Aunty Laura Bell

Laura Bell is a Gunditjmara Elder, mother of nine children and grandmother of 21. She resides in the township of Heywood in the Western District of Victoria and has been a member of the Heywood Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group since 1976.

Laura was involved in Regional Parent Forums from 1976-78 in the Western District including Horsham, Warrnambool and Ballarat. She is a leading activist in Aboriginal education as a worker at the Barwon South Western ACFE Koori Program and as the Higher Education Specialist Representative on the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association. She is a Board Member on the Deakin University Aboriginal Board of Management, the Miriambiak National Aboriginal Corporation, the South West Institute of TAFE, the Glenormiston Agricultural College and the Heywood and District Hospital. She is also on the Church of England Parish Council and a founding Member of the Winda Mara Aboriginal Co-op.

Aunty Laura is a legend in the Aboriginal community and beyond for her work in education.