Patricia Ellis OAM

Patricia “Trisha” Ellis OAM is a respected Brinja-Yuin Elder and knowledge holder from Moruya. For more than four decades, she has dedicated her life to revitalising the Dhurga language and passing on the cultural heritage of the Yuin Nation.

Trisha co-authored the seminal Dhurga Dictionary and Learner’s Grammar with her siblings Kerry Boyenga and Waine Donovan, compiling over 730 words with vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation guides. As a TAFE educator, she has brought Aboriginal knowledge into formal education, teaching language, conservation, land management, and children’s studies.

She holds a Bachelor of Community Management and a Master of Indigenous Languages, and draws her strength from her mother, Patricia Jean Ellis, and grandmother, Ursula Rose Connell, whose legacy she continues. Trisha also served as Joint Management Co-ordinator under the Biamanga National Park Lease Back Agreement, contributing to the protection and cultural stewardship of Yuin Country.

Trisha is widely recognised for her expertise in bush foods and traditional plant knowledge, teaching communities how to identify, harvest, and prepare native foods. She remains deeply involved in community life, conducting welcomes to Country, sharing stories, and helping younger generations connect with their heritage. She says, “My absolute passion now is trying to educate people to look after the environment better and to have a stronger appreciation of the knowledge that Aboriginal people still hold.”

Her lifelong commitment to her people has been recognised at the highest levels: in 2023, she was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for service to the Aboriginal community of Eurobodalla Shire and named “Local Woman of the Year” by the electorate of Bega. Trish Ellis stands as a living bridge between old and new, safeguarding Yuin language and ensuring Dhurga heritage thrives in generations to come.