Leadership Bursary

In 2020 the Selection Panel recommended a new award which was a Leadership Bursary to encourage and support the candidate to undertake leadership development.  This was awarded to Alice Pepper who is a proud Gunnai woman with family bloodline connections to the, Yorta Yorta, Mutti Mutti, Gunditjmarra and Arrunte peoples.  She is employed by GLaWAC, a Traditional Owner Corporation, as a Community Engagement Co-ordinator and was also elected onto the First People Assembly of Victoria for the South East Region.

Alice believes that everything should be on the table for treaty negotiations from Land and Waters, Health and Wellbeing, Education, Justice, Economic Development, Healing, family and children safety and restoring our Cultural Governance structures that we have a right to operate in our country as sovereign peoples and also the truth telling of our history.

She is also passionate about the arts and cultural expression through local stories, songs, languages and dance that connects her to country.  She designed the Indigenous Round Dress for the Melbourne Vixens Netball Team in 2020 and recently was engaged to paint the exterior and interior of the underpass at Nowa Nowa on Gunaikurnai Country East Gippsland as well as artwork for the reception area of Gippsland Lakes Complete Health in Bairnsdale.

Alice recently attended the Parrtjima Festival of Lights in Alice Springs in April 2022 as she would like to build on her skills in curating unique cultural art events with GLaWAC in the ampitheatre, gallery and performing arts.