The Canberrans: Dhani Gilbert

Posted on 20 March, 2021

Wiradjuri woman Dhani Gilbert is the 2021 ACT Young Woman of the Year. In this episode of The Canberrans, we celebrate the contribution she is making to her city and her culture.

At just 18, Dhani has already dedicated her considerable energies to promoting the rights and recognition of Indigenous Australians—proudly following in the footsteps of her grandfather, veteran Aboriginal activist Kevin Gilbert.

Kevin Gilbert helped establish Canberra’s Aboriginal Tent Embassy and Dhani has grown up always knowing the value of her heritage.

At just 16, Dhani was named Young Canberra Citizen of the Year for her advocacy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

She is now trailblazing her way through not one, not two, but three tertiary qualifications—a double degree at the Australian National University with a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Environment and Sustainability, focusing on conservation biology and science communication.

She is also completing a Graduate Certificate in Wiradjuri Culture and Heritage from Charles Sturt University and was recently named the 2021 ACT Young Woman of the Year.

In this episode of The Canberrans (filmed in 2020), we ask Dhani what it is like to grow up in Canberra while embracing her Indigenous culture, how she manages to balance her academic workload and how we need to consider Indigenous land management techniques in the wake of our horrendous bushfire season.

For the full podcast, go here.

The Canberrans is a collaboration between Newcast Studios, Lonsdale Street Studio, Salon Canberra and HerCanberra.