BUNDJALUNG cultural leader and nationally influential arts figure Rhoda Roberts has died, aged 66.<\/p>\n
Roberts, a Widjabul Wia-bal woman who was raised in Lismore after being born in Sydney, spent decades reshaping Australia’s cultural landscape through broadcasting, theatre, festivals and advocacy for First Nations storytelling.<\/p>\n
In a 2024 Humans of Lismore profile, she said her family moved “back home to Lismore” when she was about six months old and described growing up in a large Bundjalung family with deep ties to the region.<\/p>\n
Her grandfather Frank Roberts was a prominent Aboriginal civil rights activist, placing her within one of the Northern Rivers’ most historically significant First Nations families.<\/p>\n
She later attended Richmond River High School and maintained strong cultural and artistic connections to the region throughout her life.<\/p>\n
Roberts went on to build a pioneering national career across media and the arts.<\/p>\n
In the late 1980s she co-founded the Aboriginal National Theatre Trust and became widely recognised as a driving force behind the growth of Indigenous cultural programming in Australia.<\/p>\n
She also became a prominent national television host and was credited with helping introduce the term “Welcome to Country” into mainstream public life.<\/p>\n
Her work extended into major national and international events, including leadership roles in the Festival of the Dreaming and the cultural program associated with the Sydney Olympic Games.<\/p>\n
She later helped shape Parrtjima, the Northern Territory’s First Nations light festival, and held senior roles at the Sydney Opera House, including serving as head of Indigenous programming.<\/p>\n
Over several decades Roberts became known as a mentor to emerging Indigenous artists, journalists and cultural leaders, using her influence to create opportunities and shift public conversations about culture, identity and representation.<\/p>\n
Her contribution to the arts and community life was formally recognised when she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2016.<\/p>\n
Tributes flowed following news of her death, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese describing her as a figure who had enriched the lives of Australians and helped deepen understanding of the world’s oldest continuing culture.<\/p>\n
Arts Minister Tony Burke said generations of creatives regarded Roberts as a catalyst for their careers and influence on national cultural policy, while Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy described her as a mentor and confidant to many working in media and the arts.<\/p>\n
Leaders within the broadcasting sector also paid tribute.<\/p>\n
SBS director of Indigenous content Tanya Denning-Orman said Roberts had helped nurture a new generation of cultural leaders and played a key role in strengthening First Nations storytelling across the country.<\/p>\n
In a statement, Lismore City Council said her impact on community, culture and country would be felt for generations.<\/p>\n
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Rhoda Roberts, a cultural leader whose impact on community, culture and country will be felt for generations,” the council said.<\/p>\n
The Roberts-Field family described her as a person of strength and warmth who dedicated her life to uplifting others and supporting people from all walks of life.<\/p>\n
For Lismore and the wider Northern Rivers, Roberts’ death marks the loss of a woman whose story began in the region and whose cultural leadership continued to resonate locally even as her influence grew nationally.<\/p>\n
Her legacy is expected to endure through the many artists, institutions and communities she helped shape across Australia.<\/p>\n
STAFF WRITER<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BUNDJALUNG cultural leader and nationally influential arts figure Rhoda Roberts has died, aged 66. Roberts, a Widjabul Wia-bal woman who was raised in Lismore after being born in Sydney, spent decades reshaping Australia’s cultural landscape through broadcasting, theatre, festivals and advocacy for First Nations storytelling. In a 2024 Humans of Lismore profile, she said her […]<\/p>\n