Maureen Watson 

Achievements :

• Maureen was a founding member of Indigenous organisations that include Radio Red fern and the Aboriginal people’s Gallery .
• her first collection of stories and poems, Black Reflections was published in 1982. 
• She has performed and taught in many venues, from major festivals to local schools and arts organisations.
• she was at the forefront of Aboriginal protests against the Commonwealth Games .
•   she was awarded the Australia Council Red Ochre award in recognition of her national and international contribution towards recognition of Aboriginal arts.
• she received the inaugural United Nations Association Global Leadership Prize for her outstanding work towards building cross-cultural understanding and harmony.
•  She was a qualified and experienced Neuro-Linguistic Programming councillor.

turning points :

• At 21 she married Harold Bayles.
• In 1970 Maureen with their family of five children moved to Brisbane.
•  She joined the fledgling Aboriginal rights movement and commenced an arts degree at the University of Queensland.
• She attended the first National Aboriginal Theatre Workshop in Sydney and a Black Film-makers course.