1948

Aunty Barbara Simms-Keeley is a Bidjigal and Gweagal Elder belong to the La Perouse Aboriginal community. Aunty Barb and her family have unbroken ties to Coastal Sydney which pre-date the arrival of Europeans to this continent. Her strong connection to her community is demonstrated by her career at Guriwal Aboriginal Corporation where she provided transport and other support to Elders in the La Perouse area. This service is greatly valued by the local community.

Aunty Barb is extremely active both within her community at La Perouse and the broader community. Examples of initiatives and projects she has led include:

• Leading Breast Cancer awareness and fundraising activities within the local community through events such as the annual Breast Cancer Morning Tea at Yarra Bay Sailing Club.
• Passing down knowledge to younger members of her community with a particular focus on bush tucker and traditional uses of native plants within the Coastal Sydney region.
• Advocating for the rights and recognition of members of the Stolen Generation. As a member of the stolen generation herself, Aunty Barb has led initiatives such as the installation of a memorial to Aboriginal children forcibly removed from their families. 

Aunty Barb holds numerous roles on advisory councils and other community panels. She hopes to continue to work towards benefitting her community and provide a much-needed First Nations perspective wherever possible.

In 2022, Aunty Barb delivered the Welcome to Country for the reopening of the Bondi Pavilion.

Courtesy the Gujaga Foundation.