National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sports Awards were first held in 1986 and recognize the sporting achievements of

Indigenous Indigenous may refer to: *Indigenous peoples *Indigenous (ecology), presence in a region as the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention *Indigenous (band), an American blues-rock band *Indigenous (horse), a Hong Kong racehorse ...

and

Islander Islander, Islanders, or The Islanders may refer to: People * Islander, referring to Jersey people * Islander, New Zealand-English term usually meaning Pacific Islander Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''The Islander'' (Rylant novel), ...

athletes. The Awards have not been held since 2003.

Background

The inaugural National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sports Awards were held at

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

's Hilton International Hotel on 6 September 1986. The Awards were established to pay tribute to the contribution of Aboriginal men and women to Australian and international sport. Charlie Perkins, Secretary of the

Department of Aboriginal Affairs The Department of Aboriginal Affairs was an Australian government department that existed between December 1972 and March 1990. History The Department had its origins in the Office of Aboriginal Affairs (OAA), which was established ...

, strongly supported the establishment of the Awards and obtained

Australian Government The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government i ...

funding. The

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) (1990–2005) was the Australian Government body through which Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders were formally involved in the processes of government affecting ...

continued funding after the Department ceased to exist. Australian business also assisted with sponsorship.

Sydney Jackson Sidney William Jackson (12 June 1873 – 30 September 1946) was an Australian naturalist and field ornithologist with a special interest in oology, who was also a skilled photographer and taxidermist. History Jackson was born in Brisbane, Queen ...

, a champion

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

er and sports administrator made the following statements regarding the establishment of the Awards:
''the most exciting thing that has happened in Aboriginal sport outside individual achievement'' and ''recognition of Aboriginal sports men and women will go a long way towards encouraging you Aboriginal athletes to preserve in the development of their natural talents.''

Clyde Holding Allan Clyde Holding (27 April 193131 July 2011) was an Australian politician who served as Leader of the Opposition in Victoria for ten years, and went on to become a federal minister in the Hawke Government. Early life and education Holdin ...

, the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs stated at the inaugural Awards that
formal recognition of the big contribution made to Australian sport by Aboriginals is long overdue.'' The inaugural Awards aimed to be a gala event replicating the ABC Sports Award of the Year and

Australian Sport Awards The Australian Sport Awards, originally called the Sport Australia Awards, were established by the Confederation of Australian Sport in 1980. From 1980 to 1996, the awards were limited to seven categories. In 1993, there was a merger of the Sport ...

ceremonies. Due to the costs of holding the Awards, it was proposed to hold them every two years. Until 2003 the Awards were televised by either SBS or the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

. Award ceremonies generally included performances by talented Aboriginal performers.

David Gulpilil David Dhalatnghu Gulpilil (1 July 1953 – 29 November 2021), known professionally as David Gulpilil and posthumously (at his family's request, to avoid naming the dead) as David Dalaithngu for three days, was an Indigenous Australian actor ...

danced at the inaugural Awards.

Location and Dates

Winners

1st 1986

The inaugural Awards recognized a high number of former Aboriginal athletes. It was reported that ''never before had so many Aboriginal sporting champions congregated in one place''. At the Awards,

Evonne Goolagong Cawley Evonne Fay Goolagong Cawley (née Goolagong; born 31 July 1951) is an Australian former world No. 1 tennis player. Goolagong was one of the world's leading players in the 1970s and early 1980s. At the age of 19, she won the French Open singl ...

received her

Sport Australia Hall of Fame The Sport Australia Hall of Fame was established on 10 December 1985 to recognise the achievements of Australian sportsmen and sportswomen. The inaugural induction included 120 members with Sir Don Bradman as the first inductee and Dawn Fraser th ...

gold medallion. She joined

Lionel Rose Lionel Edmund Rose MBE (21 June 1948 – 8 May 2011) was an Australian former professional boxer who competed from 1964 to 1976. He held the undisputed WBA, WBC, and ''The Ring'' bantamweight titles from 1968 to 1969, becoming the first Ind ...

and

Polly Farmer Graham Vivian "Polly" Farmer (10 March 1935 14 August 2019) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League, Victorian Football League (VFL) and the East Perth Football Club and We ...

as the only Aboriginal members of the Hall of Fame in 1986. *National Sportswomen -

(Tennis) *National Sportsman -

(Boxing) *National Junior Sportswomen - Treahna Hamm (Judo) *National Junior Sportsman - David Ross (AFL) *Alma Thorpe Victorian Health Service Fitzroy All Stars Football Club * State Awards - **ACT Awards - Wally Austin (AFL), Delma Smith (Volleyball), Harry Williams (Soccer),

Percy Knight Percy Knight is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He played for Balmain and the Canberra Raiders in the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) competition. Background Knight was born and raised in ...

