Indigenous Health Scholarship Program

I am a proud Aboriginal man with my ancestors originating on Ngengi Wumirri land on the Daly River in the Northern Territory. I was lucky enough to grow up in Darwin where we’d spend most of our weekends goose shooting the swamps or up the Daly river chasing that big meter barramundi. I competed in many sports such as AFL, touch, rugby union, rugby league and athletics. This is where my love for sport began. With this love for sport I began studying sports and exercise science at JCU in Townsville. Mid-course I transferred to USC on the sunshine coast where I completed the degree.

I was raised in south Gippsland, Victoria, however my family originates from Lunawanna-Alonnah country in Tasmania. I have a deep-rooted passion for occupational therapy that derives from personal experience with an occupational therapist as a teenager, along with a love for helping people.

My name is Tahlia, and I am a proud Gumbayngirr woman of Ngerrie land (South Grafton, NSW). I am currently studying Pharmacy, where I am excited about providing impactful healthcare on the front line to my community. After studies, I plan on relocating back to my homelands to assist the rural and regional healthcare professional shortages, and to lead my community to a positive, inclusive future.

Beyond my studies, I am a representative netball player of Grafton Netball Association and SCALA Netball, as well as a C badged umpire. I love to visit my family and friends back at home when I can, and I enjoy playing the guitar and piano.

I am Myles McKenzie, a proud Barundji Aboriginal man of the Paroo river, raised in Townsville, North Queensland. Having grown up in regional North Queensland, I became cognizant of the complex health disparities faced in Northern Australia, including the elevated prevalence of untreated mental illness within Aboriginal communities and inaccessibility to culturally sensitive health services. The implications of these health disparities became especially evident during my secondary education, where I learnt that suicide remains one of the leading causes of death for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, affecting Aboriginal children as young as nine years of age.

I am a proud Turrbal woman and a determined first year Doctor of Medicine student at Flinders University who aims to provide evidence-based and holistic care. I have a strong interest in cardiovascular health and Rhematic heart fever. I am committed to improving indigenous health and wellbeing through all stages of life. While working in a rural hospital I discovered I was most passionate working in and interreacting with patients and clinical education on Rhematic Heart Disease and Cardiovascular Disease. After working in the hospital this had sparked my interest to study medicine. I have always been intrigued by anatomy and physiology of how the body works; this one massive machine running off different systems.

My name is Madison Ludwig. I am a proud Gurindji and Kungarakan woman from Darwin, Northern Territory. I have spent most of my life living in Darwin, but did relocate to Perth to study my undergraduate degree in Nursing. Since high school, I knew that I wanted to one day work in healthcare and after 4 years of nursing, I decided to make the move across and study medicine, and am now in my final year

My name is Jamiliah Bin Swani, a Bard descendant from Lombadina Community located in the Kimberley region, Western Australia. I am also a Samsep descendant with ties to Erub Island in the Torres Strait Islands. After 4 years of working as an Aboriginal Health Worker in primary healthcare clinics across the Kimberley, I was inspired to further my education as a Registered Nurse so that I could improve the health care system for Indigenous people. I am currently studying a Bachelor of Nursing at Notre Dame, Fremantle and am passionate about health and advocating for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

My name is Logan Walsh, and I am a proud Kamilaroi man, who grew up in Roma on the traditional lands of the Mandandanji people in Southwest Queensland. I graduated from St Johns School in 2022 which is where I spent my whole primary and secondary school years – from Prep right through to year 12. In 2023 I moved to Brisbane to begin my university journey at ACU and started studying a Bachelor of Physiotherapy. Currently I am in my second year of university and am really enjoying my degree.

My name is Melissa Kelly, a proud Bundjalung woman from Lismore with connections to Aniwan, Dunghutti and Gumbaynggirr. Currently in my second year studying a Bachelor of Health Science (Mental Health) at Charles Sturt University.

I am an Aboriginal Mental Health Trainee working between the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) and the Aboriginal Specialist Wellbeing Service on Dunghutti country. I am passionate about mental health and supporting Aboriginal people along their journey.

My name is Shi-Anne Wallace, I am the second eldest of four children and grew up in the Tablelands community of Atherton in Far North Queensland. I am of Aboriginal, Mamu descent via my father.

Being the first in my family to finish High School, I graduated in 2021. I then began studying the Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) degree at James Cook University – Cairn’s campus at the beginning of 2022. I am now in my third year of my degree and expect to graduate at the end of 2025.