Top NAIDOC honours for Christine

Walgett’s Christine Corby, on left, was presented with the award of Female Elder of the Year by Erica Smits at the National NAIDOC awards ceremony in Alice Springs last weekend. Photo: NAIDOC

Story: Kristin Murdock – kmurdock@outbackradio.com.au

Almost 40 years after beginning a career dedicated to Aboriginal health in Walgett, Christine Corby AM has used one of the nation’s biggest Indigenous stages to celebrate the community that shaped her.

The Gamilaraay woman and founding Chief Executive Officer of Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service was named Female Elder of the Year at the 2026 National NAIDOC Awards in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) on the weekend.

Accepting the award, Ms Corby wasted little time putting Walgett firmly in the spotlight.

“I’m from a little one-horse town called Walgett, in north-west New South Wales, Gamilaraay Country,” she said.

“I’m Gamilaraay. People say I’m white, but my father’s English, bless him, and my mother’s Gamilaraay. So, I’m a proud black woman.”

Ms Corby paid tribute to her fellow finalists before reflecting on a life and career overwhelmingly centred on Walgett.

“My life has been Walgett. Walgett looked after me,” she said.

“My life for the 40 years is the Aboriginal Medical Service.”

That connection stretches back to 1975, when Mrs Corby returned to Walgett and began working to support the establishment of the Aboriginal Legal Service.

In 1986 she became the founding Chief Executive Officer of Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service, helping guide it from a small shopfront into a major Aboriginal community-controlled health organisation. […]

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