3 June 2026
Today is Mabo Day. Each year on 3 June, Australia honours Eddie Koiki Mabo, the Meriam people and the landmark High Court decision that changed the legal story of this country.
For Nungya Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation, Mabo Day is a reminder that identity, Country, culture and community leadership are not abstract ideas. They shape how people belong, how families carry history, and how communities build stronger futures.
Why Mabo Day matters
On 3 June 1992, the High Court of Australia handed down its decision in Mabo v Queensland (No 2). The decision recognised that the Meriam people held native title to land on Mer, also known as Murray Island, in the Torres Strait. It also rejected the false idea of terra nullius, the claim that the land belonged to no one before colonisation.
That decision did not happen by accident. It came through years of courage, persistence, family strength and community knowledge. Eddie Mabo did not live to see the final judgment, but his work helped open a legal pathway for the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ continuing connection to land and waters.
Connection is more than a legal word
Native title is often talked about through law, courts and policy. But at its heart, Mabo Day speaks to something deeper: connection. Connection to Country. Connection to ancestors. Connection to language, ceremony, family responsibility, story, knowledge and place.
Those connections are part of wellbeing. When people know who they are, where they come from and who stands with them, they are better able to carry pressure, rebuild confidence and support others. That is why community-led work matters. It respects the whole person, not just the problem in front of them.
What Mabo Day teaches us locally
Mabo Day teaches that change can begin with people who refuse to let truth be ignored. It also teaches that local knowledge matters. Families and communities often hold the details that institutions miss: the history of a place, the relationships between people, the responsibilities that sit behind a decision, and the support that is needed for people to move forward.
- Listen to community leadership. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people must lead the conversations that affect our lives, families and futures.
- Respect connection to Country. Land and waters are not only resources. They carry story, responsibility, belonging and identity.
- Back practical pathways. Legal recognition matters, but people also need housing, health, disability support, mental wellbeing, transport, training and safe places to connect.
- Keep truth in the room. Progress depends on honesty about history and respect for the people who carried the work before us.
Nungya’s commitment
Nungya’s work is grounded in practical support and community connection. Through men’s wellbeing, assistance animals, disability pathways, local projects and everyday conversations, we aim to help people feel seen, respected and less alone.
Mabo Day reminds us that strong communities are built when culture is respected and people are trusted to lead. It reminds us that change can take time, but it also reminds us that determined people can shift the future.
Today, we honour Eddie Koiki Mabo, the Meriam people, and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who continue to protect culture, care for Country and lead community work with strength.