(Rugby league), Neil Bulger (Cricket), Bob Huddleston (Boxing), Benny Mills (Basketball), Joanne Leisputty (Softball), Neil Harwood (Basketball) **NSW Awards - Peter Cooley (Surfing),

Larry Corowa Larry is a masculine given name in English, derived from Lawrence or Laurence. It can be a shortened form of those names. Larry may refer to the following: People Arts and entertainment * Larry D. Alexander, American artist/writer *Larry Boone ...

(Rugby league),

Mark Ella Mark Gordon Ella, AM (born 5 June 1959) is an indigenous Australian former rugby union footballer. Ella played at flyhalf/five-eighth and was capped by the Wallabies 25 times, captaining Australia on 10 occasions. Ella made his debut tour wit ...

(Rugby union), Marcia Ella (Netball),

(Tennis), Jack Hassan (Boxing), Felicity Huntington (Field hockey),

Peter Kirby Peter Kirby (born December 17, 1931) is a Canadian bobsledder who competed in the mid-1960s. He won a gold medal in the four-man event at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck. He was born in Montreal, Quebec. Kirby also won a gold medal ...

, Lee Madden (Tennis), Tony Mundine (Boxing), Eric Simms (Rugby league) **NT - Phynea Clarke (Field hockey), Louisa Collins (Netball), Rose Damaso (Basketball/Netball),

Bill Dempsey William Brian Dempsey Member of the Order of the British Empire, MBE (born 17 March 1942) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Darwin Football Club in the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL) and the West Perth Footba ...

(AFL), Brian Dixon (Basketball/Baseball), Ivy Hampton (Darts), Ricky Peterson (Boxing), Bill Roe (AFL),

Maurice Rioli Maurice Joseph Rioli Sr. (1 September 195725 December 2010) was an Australian rules footballer who represented St Mary's Football Club in the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL), in the West Australian Football League (WAFL) and in th ...

(AFL), David Ross (AFL), Horrie Seden (Darts) **QLD -

Arthur Beetson Arthur Henry "Artie" Beetson OAM (21 January 1945 – 1 December 2011

(Rugby league), Andrea Collins (Basketball), Jeffrey Dynevor (Boxing),

Darby McCarthy Richard Laurence "Darby" McCarthy (1944 – 6 May 2020) was an Australian jockey. Early life McCarthy was born in a sandhills camp at Cunnamulla in Queensland, the son of Albert and Kate, who married at 13. Career He became one of Australia's ...

(Horse racing), Ian King, Warren Lawton (Paralympic athletics), Andrea Mason (Netball), Lionel Morgan (Rugby league),

Danny Morseu Danny Morseu (born 1 January 1958) is an Australian basketball player who played on the Australian national basketball team in the 1980 Summer Olympics and 1984 Summer Olympics. International career Morseu played for the Australian team at th ...

(Basketball), Doug Sam (Boxing),

Hector Thompson Hector Thompson ( – ) was an Australian professional boxer who competed in four different weight divisions—lightweight, super lightweight, welterweight and junior middleweight—during the 1970s and 80s. Was married to Lynette Slee in 1965/6 ...

(Boxing), Priscilla West (Basketball) **SA - Laura Agius (Netball), Bert Clark (administration), Michael Graham (AFL), Ken Hampton (Athletics), Walter Macathur (Athletics, Rugby league), Sonny Morey (AFL),

John Kundereri Moriarty John Kundereri "Jumbana" Moriarty (born ) is an Aboriginal Australian artist, government advisor and former soccer player. He is also known as founder of the Balarinji Design Studio, for painting two Qantas jets with Aboriginal motifs. Today ...

(soccer), Roger Rigney (AFL), Jim Stanley (Boxing),

Faith Thomas Faith Thomas (; 22 February 1933 – 15 April 2023), born Tinnipha, was an Australian cricketer and hockey player. She was also a nurse in regional South Australia. Thomas is known for being the first Indigenous woman to represent Australia i ...

