“Mum Shirl,” Shirley Coleen Smith

Famously known as “Mum Shirl,” Shirley Coleen Smith was an outstanding social worker and philanthropist who was dedicated to justice and welfare of all indigenous Australians.

Mum Shirl was one of the founding members on some of the most important Indigenous advocacy, health and social welfare boards, such as the Aboriginal Legal Service, the Aboriginal Medical Service, the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, the Aboriginal Children’s Service and the Aboriginal Housing Company.

Her advocacy in social welfare was focused on visiting Aboriginal prisoners, seeking shelter for children whose parents were unable to support them, and reuniting children with their parents from the stolen generation.

A story of how Shirley came to be know to all as "Mum Shirl" was that when she used to visit prisoners the guards would ask how she knew that particular prisoner.....she would say she was their mum and she would then be allowed to visit.