US Edition‘Trailblazer’: Tributes Flow for Indigenous Icon
Aunty Rhoda Roberts, who formalized 'Welcome to Country' protocol and led First Nations programming, died after a seven-month battle with rare ovarian cancer, aged 66.
- On March 21, 2026, Aunty Rhoda Roberts AO died on her country at 66 after a seven-month battle with a very rare form of ovarian cancer, her family confirmed.
- Diagnosed last year, Roberts fought ovarian cancer for seven months while performing her one-woman show My Cousin Frank in 2025.
- Notably, Roberts was the first Aboriginal host on mainstream television, inaugural head of Indigenous programming at the Sydney Opera House, and was named an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2016.
- Her family authorised SBS/NITV to broadcast images and footage, and Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Malandirri McCarthy wrote 'I treasure our final conversation recently about how'.
- Looking beyond immediate tributes, Roberts' influence on First Nations storytelling and cultural leadership will endure across Australia's cultural institutions and future generations.
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Aunty Rhoda Roberts, Australian trailblazer, dies at aged 66
Australia is honouring one of our greatest cultural trailblazers. Aunty Rhoda Roberts, a proud Widjabul Wia-bal woman, cultural leader and storyteller, has died at the age of 66, after a battle with cancer. For generations, she fought to ensure First Nations voices were heard, respected and celebrated, on their own terms. Rhoda dedicated her life to truth-telling, creativity and cultural strength. From media and theatre, to cultural events and t…
Sydney Morning Herald
Indigenous leader Rhoda Roberts, who coined ‘Welcome to Country’, dies aged 66
The Widjabul Wieybal woman was one of the first Indigenous presenters on prime-time Australian television and directed part of the Sydney Olympics opening ceremony.
Rhoda Roberts, the woman behind 'Welcome to Country', dies at 66
Rhoda Roberts AO, the arts executive who had an enduring impact on the cultural life of this country, has died. The Widjabul Wieybal woman was the creative force behind Australia's best-loved festivals and helped bring Welcomes to Country to the modern era.
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