Nations Leaders and has always given her time, energy and resources to help others learn about the deep connection to land, seas and sky that we still have today, all while she continues to practice, share and promote Larrakia cultural protocols.
Video created by Blacklock Media.
Welcome to NAIDOC.
We acknowledge all First Peoples of the beautiful lands on which we live and celebrate their enduring knowledge and connections to Country. We honour the wisdom of and pay respect to Elders past and present.