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About the Koori Mail

The Koori Mail – 100 per cent Aboriginal owned and controlled – is situated on Bundjalung country on the far north coast of New South Wales. Its shareholders are five small Aboriginal organisations – the Bundjalung Tribal Society (Lismore), Bunjum Co-operative (Ballina/Cabbage Tree Island), Buyinbin Co-operative (Casino), Kurrachee Co-operative (Coraki) and Nungera Co-operative (Maclean).

This resource was first launched by AIATSIS and the Koori Mail in partnership with the Department of Industry and Science, CAVAL and the State Library of New South Wales on 4 May 2011. The launch took place at a special ceremony in Canberra on the date of publication of the Koori Mail’s 500th edition.

The story of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia is a big one, and important for our nation. That it has been able to be told for 20 years and through 500 editions of the Koori Mail is a matter of enormous pride and privilege for my Bundjalung people.

The Koori Mail’s first edition was just 24 pages, all black and white (except for the masthead), and read by about 25,000 people. Today, the newspaper averages close to 100 pages, is alive with colour, and reaches more than 100,000 readers right around Australia every fortnight. If it involves our mob, you’ll find it in the pages of the Koori Mail.

The highs and the lows, the joy and the despair. From the grassroots of our communities to the big end of town and national affairs. But more than that, we also have a successful business that is owned and controlled by Aboriginal people. I’m proud to say that every cent of profit earned by the Koori Mail goes to Indigenous Australians, either as sponsorships and scholarships or dividends to the owning community organisations*...

The Koori Mail Board is delighted that, with the help of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), we are now able to bring that story to life in digital form. It is our gift to the nation.

Bundjalung man Russell Kapeen
Former Koori Mail chairman

Bundjalung man Russell Kapeen, former Koori Mail chairman

 

Sensitivity statement

Visitors should be aware that Koori Mail issues may contain images and other references to deceased people which may cause sadness or distress, particularly to the relatives of the deceased.

Visitors are advised that Koori Mail issues may contain words or descriptions which reflect the author’s attitude or that of the period in which the item was written. These may be considered inappropriate today in some circumstances.

Copyright information

Copyright in the Koori Mail newspaper is held by the Koori Mail, PO Box 117 Lismore NSW 2480.

AIATSIS has been granted permission to reproduce this content online.

Readers of this online collection may make print-outs for research purposes.

You may download, display, print and reproduce this content for your personal or non-commercial use but only in an unaltered form and with the copyright acknowledged.

Anyone wishing to publish material from the Koori Mail resources on this website should seek permission from the Koori Mail

Last updated: 08 September 2022