Ken Colbung AM, MBE
Our foundation. A respected Noongar leader, cultural knowledge holder and lifelong advocate for Aboriginal people, cultural heritage and community.
Whadjuk Noongar Country · Western Australia
Our foundation
A respected Noongar leader
Senior Bibbulmun Elder Ken Colbung AM, MBE was a respected Noongar leader, cultural knowledge holder and lifelong advocate for Aboriginal people, cultural heritage and community.
Throughout his life, Ken worked to protect Noongar culture and ensure that cultural knowledge, traditions and responsibilities were passed to future generations with respect and integrity.
His leadership extended across community, cultural, legal and public life, where he consistently advocated for Aboriginal rights, cultural recognition, truth-telling and the protection of significant places.
His contribution was recognised nationally through his appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) and Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).
His life's work
A Life Dedicated to Culture and Community
Ken believed strongly in cultural responsibility and in the importance of protecting the knowledge and identity handed down through generations. His life’s work centred around:
- Protecting Aboriginal cultural heritage
- Strengthening Noongar identity
- Sharing cultural knowledge with future generations
- Advocating for Aboriginal rights and recognition
- Supporting community strength and empowerment
- Encouraging responsibility, pride and respect for culture
His leadership left a lasting impact on his family, community and the broader understanding of Noongar culture in Western Australia.
Carrying it forward
His Legacy Lives Through Koorta Boodjar
Koorta Boodjar is built upon the values Ken carried throughout his life.
Culture, respect, opportunity and community.
His legacy continues through his family, who remain directly involved in Koorta Boodjar and ensure the cultural foundations of the business remain genuine and protected.
His daughter Esandra Colbung provides cultural leadership and governance, while his grandson Rizk Yacoub represents the next generation carrying those values forward through the business.
Ken’s granddaughters Lalita and Tameeka, both Aboriginal artists, also contributed to the cultural identity of Koorta Boodjar through the creation of the company’s artwork and logo.
The artwork
The Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo
The Koorta Boodjar logo features a Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo, one of Ken Colbung’s totems.
With its wings spread and taking flight above the Boodjar, the cockatoo represents movement, opportunity and the strength to move forward.
The imagery connects the cultural foundations of Koorta Boodjar with the purpose of the business - helping people access opportunities, develop careers and build stronger futures.
Ken Colbung’s legacy is not simply part of our history. It continues to shape who we are and where we are going.
Carrying the legacy into the work
See how that foundation shapes the way we recruit, mobilise and support our people.