Renowned artist, poet, actor, and much-loved and respected elder of the Aboriginal community, Elly Chatfield, has been named the Blue Mountains Local Woman of the Year.
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Ms Chatfield received the award at the NSW Women of the Year Awards, held on International Women's Day (Wednesday, March 9) at the International Convention Centre in Sydney.
Blue Mountains MP Trish Doyle nominated the Katoomba resident for the award.
"She is a resilient Gamillaroi woman, single mother of two, grandmother, humble human, and highly regarded in her role as Elders support worker at the Blue Mountains Aboriginal Culture and Resource Centre," said Ms Doyle.
"A child of the stolen generation, Elly's life and resilience is an inspiration for many. She has informed various sectors of the community on the deep and longterm impact of removal of Aboriginal children from their families."
Ms Chatfield's art is inspired by her connection to land and sense of belonging. She exhibits widely, including in the annual NAIDOC Art show and Blue Mountains Portrait Exhibition.
A skilled educator and environmentalist, Ms Chatfield regularly presents workshops to schools and landcare groups about seeing land from an Indigenous perspective.
As an actor, she has appeared in feature films such as Australia and more recently starred in the film Smoke Between Trees.
"Elly is a mentor of First Nations people of all ages. She is a cultural advisor and supports numerous young people and community organisations. She has made a significant contribution to the Blue Mountains community," said Ms Doyle.
Ms Chatfield was presented with her award from the Minister for Women, Bronnie Taylor MLC, and Blue Mountains MP Trish Doyle.
