LOWITJA -
A Life of
Leadership and Legacy

4 june 2025 - 25 July 2025

Yankunytjatjara woman, the late Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE DSG has been described as ‘the greatest Aboriginal leader of the modern era,’ ‘a powerful and unrelenting advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,’ and ‘an outstanding leader and visionary.’

Dr O'Donoghue, one of Australia's most respected and prominent Aboriginal leaders, passed away peacefully on 4 February 2024 at the age of 91 on Kaurna Country, Adelaide, in her home state of South Australia.

She left behind a nation that are still mourning the loss of ‘a leader’s leader’ and ‘a national living treasure.’  The outpouring of love, admiration and respect are a powerful testament to the lasting impact of Dr O’Donoghue’s lifetime of work for the rights, education, health and wellbeing of Indigenous peoples of the world over. At her State memorial service on 8 March 2024 at St Peter’s Cathedral on Kaurna Country, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to her legacy, describing her as ‘one of the great rocks around which the river of our history has gently bent.’  First Nations communities far and wide mourned their matriarch and significant elder, who had worked tirelessly for them, ‘because I loved my people.’

One year on, Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue’s remarkable life and legacy will be remembered and honoured in an inaugural exhibition portraying her most iconic, triumphant, and heartbreaking moments from childhood, a career in health, Indigenous activism, high-profile leadership, and stellar career in Australian Aboriginal Affairs.

LOWITJA – A Life of Leadership and Legacy is an exhibition that celebrates the extraordinary life of the transformative Aboriginal leader who was told that she would never amount to anything. Exhibits include items from Dr O’Donoghue’s extensive personal collection of papers, photographs, videos, speeches, and memorabilia, aligning to themes spanning across her lifetime including the Stolen Generations, Nursing and Health, Aboriginal Affairs, ATSIC, Significant Achievements, Family, and Indigenous Peoples.