Nini Mills grew up in the midst of a native title fight. Now she is leading a key pillar of Yawuru’s future

There are few callings stronger than the red dirt and salty sea breeze for those who have it in their veins — it manifests itself as an emotive voice in your head longing for you to come home. It is a feeling Yawuru woman Nini Mills knows all too well. Mills’ work in tourism, administration, finance, community development and government has granted her opportunities to travel across the country. But for the wealth of experiences this brought, the calling of saltwater country was always there. “This is where my heart is, my liyan is, and this community strengthens my sense of wellbeing,” Mills said. “The saltwater is in my veins and the pindan sand stained my feet, so this is my place of grounding. “It is magical, it truly is.” Mills was in late 2021 appointed to the top job at one of the Kimberley’s most influential organisations — Nyamba Buru Yawuru. This in itself was a homecoming of sorts, having worked previously for about nine years for the firm when it was first established to build an income base for Yawuru people. The NBY Mills has stepped back into two years after leaving is a powerhouse in Broome with a vast reach into many facets of the community. There’s a successful affordable Aboriginal housing program, myriad youth and culture projects, a conservation arm working in tandem with government, pastoral interests, property portfolio and the “best” cafe in Broome, to name a few irons NBY has in the fire. And Mills is well aware what her appointment means. Where once the archetype CEO — grey-haired white men — dominated positions at the top of Aboriginal organisations, a new wave of Aboriginal leaders are now stepping up in the North West. “A lot of the time it is around delivering services to our own community or influencing policy and who better to do that than our own people,” she said. “I have been proud to see the massive ripple of Aboriginal woman across the Kimberley stepping into leadership roles. “It is heartening because Aboriginal women have always been fundamental to sustaining and nurturing our community.” Mills said she hoped her appointment served as a beacon to women and young Aboriginal people to pursue leadership roles in their communities, something she plans to drive during her tenure. From a young age herself Mills was immersed in Aboriginal rights, having watched with interest as her family fought for native title and witnessed Yawuru leaders become powerful voices on the national stage. “I was born and raised here, went to school here and from a very young age was passionate about supporting the rights of Indigenous people,” she said. “My grandmother was cross-examined through that (native title) process so I was aware of what that journey of rights and recognition meant for my community, so as a young woman stepping into that space when the organisation was established I was carrying the vision of my old people and that instilled a sense of passion and pride. “I was extremely fortunate to be engaged at a time where we had very senior Yawuru leaders forging a path forward and leading in that space not only from a local level, but at a national level with the likes of Patrick Dodson.” While NBY has grown, there remains many familiar faces around the boardroom table, a fact Mills puts down to NBY’s clear vision. As for her own vision, Mills said affording the opportunities she had been given in life to other people would be central to her role.