Gracelyn Smallwood


Gracelyn Smallwood is a professor of nursing and midwifery at Central Queensland University. She is an Aboriginal Australian of Biri descent.

Early life

Smallwood was born in 1951 in Townsville, Queensland, of Biri descent.

Nursing career

Smallwood trained in general nursing, midwifery and psychiatric nursing at the Townsville Hospital.
She was the first Indigenous Australian to be awarded a Masters of Science in Public Health from James Cook University.
In 2016, she was appointed Professor of Nursing and Midwifery at Central Queensland University.

Other roles

Smallwood has been an advocate for the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people since 1968.
On 15 January 2020, it was announced that Smallwood would be one of the members of the National Co-design Group of the Indigenous voice to government.

Honours

Awards and honours include:
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