Gavin Wanganeen

Gavin Wanganeen is an Australian Football League (AFL) legend, acclaimed contemporary Aboriginal artist, successful businessman and a prominent advocate for Indigenous empowerment.

A two-time Premiership winner, Brownlow Medallist and member of the AFL Hall of Fame, Gavin is widely respected for his extraordinary contribution to Australian football. His AFL career spanned 300 senior games with Essendon and Port Adelaide, earning him widespread recognition and historic accolades. In 2015, the Adelaide Oval named a grandstand in his honour, acknowledging his remarkable impact on the game.

Gavin blazed a trail as the first Indigenous player to win the Brownlow Medal and the first to reach the 300-game milestone. In 2019, he again made history when he was appointed to the board of the Port Adelaide Football Club, becoming the first Aboriginal former AFL player to be elected to an AFL club board, and the first Indigenous board member in the club’s 150-year history.

Since retiring from the AFL, Gavin has become an acclaimed contemporary Aboriginal artist. His work draws deeply on his Kokatha Mula ancestry and the stories of the Western Desert night skies. Born in Mount Gambier, South Australia, Gavin’s cultural heritage and family history – including time spent on South Australia’s west coast where his great-grandfather Dick Davey was a respected community leader at the Koonibba Mission – continue to inform his artistic vision. Although he embraced art from a young age, it was during his playing career, through a friendly challenge with his Indigenous teammates, that he made the life-changing decision to pursue painting.

Gavin’s artistic journey has since flourished, with his natural talent attracting growing national acclaim. His first solo exhibition in 2016 — inspired by a profound moment on Wardang Island, where he witnessed a shooting star that connected him to his Kokatha ancestors — marked a significant step in his evolution as an artist.

Beyond sport and art, Gavin is a passionate advocate for Indigenous empowerment. He frequently travels to remote Aboriginal communities across the APY Lands, encouraging young people to embrace education, culture, sport and positive life pathways. His leadership extends across numerous boards and organisations, including the State Theatre Company South Australia and CALHN. He is a founding driver behind the Indigenous Players Alliance, established in 2018 to support Indigenous AFL players throughout their careers and beyond.

Gavin is also an accomplished entrepreneur. He is the Owner and Director of MURRA Partners, an Aboriginal-owned executive search and recruitment firm based in South Australia. Most recently, he launched Jooju, his own coffee bean and pod business, reflecting his commitment to creating opportunities for community and culture-led enterprise.

A dedicated community advocate, Gavin has served as a Statewide Wellbeing Strategy Ambassador for the South Australian Government and Wellbeing SA’s Open Your World initiative. He has been an ambassador for Power Community Programs, Power to End Violence Against Women, Deadly Choices, the AFL’s Aboriginal youth football team the Boomerangs, and the White Ribbon Foundation. He is also an advisor to the United Nations Association of Australia (SA), and contributes to Reconciliation Action Plan committees for UNAASA and the Adelaide Fringe Festival.

In 2005, the University of South Australia established the Gavin Wanganeen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scholarship, supporting disadvantaged Indigenous students to complete university degrees and contribute to their communities. With more than 45 recipients to date, the scholarship continues to transform lives, with graduates now contributing significantly across Indigenous health, education, social work, media and the arts.

Gavin Wanganeen’s life and career embody excellence, cultural pride and a deep commitment to inspiring future generations. His impact continues to be felt across sport, art, community and business in Australia.