WARNING: This article contains the image and name of an Aboriginal person who has passed away. NITV has sought permission to use Aunty Ann Weldon's name and image in line with her family's wishes.
An advocate for her people and pillar of the Redfern community, Ann Weldon AM has died.
A staunch Wiradjuri woman of the Kalare (Lachlan) River, Aunty Ann Weldon, nee Coe, died on Easter Sunday, aged 73.
The Weldon family announced the news via heartfelt tribute.
They said she passed "peacefully, yet defiantly to the Heavenly Dreaming".
"The world as we know it has shifted, leaving us with an even deeper appreciation for the strength and tenacity gifted to us by our Wiradjuri ancestors - a strength she carried for 73 beautiful years," they said.
She bravely walked where others feared, steadfast in her belief and knowing that her ancestors would guide her.
"We are heartbroken, yet heart-strengthened, that our beautiful Ann Pauline, Mum and Nin has left us. But we know her impact, her love, and her spirit will never leave."
Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy acknowledged the loss of the "strong Wiradjuri matriarch" on social media.
The minister said Aunty Ann "loved and inspired" many.
"Our hearts are grateful for having been a part of her life’s journey," she said.
NSW Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty, David Harris, also shared condolences, saying the impact of Aunty Ann's work will "be felt for generations to come".
"Aunty Ann played a crucial role in advancing and improving the lives of Aboriginal people in NSW," he said.
Many Redfern-based organisations also shared tributes to the great-grandmother.
The NSW Aboriginal Land Council acknowledged her "lifelong contributions to the fight for basic human rights and justice for Aboriginal people paved the way for future generations".
They said her legacy would be a source of strength and guidance.
Wyanga Aboriginal Aged Care said Aunty Ann's passing was a "profound and heavy loss for community" and her absence a "stark reminder" of all she "carried, gave and fought for".
Rugby league club, Redfern All Blacks, shared their grief in loosing a "Blak matriarch of Redfern community".
"[Her] strength, leadership and unwavering commitment to our people have left a mark that will never fade," they said.
They said she "carried culture, fought for justice, nurtured community and paved the way for generations to come".
"Rest in power."
Born in Cowra in 1953, Aunty Ann was raised on Wiradjuri Country at Erambie Mission.
Inspired by the momentum of the 1967 referendum, Aunty Ann moved to Sydney in 1970. She and her husband, Wiradjuri man George Weldon, welcomed their daughter, Yvonne, a year later.
The pair bought their family home Sydney's inner west suburb of Dulwich Hill in the mid-1970s and cemented themselves in the Redfern community.
Aunty Ann was a founding member of the NSW Aboriginal Children's Service and Inner West Aboriginal Community Company, and supported the establishment of Redfern's Aboriginal Medical Service.
She was instrumental in establishing the NSW Aboriginal Legal Service, working for many years as the company secretary before becoming the first female CEO.
She was also the first CEO of the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council, the longest serving full-time Chairperson of the NSW Aboriginal Housing Office Board and held various positions on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission's (ATSIC) Regional Council for Sydney.
Aunty Ann was an Elder and member of the Metropolitan Aboriginal Land Council, and served for many years as the Public Service Association's Aboriginal Liaison Officer. She was pivotal to the creation of the PSA's Aboriginal Council - the first of its kind in the Australian union movement.
She was named the 2020 Dreamtime Elder of the Year at the National NAIDOC Awards and was awarded an Order of Australia in 2025 for her dedication and significant service to the Aboriginal community.
"I feel humble, I think its wonderful to be given that recognition," she said at the time.
