In light of this year's theme, the Watarrka Foundation would like to acknowledge some of the remarkable Aboriginal women whose leadership has made significant contributions to Australian history, culture and Indigenous rights.

Aunty Faith Thomas (1933-2023)

Aunty Faith Thomas was a proud Adnyamathanha woman, nurse and test cricketer who was the first Indigenous woman to represent an Australian sports team. She was also among the first Aboriginal nurses to graduate at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, and turned down the opportunity to tour internationally for cricket to focus on her nursing career, later becoming a patrol nurse in regional South Australia. Thomas was appointed the Officer of the Order of Australia in 2019, awarded for distinguished service of a high degree to Australia or humanity at large, for her service to cricket and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Dr Evelyn Scott (1935-2017)

Dr Evelyn Scott was an Indigenous rights activist and social justice campaigner who was one of the leading figures in the 1967 referendum, the most successful referendum in Australia's history, in which more than 90% of voters voted yes to change the Australian constitution to remove references that discriminated against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. After the referendum, Scott went on to join the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders as vice president, and played a key role in re-establishing the organisation as an Indigenous body. She had a long, successful career as an activist and campaigner, and was appointed the Officer of the Order of Australia in 2003.

Alexis Wright (1950-present)

Alexis Wright is a Waanyi women, author and land rights activist. She is the only author to win both the Miles Franklin Award (in 2007 for her novel Carpentaria) and the Stella Prize (in 2018 for her non-fiction book Tracker). Wright is considered one of Australia's greatest living writers. Her work offers a unique and powerful portrait of Indigenous Australia and is sharply critical of colonialism and its repercussions. Wright also works as an educator and researcher for the Central Land Council, making significant contributions to land rights issues for Central Australia through her work. 

Professor Megan Davis (1975-present)

Professor Megan Davis is a Cobble Cobble woman of the Barunggam Nation, an Indigenous activist and human rights lawyer. Davis was the first Indigenous Australian to sit on a United Nations body, and was Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. She is a renowned constitutional lawyer and public law expert, with a focus on advocacy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Davis was a key figure in the Uluru Statement from the Heart and is a member of the Referendum Council. 

 Vera, Traditional Owner, painting at Lilla

The Watarrka Foundation would also like to acknowledge and thank Cheltenham Girls High School, who have been long supporters of the Foundation and Lilla community, having raised more than $15,000 for the Foundation’s projects!