Wiradjuri Elder Aunty Millie Ingram AM has been working within and campaigning for the Aboriginal community for the past 65 years.

Growing up in Erambie Mission near Cowra, she moved to Redfern NSW in the 1950s where she worked in the Department of Aboriginal Affairs for 13 years, advocating for empowerment and change in areas such as education and land rights. 

Alongside her family, she founded Murawina, the first Aboriginal community-controlled childhood centre, and later Wyanga Aboriginal Aged Care, who provide culturally safe and tailored home care services. She remains founding director of Wyanga.

Aunty Millie played a key role in the inception of the Empowered Communities model, where Aboriginal leaders from across Australia work with government to help inform the policies affecting them.  

She is known for her public engagements, including offering Welcome to Country and speaking at former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam’s Memorial. 

In 2024, she was awarded Female Elder of the Year at the National NAIDOC Week Awards.

She was appointed a Member of the Order for significant service to the Indigenous community of New South Wales in The King’s Birthday 2025 Honours list in June. 

Aunty Millie says her recognition was “a pleasant surprise”. 

“I have no idea who nominated me, but I thank them because I must have passed through their life at some time past,” she says.

“Recognition is important so I can have a voice to talk about the many things that still need to be done for our human rights in our own capacity … at my age I will still be doing whatever I can.”

Aunty Millie explains that she remains dedicated to advancing opportunities for Aboriginal people. 

“I am motivated to keep doing things to promote Wyanga Aboriginal Aged Care in Redfern, and to be recognised as a specialised organisation in caring for elders, of which I am now one.”