His Honour travelled 325km south of Darwin to Menngen Outstation

His Honour travelled 325km south of Darwin to Menngen Outstation to present Mr Bill Yidumduma Harney with his Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of his significant service to the Indigenous community of the Northern Territory and to the arts.

Bill, 95, is an Elder and the last Senior Male Aboriginal custodian of the Wardaman people of the Victoria Flora and Katherine River Districts of the Northern Territory of Australia.

He is a Master Storyteller, Songman, Didjeridoo Player and Maker, Painter and former Tour Operator. A retrospective of his art, 'Yidumduma Bill Harney: Bush Professor', toured nationally and his art is found in collections of the National Gallery of Australia and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. Bill is Artist in Residence at Art Mob in Hobart, and an Artist at Mimi Aboriginal Art and Craft in Katherine. His work has been commissioned for the University of Sydney and Bond University and bought by Parliament House in Darwin and Parliament House in Sydney.

In 1999, Bill won land rights for the Wardaman people over the cattle station at Menngen, formerly Innesvale Station. As of 2024, the Wardaman Aboriginal Corporation, with Bill as the chair, runs Menngen. He is the Wardaman Clan Representative of the Godinymayin Rivers Arts and Culture Centre and Chairman of the Wardaman Indigenous Protected Area Management Association. Bill is a former member of the Northern Land Council and Katherine West Health Board and former Ambassador of the Northern Territory Tourism Commission.

His Honour said 'Bill is a Territory legend, as a child he witnessed the impacts of war on the Territory and he grew to be one of our great success stories through sheer hard work and determination. On behalf of all Territorians and Australians, I thank you Bill. You deserve this recognition and our thanks for all that you have achieved.'