Blair McFarland, Yalmay Yunupingu, Peter Susanto and Witiyana Marika announced as NT Australians of the Year 2024
Anti-petrol sniffing advocate, remote educators, movie makers and the Territory’s own Doogie Howser — meet this year’s NT Australians of the year.
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An Alice Springs man fighting to stop the Territory’s future from sniffing themselves to death has been named as the NT’s 2024 Australian of the Year.
Central Australian Youth Link-Up Service founder Blair McFarland, alongside the three other pioneering Territorians, were announced as the 2024 Australia Day winners on Monday at a ceremony at the Darwin Convention Centre.
Mr McFarland has spent decades fighting to improve the health and lives of some of the most disadvantaged kids in Australia.
Mr McFarland moved to Central Australia in 1986, just before the petrol-sniffing epidemic of the 1990s.
This inspired him to set up Central Australian Youth Link-Up Service in 2002.
CAYLUS was instrumental in developing youth programs, orchestrating the rollout of Low Aromatic Fuel and implementing the Federal Low Aromatic Fuel Act.
Since these legislative changes there has been a 95 per cent reduction in volatile substance misuse.
Now the advocacy group is looking to tackle the next volatile substance scourge impacting young Territorians, calling for more to be done to prevent deodorant-sniffing.
The now 66-year-old continues to show his passion and commitment to Central Australia, through his ongoing political advocacy.
Senior Australian of the year is Yalmay Yunupingu a passionate teacher from northeast Arnhem Land.
Often described as the mother of the Yirrkala Bilingual School and a ‘bilingual warrior’, Ms Yunupingu is a highly respected teacher and linguist who retired just earlier this year.
Famously, Ms Yunupingu has translated Dr Seuss books at the community library into Yolngu Matha, allowing her students to know in their own language that “There is no one alive who is youer than you”.
A 17-year-old medical prodigy has been named the Young Australian of the Year.
Peter Susanto began his medical degree at Charles Darwin University at just 15, and was the Territorian to represent Australia in the International Brain Bee Olympiad, placing third in the brain and neuroscience competition.
The Territory’s own Doogie Howser was also recognised for his volunteering and community activism, raising money for The Fred Hollows Foundation and Indonesian orphanages.
Local Hero of the Year went to musician and filmmaker Witiyana Marika.
The Rirratjingu Elder is best known as one of the founding members of famous rock band, Yothu Yindi, but is also celebrated for his acting, other musical projects and cross-cultural education work.
A senior Dirritay and Dhalgarra (ceremonial leader) and a teacher of songlines and ceremonies for his clan, Mr Marika is known for being generous and inclusive with his cultural knowledge.
IN PICTURES: NT Australian on the Year Awards 2024
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Originally published as Blair McFarland, Yalmay Yunupingu, Peter Susanto and Witiyana Marika announced as NT Australians of the Year 2024
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