Anita Heiss is a proud member of the Wiradyuri nation of central New South Wales and one of Australia’s most prolific and well-known authors. Anita’s children’s literature includes Who Am I? the diary of Mary Talence, Our Race for Reconciliation, Harry’s Secret, Matty’s Comeback, and Kicking Goals with Goodesy and Magic, co-written with Adam Goodes and Micheal O’Loughlin. She also wrote two kid’s novels with students from La Perouse Public School - Yirra and Her Deadly Dog Demon and Demon Guards the School Yard.

Anita’s non-fiction works include Am I Black Enough for You?, Dhuuluu-Yala (To Talk Straight) – Publishing Aboriginal Literature, and as editor, Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia and The Macquarie PEN Anthology of Aboriginal Literature which she co-edited with Peter Minter.

Her adult fiction includes Not Meeting Mr Right, Avoiding Mr Right, Manhattan Dreaming, Paris Dreaming and Tiddas. Her novel Barbed Wire and Cherry Blossoms was shortlisted for the QLD Literary Awards, longlisted for the Dublin International Literary Prize and was the University of Canberra 2020 Book of the Year. Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray was shortlisted for the 2021 HNSA ARA Historical Novel (Adult Category).

Adam Goodes is an Andyamathanha and Norungga man born in Wallaroo, and made his senior AFL debut in 1999, and won the AFL Rising Star Award that year. Adam has achieved everything to which an AFL footballer can aspire.

He is the games record holder with the Sydney Swans, has twice tasted Grand Final victory, has twice been the recipient of Australian Football’s highest individual honour, the Brownlow Medal, has been named his club’s best-and-fairest player three times, has earned All-Australian honours four times, has captained Australia against Ireland in International Rules football and is a member of the AFL’s Indigenous Team of the Century.

In recognition of his community involvement and his firm yet compassionate campaign against racism, Adam was named Australian of the Year in 2014.

Michael O’Loughlin was drafted to the Sydney Swans in 1994 and played the first of his 303 senior AFL games for the club the following year. He played in three AFL Grand Finals, was the club’s best-and-fairest player in 1998, and was twice All-Australian and twice represented Australia in International Rules. A member of the AFL’s Indigenous Team of the Century, Michael was a key player in the Sydney Swans’ 2005 Premiership team.