Vince Coulthard, SA nominee for Australia’s Local Hero 2015

It is appropriate that Aboriginal Elder Vince Coulthard from Port Augusta is South Australia’s nominee for Australia’s Local Hero 2015. The award ‘acknowledges a significant contribution at the local community level’, which has been a hallmark of Vince’s service for more than 30 years.

Taken to community meetings by his maternal grandfather from a young age, Vince said that his advocacy for Aboriginal people and their culture evolved over time. His stands against injustice and his natural ability were recognised by others who came to him for help.

Vince has served his local community in many roles and capacities during the past 30 years.

He worked as a ranger, including head ranger, in two national parks in the Flinders Ranges.

“I was the first Aboriginal person to manage the Aboriginal Programs for South Australia National Parks, managing projects right across the state,” Vince said.

As a regional councillor in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) for nine years, he managed several portfolios and established a steering committee on family violence which ultimately led to the creation of the family violence legal service in his area.

As director for 20 years of Umeewarra Aboriginal Media Service, Vince oversaw changes in an organisation that he said once “offered 20 minutes a week for the ABC, to the media facility we now have in Port Augusta which is second to none in community radio”.

Vince has been Chairperson of the Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Association (ATLA) for more than 16 years, and in that role, continues to serve locally.

“As the Elder Men's representative for the Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Association I am currently organising men's camps to bring together the Elders and the young men and boys so that the important men's cultural information can be handed down in the right way,” Vince said.

He learned the importance of this from his father who he said, “was determined that I would be strong in my culture so that I could pass this on to my children and grandchildren.”

 “My main personal and life lesson is about the importance of culture,” Vince said.

“We as a people need to protect, preserve, nurture and continue to learn about our culture.

“We as Aboriginal people have a depth of knowledge about this land that is important to the nation and our voices need to be heard.”