A man of Palawa and Portuguese heritage, Jony Berry was the first Aboriginal person to represent Australia at the Mr World competition, using his platform as a model and performer to advocate for causes close to his heart. Jony’s advocacy around the globe was recognised recently with his nomination for Tasmania’s Young Australian of the year award.

With his large social media following, Jony also uses his local and overseas profile to raise awareness of issues affecting young LGBTQ+ people.

“I was pretty shy growing up as a kid, so for mum to style me up in all the little outfits, I'd be like, ‘Oh, shame. Take me.’ But once I'd sing, and once I'd be there and doing a song, it was different,” says Donovan.

Donovan co-founded The Stiff Gins, and shortly afterwards went on to sing with the Black Arm Band, and in collaboration with her heroes Archie Roach, Ruby Hunter, Christine Anu, Yothu Yindi and Paul Kelly. She continues to perform alongside some of Australian music’s most notable names, including Indigenous stars Briggs, A.B. Original, Dan Sultan, Shellie Morris and Spinifex Gum in styles ranging from soul, to reggae, to R&B, and gospel.

Faced with an opportunity to record her first solo album since the 2004 EP project titled Changes, and her first album after eight years without The Putbacks ensemble, Donovan says she was propelled into some deep introspection.

“I wanted to approach the album as a clean slate, but looking back at what makes me who I am,” Donovan explains. “I began by asking myself, who am I? Who is Emma Donovan? And what do I want to do? I want to be the deadly granddaughter, niece and daughter. I want to make my family proud.

Thomas Mayo is a Kaurareg Aboriginal and Kalkalgal, Erubamle Torres Strait Islander author who was born and raised in Darwin. 

After working on the wharves in Darwin and Sydney, he took on leadership roles within the Maritime Union of Australia. Thomas Mayo was elected as an Assistant National Secretary in 2023. 

As a signatory to the Uluru Statement from the Heart in 2017, he has been instrumental in driving the national campaign for Constitutional Recognition of Australia’s First Nations peoples ever since.

Thomas Mayo's books discuss First Nations people’s struggle for justice, recognition and equity.

In 2024, ‘The Voice to Parliament Handbook’, written by Thomas Mayo and Kerry O'Brien, was named the Book of the Year as well as Social Impact Book of the Year and Non-Fiction Book of the Year of the Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIAs).

(Gun-Gah Gear-Ree)

No matter where he plays, Ganga Giri literally blows audiences away. For 30 years the Yidaki (didjeridoo) virtuoso has taken his one-of-a-kind sound worldwide, electrifying millions. Driven by spirit, power and connection to country, this Pallawa man does extraordinary things with Australia’s oldest instrument, forging new musical boundaries. The word ‘unique’ is overused in music circles, but rightly applies to Ganga’s various guises at festivals, corporate events, schools and more.

Proud truwulway woman and multi disciplinary artist Denni Proctor aka DENNI. A true voice of strength for her people in Lutruwita Tasmania and one of Australia’s most authentic and compelling rising storytellers and recording artist. DENNI is a true pioneer and has been at the forefront of sharing her pakana/ palawa culture and language in contemporary music and Art representing First Nations mob from Lutruwita, with anthems like ‘Strongest Mob’ and ‘Lutruwita’ returning palawa kani (Tasmanian Aboriginal Language) back to its young, proud and culturally hungry generation. 

With a large and ever growing catalogue of bona-fide bangers online, you’re bound to notice some top tear collaborations in the studio, with tracks such as 'Keep ya head up'- JK47, ‘Landback’-3%,'Strongest Mob (ft. Craig Everett)' and her Debut Hip Hop EP 'Runaways' produced by NERVE. 

Ross Knight is a baakanji Kunya man that has recently begun producing his debut EP here on the Mornington Peninsula.

He has experienced healing through music through this life and this is what inspires him to play and share his original songs.

His sounds are soulful and his lyrics are captivating.

His influences include Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Buckley and Ben Howard..

Today, for most of us, we have become disconnected from our environment, from our tribe, from our food and from our Spirit. Through a combination of Earth mindfulness, narrative meditation, a series of physical movements and taking action to look after the planet, Wayapa provides a sense of belonging to the Earth while creating holistic well-being.

Rich with indigenous significance and abundant with native fauna and flora, your guide will point out the plants and areas of interest along your walk and their use and significance in medicine, bush tucker and Indigenous culture.

Join Baluk Arts for a day of family-friendly fun, solidarity and creativity aboard the artbus, courtesy of Artists for Kid's Culture.

Express your artistic side as we paint a vibrant mural together, create your very own clay bush animals, craft deadly pieces of jewelry, and for the little ones and the young at heart there's plenty of coloring-in fun to keep the creativity flowing.

This is an opportunity to celebrate survival, resilience, and unity. Join us in acknowledging the past while fostering connection and understanding in the present, in preparation for a thriving future!

Join Aunty Deb Mellett as she interviews Aunty Yvonne Luke about their recently released book, Telling.

Aunty Yvonne is one of the storytellers in Telling, a book that gathered Elders who are part of the Nairm Marr Djambana Gathering Place to tell their stories.

The 12 short life stories in Telling are grounded in First Nations storytelling traditions and reveal the diverse and complex nature of the experience of living in the wake of colonialisation. Telling fits with this year’s NAIDOC theme, For Our Elders. It also speaks to the contemporary political movement for truth-telling and Treaty in Victoria and nationally. The voices of First Nations Elders living in Victoria are prioritised and honoured in this work.

These stories are from all over Australia. Each Elder reflects on intergenerational trauma, Stolen Generations, reconnection and resistance, demonstrating their deeply felt Black pride and joy and celebrating their stories of survival.

Aunty Yvonne Luke recounts her epic journey of reconnecting to Alyawerre country after several generations of removal. Koori leader Uncle Mik Edwards describs his brave story of survival after being removed forcibly from his family in 1967, and Marion Hansen tells of her surprise at being crowned Miss NAIDOC in 1969.

The evocative photographs provided by the authors bring an intimacy to this vital historical testimony that will be enjoyed by Indigenous and non-Indigenous readers alike.