Essie Coffey, a remarkable Muruwari woman, was born near Goodooga in Northern New South Wales, Australia. She was a pioneering figure in the Aboriginal community, co-founding the Western Aboriginal Legal Service and serving on various government bodies and Aboriginal organizations.
Growing up, Coffey's family avoided forced relocation to a reserve by following seasonal rural work, a testament to their resilience and resourcefulness.
Throughout her life, Coffey dedicated herself to promoting Aboriginal rights and culture. She co-founded the Aboriginal Heritage and Cultural Museum in Brewarrina and served on the boards of numerous organizations, including the Aboriginal Lands Trust and the Aboriginal Advisory Council. Her commitment to reconciliation led her to become an inaugural member of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation.
Coffey's contributions to the Aboriginal community earned her the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) on June 10, 1985. However, she declined a nomination for a Member of the British Empire (MBE),citing her refusal to be associated with the British Empire.
In addition to her work in the community, Coffey was also an accomplished filmmaker. In 1978, she produced "My Survival as an Aboriginal," which she gifted to Queen Elizabeth II at the opening of Australia's new Parliament House in 1988. The film won several awards, including the Greater Union Award for documentary film and the Rouben Mamoulian Award at the Sydney Film Festival in 1979. A sequel, "My Life As I Live It," was released in 1993, and Coffey also appeared in the film Backroads.
Coffey's personal life was marked by her love and dedication to her family. She raised eight biological children and adopted ten more, along with her husband, Albert "Doc" Coffey.
