Garnduwa’s Peninsula-wide approach to sport and recreation is creating consistent opportunities for young people and strengthening community leadership. Through regular delivery and local leadership, communities are building the confidence and capacity to sustain their own programs.

Soccer is gaining real momentum in the East Kimberley, bringing young people together and strengthening connection, confidence and wellbeing through sport. In Wyndham, girls are leading the way, with female participation reaching 53 per cent over the past three months – well above the Kimberley average. From school yards to the East Kimberley Soccer Carnival, the world game is creating inclusive, community-led opportunities for young people across Kununurra and Wyndham.

Across the Kimberley, recent basketball carnivals have brought families, Elders and young people together in a celebration of culture, connection and healthy competition. With support from Program Performance Manager Amanda Gregory and Garnduwa staff across all regions, communities have led events that strengthen wellbeing, build local confidence and showcase the power of sport in bringing people together.

Garnduwa is entering a new chapter, grounded in strong Aboriginal leadership and continuity of purpose.
This update acknowledges the lasting legacy of Mick Albert after more than 23 years of service, and outlines the organisation’s path forward with Josepha Howard now Acting CEO. Garnduwa’s commitment to supporting strong, healthy and active Aboriginal communities across the Kimberley remains unchanged.

Garnduwa engaged the Australian Institute of Sport’s Share a Yarn program, with support from Athletics West, to deliver a powerful week of sport, culture, and community connection across the East Kimberley. The visit brought elite Aboriginal athletes to Frog Hollow, Doon Doon, Warmun, and Kununurra, inspiring local youth and strengthening cultural pride. Centred around the East Kimberley Interschool Athletics Carnival, the trip highlighted how collaborative effort can create meaningful sporting pathways for young people in remote Kimberley communities.

King of the Kimberley returned to Halls Creek for the first time since 2021, bringing together 25 teams and hundreds of supporters for three days of high-quality basketball and community connection. Led by the Halls Creek Basketball Association and supported by Garnduwa, the carnival showcased the strength, talent and leadership that exists across Kimberley communities.

Sport connects us all. Through a new partnership with Sport4All, Garnduwa is helping create more inclusive opportunities for people with disability across the Kimberley - ensuring everyone has the chance to play, lead, and belong through sport.

Garnduwa Amboorny Wirnan Aboriginal Corporation will hold its 2025 Annual General Meeting on Thursday 27 November at 3:00pm at Broome Sports House and via Teams from local Garnduwa offices. Members are invited to attend and participate in the governance of the organisation.

Garnduwa recognised at the 2025 Broome Business Excellence Awards

Garnduwa welcomes Will: Our Partnerships & Strategy Manager

Garnduwa welcomes Sean: The East Kimberley’s new sport and recreation manager.

Kimberley Spirit raises the curtain at optus stadium

Garnduwa welcomes Huntar: The Kullarri Regions new active communities coordinator.

Quarter 1 of 2024 has seen our operations extend right across the Kimberley. We have spent the first part of the year focussing on recruiting and developing local community members to deliver sport and recreation in their home communities.

Scroll through the gallery below to learn more about our key statistics.

Our Kimberley Active Communities Program (KAC) operates throughout the Kimberley. The program has multiple focuses. Firstly, to encourage young Indigenous people to engage in a healthy and active lifestyle through their regular participation in sport and recreation; secondly to build the capacity of Kimberley communities at an individual and collective level; to deliver sport and recreation themselves.

“We really want to try and encourage healthy lifestyles, even though it’s nice to sit at home and play video games over the school holiday, we want to give as many kids as possible that option to get involved with sport”.

The remote Aboriginal Community of Balgo, 280 kms south of Halls Creek, within the Tjurabalan region is seeing incredible rates of community participation in sport programming following a recent partnership commitment between Garnduwa and the Wirrimanu Aboriginal Corporation. The Partnership has seen Garnduwa commit funding for 30 hours a week dedicated to sport programming. Lolanthe Fitzgerald, the Project Manager of the Balgo Youth Engagement Strategy, spoke to us about the impact sport is having in Balgo Community

Our Community Recreation Officers have played a pivotal role in activating the Noonkanbah and One Arm Point communities throughout Term 1 with consistent programming and attendance.

We sat down with Simone to learn about the journey that led her to the Kimberley Spirit role, and what her plans are moving forward with the active and well established program.

Two young leaders, Aaron Sampi and Sareema Tomlinson have completed a six-month placement with Garnduwa that saw them lead various youth engagement initiatives as well as develop their own professional capacities.