2025 State Finalists - Indigenous Excellence

Blak Cede Gunyah Cafe is a space built by community, for community. It reflects values of strength, pride and self-determination, and plays an important role in sharing culture, creating opportunities, and supporting the next generation of strong Aboriginal leaders.

FIRST NATIONS ECONOMICS LTD is a charity that partners with governments, industry, and communities to deliver high-impact, culturally grounded solutions that advance economic self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, benefiting the broader economy.

Native Secrets manufactures and sells natural skin care products and essential oils. Proudly Indigenous owned and Supply Nation certified, they extract bioactive ingredients from wild-harvested Australian natives and transforms them into high quality natural skincare products.

Founded by Gemma Lloyd, Sacred Country Consulting is dedicated to empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, creatives, and communities to thrive in business. Through culturally grounded consulting, tailored mentoring, and program design, it supports clients at every stage of their enterprise journey, from early stage ideation to strategic growth.

Spear & Arrow Therapeutic empowers individuals and families through dedicated behaviour support, occupational therapy, support coordination, and psychosocial recovery coaching. Based in Dubbo, its team is committed to helping children and young people thrive by addressing their unique needs and fostering their full potential.

Founded in 2004 by Ray Pratt, Dice (Aust) delivers high quality infrastructure projects across regional and remote Australia including public housing, commercial buildings, government facilities, essential services, and renewable energy installations.

Ltyentye Apurte Traditional Craft Centre (TCC) is a community-owned and Aboriginal-led social enterprise committed to preserving and sharing Eastern Arrernte culture through traditional woodcraft. TCC’s core philosophy is grounded in cultural continuity and enterprise, to honour traditional knowledge while creating sustainable economic opportunities for Arrernte people on Country.

Saltbush Social Enterprises delivers transformative employment, justice reintegration, training and wellbeing and support programs for marginalised Territorians. It designs programs with its participants, embedding cultural safety, lived experience, and trauma informed care into everything it does.

Bama Cape York Services Pty Ltd is an Indigenous owned business, delivering professional landscaping, cleaning and facilities maintenance services across Far North Queensland. Established in 2010, it was created to generate meaningful, long-term employment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, while providing high quality, dependable services to government, corporate and community clients.

Founded in 2017 by Jenni Walke, a proud Bundjalung woman, Elephant In The Room Consulting is a purpose-led, culturally informed consultancy that transforms the way organisations engage with culture, strategy, and community.

MOEC is an Indigenous-owned company providing specialised piping, construction, and mechanical services to Australia's vital water, gas, and mining industries. It excels in delivering technically complex infrastructure projects for blue-chip clientele.

MR-ROADS is changing the construction landscape with integrated services that focus on finding innovative solutions to road projects, no matter how big or small. Putting clients and relationships at the forefront, MR-ROADS offers a relentless focus on customer service and unrivalled project outcomes.

Yaala Sparkling is a female founded, Indigenous-owned beverage brand creating premium, non-alcoholic sparkling drinks infused with real native Australian ingredients. The sugar-free, low-calorie beverages are a celebration of culture, flavour, and sustainability, crafted to connect people with Country through every sip.

BASEAPP uses technology to help remote communities communicate and participate in decisions that affect them. Its platform provides simple tools for people in isolated areas to share information, connect with others, and access resources they need. Through mobile and web applications, communities can document local issues, organise collectively, and reach decision-makers who might otherwise not hear from them.

Aboriginal Land Services (ALS) is a proudly majority Aboriginal-owned company, delivering professional services in cultural heritage, environmental management and community engagement across Australia. Founded in 2019, ALS exists to ensure that Aboriginal knowledge systems and values are embedded in the way precious natural environment and cultural heritage are managed.

Aboriginal owned and operated, Dabungool Cultural Experiences offer cultural walking tours and wraparound cultural educational services. Tourists are able to gain firsthand knowledge of country from Senior Elder Annie Dabb, who was born in the bush and lived in the bush with her dad and family.