2026 Yindyamarra Fireside Oration

In 2026 the Yindyamarra Fireside Oration is sponsored by Yindyamarra Nguluway in collaboration with the Gulbali Institute. For the first time the Oration will not be held in Canberra, but on Charles Sturt University’s Albury campus as part of Gulbali Day celebrations in NAIDOC Week. We invite you to join us there.

60 Long Years of Agricultural Truth-Telling

60 years ago, 200 Gurindji stockmen, domestic workers, and their families went on strike and left Wave Hill Station. The movement was critical for land rights and equal wages, speaking truth to our Australian agricultural industry, a cornerstone of our economy.

Six decades on, this oration will offer reflections on pivotal moments in agricultural truth-telling, exploring how Indigenous identity has been shaped and constrained through farming connections. It speaks truth to the current agricultural positioning of Indigenous farming of underrepresentation, pay gaps and friction. It will also speak of hope, of opportunity, of reconnecting with the land, and of instilling cultural practices into farming through modernity.

This Yindyamarra Oration speaks gently to current agricultural truths, asking for deep listening to build greater connections with land and partnerships for agricultural resilience.

Speaker bio

Josh Gilbert is a Worimi man who lives and works on Country with strong ties back to the Bugg/Derby families. He has over a decade of experience working in Indigenous employment, which has led him to co-develop and co-launch the Centre for Indigenous People and Work, a world-first employment research and consulting Centre focused on Indigenous attraction, retention and workplace experience. Josh is a proven leader known for uniting diverse stakeholders to drive sustainable change through transformation, consistently delivering outstanding business outcomes.

Josh is doing his PhD in Indigenous agriculture post-colonisation at Charles Sturt University, and launched his first book, Australia's Agricultural Identity: An Aboriginal Yarn, in 2025. Josh is passionate about Indigenous business and agriculture, with a caring and empathetic leadership style to build partnerships. As such, Josh is the Indigenous co-Chair of Reconciliation NSW, a member of the Future Drought Fund Consultative Committee and serves on the boards for Indigenous Business Australia and the NSW Aboriginal Housing Office. He is also on the advisory council for CSIRO's Agriculture and Food teams and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's First Nations Trade and Investment Advisory Group.