(Cricket), Don Tschuna (AFL), Mark Tutton (Volleyball), Keith Warrior (AFL) **TAS - Erica Bartlett (Netball), Roger Brown (Cricket), Leonie Dickson (Netball/Basketball), Beverly Dillon (Netball), Greg Lovell (Woodchopping), Brian Mansell (Cycling), Doug Maynard (AFL), Maureen Stafford (Netball), Carl Thomas (Boxing), Brian Thomas (Judo) **VIC -

Tony Briggs Tony Briggs (born 3 July 1967) is an Australian actor, writer and producer. He is a former track and field athlete. He is best known for creating the stage play '' The Sapphires'' (later a 2012 film) telling the true story of an Aboriginal s ...

(Athletics), Graeme Brooke (Boxing),

Kevin Coombs Kevin Richard Coombs, Order of Australia, OAM Paralympic_symbols#Postnominal, PLY (born 30 May 1941) is an Australian wheelchair basketballer and athlete who competed at 5 Paralympics including the first Paralympic Games in 1960. He was the firs ...

(Paralympic basketball), Treahna Hamm (Judo), Syd Jackson (AFL),

Glenn James Glenn Robert James OAM is a former Australian rules football umpire in the Victorian Football League. James umpired the 1982 and 1984 VFL Grand Finals and is recognised as the only Indigenous Australian to umpire VFL or AFL football. Early ...

(AFL), Gundy James (Golf), Norm McDonald,

, Alma Thorpe (administration),

Kyle Vander Kuyp Kyle Bernard Vander-Kuyp (born 30 May 1971 in Paddington, a suburb of Sydney), is an Indigenous Australian athlete of the Worimi and Yuin tribe of North and South Coast New South Wales. At 5 weeks of age, he was adopted by Pat and Ben Vander-Kuyp ...

(Athletics) **WA - May Chalker (Golf), Mark Chalker (Golf),

(AFL),

Jim Krakouer James Gordon Krakouer (born 13 October 1958) is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the 1980s and '90s for North Melbourne and St Kilda in the VFL and Claremont in the WAFL. He is the father of former Richmond and Collingwo ...

(AFL),

Phil Krakouer Phillip Brent Krakouer (born 15 January 1960) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the North Melbourne Football Club during the 1980s. Notable for his speed, freakish skills and an uncanny ability to pass the ball to his brothe ...

(AFL),

Ted Kilmurray Ted "Square" Kilmurray (born 18 August 1934) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with East Perth Football Club, East Perth in the West Australian Football League, West Australian National Football League between 1953 and 1966 for ...

(AFL), Irwin Lewis (AFL),

Stephen Michael Stephen Albert Michael (born 15 March 1956) is a former Australian rules footballer. More recently, Stephen is the patron of the Stephen Michael Foundation, supporting disengaged, at-risk and disadvantaged youth across Western Australia. Playin ...

(AFL), Lorraine Pindan (Athletics)

2nd 1988

*National Sportswomen - Cheryl Drayton (Badminton) *National Sportsman - Tony Jones (Boxing) *National Junior Sportswomen - Majorie Patrick (Vision impaired Swimming/Athletics) *National Junior Sportsman - Darryl Hiles (Boxing) *National Sports Official of the Year - Redfern All Blacks *Special Recognition Awards - Bob Bloomfield (AFL) and Eunice Peachey (Dubbo Pacemakers Club)

3rd 1991

*National Sportswomen -

Cathy Freeman Catherine Astrid Salome Freeman (born 16 February 1973) is an Aboriginal Australian former sprinter, who specialised in the 400 metres event. Her personal best of 48.63 seconds currently ranks her as the ninth-fastest woman of all time, set ...

(Athletics) *National Sportsman -

Karl Feifar Karl Peter Thomas Feifar, OAM (5 January 1973 – 29 May 2009) was an indigenous Australian amputee athlete and Paralympic competitor. Personal Feifar was born in the Perth suburb of Subiaco in 1973. His parents were Wendy and Peter. His de ...

(Paralympic Athletics) *National Junior Sportswomen - Toni Gableish *National Junior Sportsman -

Matthew AhMat Matthew Ahmat (born 27 June 1974 in Alice Springs) is a former Indigenous Australian rules footballer who played for the Brisbane Bears and Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League (AFL) during the early 1990s. The Ahmat name has had ...

(AFL) *National Sports Official of the Year - Steve Cubillo (Basketball)

4th 1993

*National Sportswomen -

Donna Burns Donna Burns OAM is an Australian basketball player with an intellectual disability who won gold as a member of thPearlsin the 1992 Madrid Paralympic Games for Persons with Mental Handicap. Burns is an Indigenous Australian and descendant of th ...

