The winners at the 2026 Indigenous Governance Awards included a community-driven yarning circle to protect a recovering estuary, a nationally celebrated all-Blak literary festival, and an experienced Traditional Owner group managing 550,000 hectares of land and sea Country.

The Indigenous Governance Awards celebrate and showcase outstanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations whose success is derived from effective and innovative governance models that are built from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and ways of doing and being.

Reconciliation Australia and the Australian Indigenous Governance Institute proudly announced the winners at the Indigenous Governance Awards Gala on Thursday evening in Tarntanya/Adelaide.

In Category 1, Outstanding examples of governance in Indigenous-led non-incorporated initiatives or projects, Bindjareb Djilba Kaadadjan Bidi Yarning Circle from WA was honooured.

Formed to address the declining health of the Bindjareb Djilba (Peel-Harvey Estuary), the region's three Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations united to form a powerful Bindjareb Noongar voice working closely with the WA government and other local stakeholders in regional governance.

The winner of Category 2, Outstanding examples of governance in Indigenous-led small to medium incorporated organisations, was Victoria's Blak & Bright.

Created to address the absence of a dedicated platform led by and for First Nations writers and storytellers, Blak & Bright has grown into a national First Nations literary organisation delivering programming that deepens industry relationships and creates consistent opportunities for First Nations storytellers and audiences.

In Category 3, Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation from the NT was recognised as the winner among 'Outstanding examples of governance in Indigenous-led large incorporated organisations'.

Established in 1992 by Yolŋu Traditional Owners in northeast Arnhem Land in response to increasing external pressure on Country, Dhimurru governs under a kinship-based system grounded in Yolŋu Gurruṯu, where authority and responsibility are determined through relationships to Country and clan.

Reconciliation Australia CEO Karen Mundine said every one of the 60 organisations that applied for this year's awards are "honing unique methods of governance, driven by their Culture and community priorities".

"Their work shows what is possible when people push through the structural barriers created by racism and unsuitable western structures - to create economic and governance vehicles that do the things that need to be done, in the cultural way they need to be done," she said.

"Each of the finalists demonstrates an impressive capacity to bridge cultural and bureaucratic worlds without compromising integrity, to create something entirely new that all Australians can learn from.

"They are meeting their specific needs in ways that mainstream systems and approaches have struggled to address."

Australian Indigenous Governance Institute CEO Ragina Rogers said Awards recognise "more than organisational achievement".

"They celebrate the ways our people bring together culture, community knowledge and contemporary governance practices to make decisions that reflect who they are, what they value and where they want to go," she said.

"Each finalist demonstrates that strong Indigenous governance is grounded in self-determination, cultural authority and accountability to community. Their achievements are a powerful reminder that when our people lead, our communities thrive.

"We celebrate the strength, leadership and determination of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and organisations who are shaping their own futures through strong governance."

Reconciliation Australia and the Australian Indigenous Governance Institute congratulated all applicants for their "extraordinary efforts and for the generous invitation to learn about their work".

The organisations also expressed their sincere appreciation to the judging panel, "whose time, expertise, knowledge and guidance has been invaluable throughout the awards judging process".