About Tranby

Tranby Aboriginal Co-operative Limited (Tranby) is a space for Mob to gather, share stories, and gain further skills and knowledge through community programs, events and accredited training.

Tranby is Australia’s oldest independent Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation.

Established in 1957, Tranby has always been driven by the belief that First Nations communities across Australia can manage themselves best as co-operatives, making their own decisions and running their own self- supporting local economy. Tranby has transformed the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through education, founded on the premise that education creates opportunities for economic empowerment, which underpins and supports the journey towards self-determination for our people.
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Throughout our almost 70-year history, we have learnt and grown from the wisdom of Elders past and present. We draw from traditions of First Nations learning and sharing practiced for over 65,000 years. We embody and continue these practices in culturally sensitive ways, nurturing the sharing of wisdom for generations ahead.

As an Aboriginal community-controlled organisation we are grounded in Aboriginal ways of knowing, being, and doing, that are incorporated in everything that we do.

AT TRANBY:
Our Purpose is making positive change happen for Mob
Our Vision is to be a place where First Nations people gather to learn and to find their power
Our Mission is to Educate, Achieve, Empower
Our Community is a national network of First Nations people that have connected with us since 1957 - alumni, supporters, trainers, teachers, students, mentors, friends and allies
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Our Programs

Our programs empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through education, leadership, and community-led initiatives. From our Women’s Leadership and Empowerment Program to recording and safeguarding the stories of our Elders, we support community to grow, connect, and create lasting positive change in their communities.

Our Programs
Our People

Following the legacy of Tranby’s first Aboriginal CEO, Kevin ‘Cookie’ Cook, our leadership has proudly remained Aboriginal since 1980. This commitment shapes how Tranby operates, adds value to community, and drives positive change. Our CEO, Dr Belinda Russon, is a proud Yugambeh women. Our diverse team, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, is united by a shared passion for working with and for community.

Our People
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OUR HISTORY

Established on 24 June 1957, Tranby Aboriginal Co-operative is Australia’s oldest independent First Nations education provider.

Founded on the belief that education is key to economic empowerment and self-determination, Tranby has grown to become a driving force in community-led learning, social justice, and systemic change.
Our History
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At Tranby, we walk proudly in the footsteps of those who came before us, strengthening community, empowering education, and shaping futures grounded in self-determination and culture.
Dr Belinda Russon, CEO, Tranby Aboriginal Co-operative Ltd
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Tranby continues to grow through new connections and partnerships. Our commitment to First Nations learning and to building self-supporting local economies has remained strong; we are proud to contribute to emerging areas of community empowerment, from leadership development to women’s programs and the safeguarding of Elders’ oral stories.
Kirsty Masella, Co-Chairperson
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It is more important than ever that we develop the skills necessary for building, or rather, re-building, a self-determined First Nations economy. This work cannot happen without truth-telling, without listening to the stories that have shaped and continue to shape our communities.
Mick Gooda, Co-Chairperson

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