(Paralympic Basketball) *National Sportsman -

Gavin Wanganeen Gavin Adrian Wanganeen (born 18 June 1973) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club and Port Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), and also for the Port Adelaide Magpies in ...

(AFL) *National Junior Sportswomen - Syripa Macer (Judo) *National Junior Sportsman - Lachlan Wright (Soccer, Rugby league, Surf life saving) *National Sports Official of the Year - Maisie Austin (Basketball) *Special Achiever Awards - ACT - Caine George (Basketball); NSW - Natalie Bell (Soccer); NT - Bernie Devine (Powerlifting); QLD - Lorelle Morrissey (Field hockey); SA - Anthony Drover (Soccer); TAS - Sean Gower (Indoor cricket); VIC - Gundy James (Golf); WA - John McGuire (Cricket)

5th 1995

*National Sportswomen -

(Athletics) *National Sportsman -

Kyle Vander-Kuyp Kyle Bernard Vander-Kuyp (born 30 May 1971 in Paddington, a suburb of Sydney), is an Indigenous Australian athlete of the Worimi and Yuin tribe of North and South Coast New South Wales. At 5 weeks of age, he was adopted by Pat and Ben Vander-Kuyp ...

(Athletics) *National Junior Sportswomen - Helena Saunders (Netball) *National Junior Sportsman - Joshua Ugle (Karate and Badminton) *National Coach of the Year - Patsy Elarde (Basketball) *National Sports Official of the Year -

Hyacinth Tungutalum Hyacinth Gabriel Tungutalum (14 August 1946 – 7 April 2009) was an Australian politician and the first Indigenous Australian to be elected to a state or territory parliament. A traditional owner on the Tiwi Islands, north of Darwin, Tung ...

(AFL) *National Special Achiever Awards - Eddie Gilbert (Cricket) and May Chalker (Golf) *State Achievers Award - ACT

(Rugby league); NSW - Kevin Hamilton (Basketball); NT -

Nova Peris Nova Maree Peris (born 25 February 1971) is an Aboriginal Australian athlete and former politician. As part of the Australian women's field hockey (Hockeyroos) team at the 1996 Olympic Games, she was the first Aboriginal Australian to win an ...

(Field hockey); QLD -

Steve Renouf Steven "Pearl" Renouf (born 8 June 1970) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. He was known as one of the sport's greatest s. Renouf set numerous records for the Brisbane Broncos ...

(Rugby league); SA - Michael Graham; TAS - Lawrie Lowery (Boxing, Running and Swimming); VIC -

(AFL); WA -

(AFL)

6th 1997

*National Sportswomen -

(Athletics) *National Sportsman - Baeden Choppy (Field hockey) *National Junior Sportswomen -

Rohanee Cox Rohanee "Roey" Cox (born 23 April 1980) is an Australian professional basketball player who currently plays for the Sydney Uni Flames of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). She was one of the first Aboriginal Australians to represent ...

(Basketball) *National Junior Sportsman - Anthony Martin (Weightlifting) *National Disabled Sportswoman of the Year - Syripa Macer (Karate) *National Disabled Sportsman of the Year - Lee Towers (Basketball) *National Coach of the Year - Maisie Austin (Basketball) *National Sports Official of the Year - Gerard 'Jacko' Whitby (Athletics) *National Sports Innovation Award - Palawa Recreation Program *State Achiever Awards - ACT - Katrina Fanning (Rugby league); NSW -

Scott Gardiner Scott Gardiner (born 22 March 1976) is an Australian professional golfer. Gardiner has played on the PGA Tour of Australasia and its developmental tour, the Von Nida Tour, where he won once. He played on the European Tour from 2001 to 2003. He ...

(Golf); NT - Graeme Smith (AFL); QLD - Michael Viti (Touch football ); SA - Lindsay Bassani (AFL ); TAS - Grant Brown (Boxing); VIC - Kamahl Lord (BMX ); WA - Shane Hearn (Athletics) *Special Tribute Award - Charlie Perkins for administration of indigenous role and achievements as a soccer player. *Special Contribution Awards - Bill and Maley Hayward (AFL) and Joy Cardona (AFL umpire)

7th 1999

*National Sportswomen -

(athletics) *National Sportsman -

Nicky Winmar Neil Elvis "Nicky" Winmar (born 25 September 1965) is a former Australian rules footballer, best known for his career for and the in the Australian Football League (AFL), as well as in the West Australian Football League. Growing up in Pin ...

