Elder given nod at Naidoc Awards

Marie Thorne was named the 2014 Female Elder of the Year at the awards night, which recognises the achievement of Perth’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

Ms Thorne has been a Hilton resident for almost three decades, raising seven children of her own and fostering 12 others.

She is a leader of the Fremantle Indigenous Action Group, spreading her knowledge of Aboriginal sites and issues to non-indigenous people since 1998.

She was also successful in her campaign to rename Booyeembara Park with its Noongar name.

Ms Thorne is also a published writer, creating poetry that shows her ties to her Noongar roots.