Seeing Our Way Together at NATSIEHC26
Reflections from Minum Barreng in Narrm, at the MCG
Lose Fonua, CEO of the First Nations Eye Health Alliance
The 2026 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference (11-13 May), led and hosted by the First Nations Eye Health Alliance, brought together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health leaders, community members, clinicians, researchers and organisations from across the country for three wonderful days.
L: MCG Grounds R: Shaun Tatipata, Co-Chair of the First Nation Eye Health Alliance Board
Held at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country, there was something pretty special about gathering together in such a significant place – both in Aboriginal culture and colonised Australia. The sun was shining, the skies stayed blue and, unusually for Melbourne in May, delegates were treated to three beautiful days of weather. Across the conference, there was a real sense of momentum, pride and hope for the future of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health.
L: 2026 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference group photo, Melbourne VIC (Photographer: Courtney McCabe). Top R: 2017 Close the Gap for Vision by 2020: National Conference group photo, Melbourne VIC (Photographer: Rachel Ferguson). Bottom R: 2019 Close the Gap For Vision by 2020: Strengthen and Sustain - National Conference group photo, Alice Springs NT (Photographer: Rachel Ferguson).
Ten years on from some of the very early gatherings held in a single room at the University of Melbourne in 2017, it was incredible to reflect on just how far the conference has come. From those smaller beginnings, the conference gradually expanded to the Melbourne Arts Centre before eventually heading interstate for the first time to Alice Springs in 2019. To now see hundreds of people gathered together at the MCG felt powerful, not because of the venue itself, but because of what it represented: the strength of relationships, the growth of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership across eye health, and the collective commitment to continue ‘Seeing our Way’ towards equity and self-determination.
Djirri Djirri opening the conference welcome reception
The conference opened with a powerful Welcome to Country, Smoking Ceremony and cultural performance by Djirri Djirri Cultural Services, grounding everyone from the very beginning. During the Welcome, Dr Mandy Nicholson reflected on the deeper significance of gathering at the MCG, reminding delegates that long before it became known as the ‘G’, this was an important gathering place for Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people. Reflections on nearby scar trees, Country, the Birrarung flowing by, and the history of Marngrook added another layer of meaning to the conference.
International keynote speaker Kahurangi Fergusson-Tibble from Aotearoa, New Zealand, was incredibly engaging and brought a real warmth, humour and openness to the conference. He shared his lived experience, advocacy and family legacy in Māori disability and health leadership. Some of the other most moving sessions at the conference centred on lived experience and truth-telling. Reflections from members of the Stolen Generations, including Aunty Eva Jo Edwards and Aunty Sandra Barber, brought both heartbreak and strength into the room, reminding everyone of the ongoing impacts of colonisation, but also the resilience, leadership and healing carried by communities.
L-R: Kerry Woods, Aunty Janet (Puertollano) Richardson, Shaun Tatipata
Our special friend, Aunty Janet (Puertollano) Richardson, delivered this year’s Jilpia Nappaljari Jones Memorial Oration with humility, honesty and so much wisdom, sharing her incredible life story. Across many sessions, there was a strong and consistent message about the importance of community voice, cultural safety, systems reform, and ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership remains at the centre of eye health into the future.
One of the major highlights throughout the conference was the acknowledgment of Australia’s recent validation by the World Health Organization as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, a historic national achievement announced just weeks earlier on 29 April 2026. This milestone reflects decades of work led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, alongside community-controlled health organisations, governments, researchers, clinicians and partners working together.
Importantly, many speakers reminded delegates that elimination as a public health problem does not mean eradication. Continued focus on clean faces, hygiene, healthy housing, environmental health and ongoing surveillance remains essential to prevent resurgence.
L: Lesley Martin presenting table top on 'Milpa’s Six Steps to Stop Germs: From Hygiene to Healthy Housing and Homes' R: Makkaillah Ridgeway presenting table top on 'Using the 715 Health Check to Support Strong Eyes'
Tabletop presentations from our team included topics such as Milpa’s Six Steps to Stop Germs: From Hygiene to Healthy Housing and Homes presented by Lesley Martin, and Using the 715 Health Check to Support Strong Eyes presented by Makkaillah Ridgeway. A Q&A session featuring Minum Barreng’s Unit Head, Associate Professor Mitchell Anjou and representatives from the Melbourne Football Club reflected on the longstanding 16 year partnership between the organisations and the important role these collaborations can play in supporting community engagement and trachoma health promotion initiatives across Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Minum Barreng was pleased to sponsor the conference and also presented a talk on ‘transition’, a workshop on population health approaches to planning and ran a trade table during the three day event.
Milpa and friends from the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand, Deadly Vision Centre and South Australian Health
And of course, Milpa the Goanna popped in to say hello, posing for photos, giving fist pumps and bringing plenty of smiles!
L-R: Shaun Tatipata, Nick Wilson, Emma Stanford, Makkaillah Ridgeway, Carol Wynne, Mitchell Anjou, Kris Rallah-Baker, Lesley Martin, Hugh Taylor (Photo taken by Courtney McCabe)
The Gala Dinner was another memorable evening. One of the loudest and proudest moments came when Shaun Tatipata, Co-Deputy Head of Minum Barreng, Co-Chair of the First Nations Eye Health Alliance and founder of the Deadly Vision Centre, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. In true Shaun style, he accepted the award with humour, reminding the room: ‘I’m not dead yet’! Another meaningful moment, for us, during the evening was Minum Barreng receiving the Exemplary Allyship Award (Organisation), a humbling acknowledgement during this important transition period across the eye health sector.
Minum Barreng congratulates all award nominees and recipients recognised throughout the evening for their leadership, contribution and ongoing commitment to improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health and vision care.
Minum Barreng was pleased to be visited by some old friends (ex-staff) during NATSIEHC26 L-R: Hugh Taylor, Lesley Martin, Emma Stanford, Carol Wynne, Fiona Lange, Makkaillah Ridgeway, Nick Wilson, Rachel Ferguson, Jasmin Ehlert, Mitchell Anjou
As Minum Barreng moves through its final phases of transition and to conclusion, it felt especially meaningful to gather together one more time at NATSIEHC26, celebrating the strength of the sector, reconnecting with old friends and former colleagues, and looking ahead with hope as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health leadership continues to flourish and grow.
A huge thank you to the First Nations Eye Health Alliance team, Board, volunteers, MCs, speakers, workshop facilitators, performers, sponsors and everyone who contributed behind the scenes to make NATSIEHC26 such a strong, welcoming and powerful gathering. Pulling together a national conference of this scale takes an enormous amount of work, care and coordination, and the strength of the event was evident across every detail.