(AFL) /

Cliff Lyons Cliff Lyons (born 19 October 1961) is an indigenous Australian former international rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. A Clive Churchill Medalllist and two-time Dally M Medallist, he made 309 first-grade appearances wit ...

(Rugby league) *National Junior Sportswomen - Kelly Denner (Swimming) *National Junior Sportsman - Ashley Anderson (Swimming) *National Disabled Sportswoman of the Year - Beverley Champion (Athletics) *National Disabled Sportsman of the Year - Ashley Pardon (Athletics) *National Coach of the Year - John Roe (American football) *National Sports Official of the Year - Scott Butler (Basketball) *National Sports Innovation Award - Croc Eisteddfod *National Sports Writers Award -

for his unforgettable victory against Fighting Harada in Tokyo during 1968. *Outstanding Contributions by Older Persons - George Bracken and

*Outstanding Contributions to Indigenous Sports -

and Andrea Collins

8th 2001

*National Sportswomen -

(Athletics) *National Sportsman -

Jason Gillespie Jason Neil Gillespie (born 19 April 1975) is an Australian cricket coach and former cricketer who played all three formats of the game. A right-arm fast bowler, he was also a competent lower-order batsman whose unbeaten 201 in his last Test matc ...

(Cricket) /

Andrew McLeod Andrew Luke McLeod (born 4 August 1976) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is the games record holder for Adelaide, having played 340 games. ...

(AFL) *National Junior Sportswomen - Suellyn Hayes (Wrestling) *National JUnior Sportsman -

Fred Agius Frederick "Fred" Agius (born 2 February 1984) is an Australian footballer who plays for South Australian Amateur Soccer League team Brahma Lodge. In 2003, he played Australian rules football for Central District in the South Australian Nation ...

(Soccer) *National Disabled Sportswoman of the Year - Christine Maynard (Basketball) *National Disabled Sportsman of the Year - Warren Lawton (Athletics) *National Coach of the Year - Edward Boyd Scully (Boxing) *National Sports Official of the Year - Marmingee Hand *International Volunteers Award - Joseph Donovan *Dr Charles Perkins Award - Michael Long (AFL) /

Anthony Mundine Anthony Mundine Jr. (born 21 May 1975) is an Australian former professional boxer and rugby league footballer. In boxing he competed from 2000 to 2021, and held the WBA super-middleweight title twice between 2003 and 2008. He also held the I ...

(Boxing) *State Achievers - ACT - Bruce Martin (Water polo) ; NSW - Kevin Bloomfield (Field hockey), James McAllister (Sailing); NT - Bo Delacruz (Touch football) ; SA - Tim Ewen (Athletics) ; VIC - Barry Firebrace (Cricket) ; QLD - Jade Casey (Diving) ; TAS - Phillip Marshall (Field hockey) ; WA - : Beau Anderson (Darts) ;

9th 2003

*National Sportswomen - Bo De La Cruz (Touch football) *National Sportsman -

(Boxing) *National Junior Sportswomen - Kathleen Logue (Darts) *National Junior Sportsman - Kyle Anderson (Darts) *National Disabled Sportswoman of the Year - Tegan Blanch (Tennis/Swimming/Athletics) *National Disabled Sportsman of the Year - Troy Murphy (Ten pin bowling) *National Coach of the Year - John Roe (American football) *National Sports Official of the Year - Stacey Campton (Netball) *Dr Charles Perkins Award -

(Athletics) /

(Athletics) *State Achievers - ACT - Katrina Fanning (Rugby league) ; NSW -

David Peachey David Peachey (born 21 April 1974) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. An Australian international and New South Wales representative , he played the majority of his club football in t ...

(Rugby league) ; NT - Sarrita King (Netball) ; QLD - Ashley Anderson (Swimming) ; SA - Joseph Milera (AFL) ; TAS - Nathan Polley (Boxing) ; VIC - Mungara Brown (AFL) ; WA - Bianca Franklin (Netball)

References

{{reflist Australian sports trophies and awards Awards honoring indigenous people Indigenous Australian sport

Background

Location and Dates

Winners

1st 1986

2nd 1988

3rd 1991

4th 1993

5th 1995

6th 1997

7th 1999

8th 2001

9th 2003

See also

References