Wodi Wodi and Dharawal Elder Dr Aunty Joyce Donovan became the first Aboriginal person to become a Patron of the Kiama Historical Society last Saturday.

Aunty Joyce attended Kiama Library Auditorium to receive the accolade and share a wise slice of Indigenous history with event attendees.

Her grandson Quinten also delighted guests with a captivating didgeridoo performance.

KHS has implemented a 2025 Reconciliation Action Plan in an effort to embrace Indigenous voices and history.

The result is a display at Pilot’s Cottage Museum that showcases Kiama’s history through a more inclusive lens, which Aunty Joyce’s extensive knowledge and affinity for storytelling have made possible.

Aunty Joyce collaborated closely with KHS Vice President and Royal Australian Historical Society Director Dr Tony Gilmour to curate the collection.

“We had nothing before. We’ve made a start. There’s still a lot to come,” Aunty Joyce said.

She hopes that exposure will encourage other Aboriginal residents to delve into their family history and uncover stories from Elders that can contribute to the exhibition’s accuracy or quantity, calling it “a living, evolving display”.

“We need to record all these famous wonderful people. We need to go back to our ancient people, who were great warriors and who were born here and lived traditionally,” Aunty Joyce said.

Unbeknown to many locals, Minamurra set the scene for many significant historical events.

After Christianity was first introduced to the area more than two centuries ago, influential Aboriginal rights trailblazer King Mickey Johnson formed a gum leaf band in an attempt to raise funds to build a church.

In 1818, a violent massacre at the hands of white settlers claimed the lives of six Wodi Wodi people.

These fascinating and culturally rich stories are what Aunty Joyce is hoping to document in writing and bring to public consciousness.

“Because our people were forbidden to speak [their] language, stories were told through dance [and] song lines,” said Aunty Joyce.

“And for the schoolkids, it’s important. I’ve got a couple of nieces singing in a language choir. I refer to it as ‘waking up the language’ because there used to be dire consequences for [speaking] it.”

Aunty Joyce believes that creating resources and encouraging education are essential to reconciliation efforts.

“Kiama was such a big, important part for our people; for the clans and groups gathering here. The last traditional burial was at Kiama. And it was the birthplace of Aunty Jane [Ardler], who was born on the lift of the Minamurra River,” Aunty Joyce said.

Aunty Jane Ardler was not only the granddaughter of Aboriginal pioneer King Mickey Johnson, but an influential Indigenous figure in her own right. Aunty Jane made a pivotal difference in healthcare equality when she started Nowra’s South Coast Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation in 1983 and was a mentor of Aunty Joyce throughout this process.

Other descendants of King Mickey Johnson have visited the Pilot’s Cottage Museum, which is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am-3pm.