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There is some serious work and progress being made by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the country, so we wanted to take a hot minute to recognise their incredible impact, in the hope it might inspire you to familiarise yourself with their work (if you haven’t already) and champion their contribution to culture, community, Country and beyond.
By no means an exhaustive-list, read on for the incredible First Nations trailblazers spearheading massive change in their industries (and support their work by chucking them a follow).
Melanie Mununggurr
Melanie Mununggurr hails from the Bukudal in North East Arnhem Land and is one extraordinary Djapu human. She’s not only a wordsmith extraordinaire, but also a master storyteller, poet, and novelist, having first unearthed her multidisciplinary passion back in 2018 when she clinched the winning title at the Australian Poetry Slam. If you’ve got your finger on the pulse, you would have also been privy to her performing at Australian Fashion Week on the Indigenous Fashion Project Runway. Follow her here.
Nakkiah Lui
A playwright, actress and writer, Nakkiah Lui has always pushed boundaries when it comes to creating thought-provoking works that explore themes around race, culture, identity and politics. In 2023, the Gomeroi and Torres Strait Islander gifted us First Eat, a super personal audiobook that delves into food politics and begs the question—how would our meals look different if First Nations people owned the land from where the food came? Follow her here.
Naarah Barnes
If you haven’t already binged the brilliance that is Deadloch on Prime Video, you’re sadly missing out. The comedy cross crime series, which is based in Tasmania, is already one of the best things to come out of 2023 and stars Naarah Barnes (pronounced nay-ah-rah), the ultimate creative talent who’s known for her epic performing, writing, singing, acting and dancing. The 2024 NAIDOC Aboriginal Creative Talent and Tasmanian Young Australian of the Year winner currently splits her time between London and our shoes, so chuck her a follow here, you don’t miss a chance to see her perform when you can.
Kirli Saunders
An Instagram bio that reads “rarely stay in my lane” is exactly what you want to hear from a changemaker and mover and shaker and top-notch talent and multihyphenate Kirli Saunders covers all of this with aplomb. The proud Gunai woman is an accomplished writer, with titles as varied as Bindi, a children’s book, to Kindred, a stunning poetry collection, she shares her perspective on topics such as love and loss to the indigenous connection to the modern Black Lives Matter Movement. Kirli also makes gorgeous art and sings as part of Cooee, where poems become songs and are connected to indigenous art. Kirli does all of this with a loud voice and shares her perspective in a wonderful way. Sink your teeth into the tonne of content she has available for you here.
Nathan McGuire
We hope by now you’re well acquainted with the epic initiative that is Mob In Fashion but if you’re not, let us introduce you to its legendary founder Nathan McGuire. As one of the biggest juggernauts in the Aussie fashion scene right now (seriously, this legend is quite rightly everywhere you look), the Whadjuk Noongar model and activist is pushing for more mob representation across the industry. He’s making it work too, with Mob in Fashion’s Back in Blak line debuting on the runway at the 2025 Melbourne Fashion Week. Follow him here.
Laura Thompson
While we’re talking fashion, we’d be remiss not to mention Laura Thompson, one half of the founding duo of fashion and social change colossus Clothing the Gaps. Chances are you’ve seen plenty of people sporting Clothing the Gaps’ awesome range if not owning some of it yourself. Laura, a Gunditjmara woman, is the indigenous half of the creators of Clothing the Gaps, a majority Aboriginal owned fashion company promoting positive social change. Beyond all of their incredibly slick designs, as part of Clothing the Gaps, Laura’s played a part in the creation of the Clothing the Gaps Foundation. Keep up-to-date with the latest from her and the rest of her team here.
Molly Hunt
Without a doubt the kind of person you’d want riding shotgun on a road trip, Molly Hunt boasts an impressive repertoire as an illustrator, animator, radio presenter and journo. A naturally-born storyteller, you’ll find Hunt tied up in a multitude of sick projects, her most recent including being the brains behind the visuals for the read This Book Thinks You’re Deadly and the creative behind various murals in Finke and Kununurra. Follow her here.
Barkaa
I mean, what a queen, huh? The ARIA award-winning Big Tidda herself, Barkaa is a loud and proud Malyangapa and Barkindji woman who can be found dropping absolutely killer tracks as a hip-hop artist (and crazy good live act) and lending her voice to such social change endeavours as Abolish the Date. The real-life Chloe Quayle’s mother was part of the Stolen Generation and her uncle tragically died in police custody, both subjects that inform her super important art. A necessary education on both indigenous history and how to make bombastic music to delight your ears and get your attention, Barkaa is an essential follow here.
Tishiko King
Tishiko King was actually a guest editor at Urban List in 2023. A proud Kulkalaig woman from the Island of Masig, Kulkalgal Nation of Zenadth Kes, she’s a climate advocate and storyteller who has worked across various environmental organisations such as Groundswell Giving, Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network, Our Islands Our Home, Coral Sea Foundation and more. Quite recently, Tish has teamed with Just Futures Collab in their statement to climate leaders that 2026 is the year of giving what’s owed to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We reckon she’s right. Follow her here.
