Melbourne Grammar School parent, Nova Peris, is no stranger to breaking new ground.
When she won Olympic gold with the Hockeyroos in Atlanta in 1996, Nova became not only our first indigenous Olympic champion but the first mother to be a gold medallist for Australia since Shirley Strickland in 1956.
A talented sprinter, Nova then worked her way onto the international athletics scene as a member of the Australian 4x100m team at the 1997 World Championships. A year later, she was crowned Commonwealth champion in the 200m and was also a part of the 4x100m relay team that won gold. In 2000 Nova was selected for the Sydney Olympics team in the 400m and 4x400m relay team, which placed fifth. This achievement of representing Australia at Olympic level in two different disciplines marks her as one of our finest athletes.
On September 7 2013, Nova Peris became the first indigenous woman to be elected to Federal Parliament. In her maiden speech, Nova talked of having maintained strong cultural and spiritual ties to her country and explained that she is a descendant of the Gija people of the East Kimberley and the Yawuru people of the West Kimberley through her mother and the Iwatja people from Western Arnhem Land through her father.
We invite you to join us as Nova speaks of her journey and of the many people who have inspired her through their wisdom, courage and ability to overcome adversity.