Dylan Mooney
At only 30, artist and curator Dylan Mooney has been making waves not only in the art world but pretty much everywhere for a number of years now. The proud Yuwi, Meriam and South Sea Islander artist is famous for his incredible digital art (if you know, you know) which notably explores the intersection between colonisation, the oppression of First Nations cultures and identity, shared histories, queerness and representation. He’s a force you should absolutely know about. Not only has his vibrant art been featured on Google but it’s also won a front page feature on The Rolling Stones Australia special edition magazine that celebrated the 200 Greatest Australian Albums of all time. Adding another feather to his cap, he was also the youngest artist to exhibit work in the QUEER: Stories from the NGV Collection. Invest in a great follow by finding him here.
Rubii Red
We mean, there isn’t much the iconic Rubii Red doesn’t do. An artist, activist and avid Twitch streamer, Rubii is changing the game, quite literally. Big on pushing for a whole lot more representation in the media, one of her main passions is driving more diversity in gaming and streaming. The proud Lama Lama woman streams herself gaming as well as her creating digital and traditional art which will absolutely blow you away. Follow her here.
Tony Armstrong
We’d be remiss not to include seemingly everyone’s favourite media personality and former AFL player Tony Armstrong. There are countless ways you could shout Tony out in, he’s certainly had his finger in a lot of pies in recent years (including hosting an ABC show discussing the cultural relevance of said pies!) but we think an excellent recent addition to his résumé has been travelling across the country to investigate racism in sport for his program End Game. As an indigenous former AFL player, Tony’s experienced this firsthand and sheds plenty of light on an issue that is far too prevalent for his community and others. Always worth a follow to see what he’s up to here.
Charlotte Allingham
You might know Wiradjuri and Ngiyampaa woman, Charlotte Allingham, a bit better by her Instagram handle—@coffinbirth. She’s also the incredible soul and talent behind the internet’s most famous digital illustrations which can all be identified as a ‘Stolen Lands’ series where you’ll see an array of bold protest pieces that highlight First Nations injustice, police corruption and a general theme to abolish ‘Australia Day’. They’re dark and brutally honest but powerful, vibrant and absolutely stunning at the same time. As well as this ongoing series, you can check out more of Charlotte’s illustrations here. Finally, we highly suggest you check out her contemporary comics and zines too which beautifully span themes of love, loss, self doubt and identity. Truly epic.
Bianca Hunt
You might’ve seen Bianca Hunt on her Yoyaki Footy days on NITV, or perhaps on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, where she was an ambassador for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, a not-for-profit aiming to address educational disadvantages faced by indigenous children across the country. Bianca’s a boss, getting her voice out there as much as possible as an MC and TV presenter, as well as penning books such as her memoir/guidebook Main Character Energy, or the powerful picture book Our Game: Make Your Own Mark, celebrating the proud indigenous history in the makings of Australian rules football. A wonderful voice doing worthwhile work, we think you should follow Bianca here.
Akala Newman
Akala is a bonafide triple threat that we really can’t get enough of at the moment. It’s hard to pinpoint her in one direction, she’s a singer-songwriter (make sure you listen to her hit Burnt For You), an academic, an intimacy choreographer, an artist educator at Museum of Contemporary Arts… there’s seemingly nothing she doesn’t do! If you’re wanting to be educated and inspired, Akala is the one to follow.
Felicia Foxx
Self-described artivist and The Realest Tidda (and she’s so right for it), Gamilaroi and Dunghutti sistergirl, Felicia Foxx, is goals on so many levels. She’s rocked a gumnut dress by Marrithiyel designer Paul McCann for AAFW, she stole the entire Mardi Gras parade back in 2018 when she donned a beyond iconic sequined Aboriginal flag dress. Around this, her bold personality has always spoken to the challenges she faced growing up, sans equal representation in the media and conventional beauty standards. You’ll also find Felicia repping We Are Warriors, a platform dedicated to shining the spotlight on indigenous role models. If you catch yourself near Appin, you might even be able to catch her Tidda Bingo for a raucous good time. Follow Felicia here.
Meissa Mason
Real TikTokers know all about Meissa Mason. Her account is a goldmine of First Nations knowledge, queer make-up looks, education, art and a whole lot more. The Wiradjuri, Gomeroi and Awabakal woman has very casually racked up a double degree in law and arts, been a Mardi Gras ambassador for TikTok and she sports an insane 150k following on her socials. Three words: follow her now.
Bobbi Lockyer
How do we even begin to describe the magic being that is Bobbi Lockyer? The self-confessed “color-obsessed, queer feminist pink-haired mermaid queen” is a trailblazer for so much social change and is also the incredible brain behind the inclusive brand Gantharri (which was seen at AAFW in 2022). The proud Ngarluma, Kariyarra, Nyulyul and Yawaru woman has a deep passion for connecting communities, a theme that coincides with most of her work. Follow her here.
James Parr
We first spotted James Parr absolutely owning the runway at two of the most pivotal moments in Australia’s fashion history. Not only did James capture our attention when he sported JAM The Label at the Adaptive Clothing Collective show at AAFW, he also took our breath away when he graced the catwalk again wearing Paul McCann and Clothing The Gaps at the First Nations Fashion + Design Show. It honestly took us two whole weeks to recover. The Wiradjuri man is not only a triathlete and model, he’s also an education support and welfare officer. On top of this, we love the way James is challenging disability stereotypes, dismantling ableism and instilling pride in all abilities. Follow him here.
Not finished yet? Head over here for all the First Nations beauty and wellness brands we’re loving right now.
