Dr Sally Sophia Goold OAM, a proud Wiradjuri woman and the first Aboriginal registered nurse in New South Wales, has passed away. Her death marks the loss of a fierce advocate for Indigenous health, a visionary educator, and a pioneer whose work in Redfern reshaped the landscape of community healthcare in Australia.
In 1971, Dr Goold helped establish the Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) in Redfern – the first Aboriginal community-controlled health organisation in the country. At a time when First Nations people were systematically denied basic services, her work alongside other trailblazers empowered communities to take control of their health. The clinic became a model for similar services nationwide.
Dr Goold’s strength lay in her refusal to be deterred by racism or exclusion. Beginning her training at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital as a teenager, she became the first Aboriginal nurse in NSW despite facing discrimination from both peers and the institution. “I had a goal, and I focused on it,” she once said. That clarity of purpose shaped a lifetime of leadership and change.
Her contributions extended beyond the hospital ward. As a teacher, policy leader and researcher, she inspired generations of nurses and helped found the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM) in 1997. The organisation gave voice and visibility to Indigenous professionals and students across the nation.
In recognition of her service, Dr Goold was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1986 and named Senior Australian of the Year in 2006.
But for many, her most enduring legacy lives in Redfern – in the rooms of the AMS where families found care, dignity and hope. Dr Sally Goold’s life reminds us that health is not just about medicine, but about justice, self-determination and standing strong in the face of adversity.
She walked the extra mile so others wouldn’t have to walk alone.
Our condolences to her family, friends and the CATSINaM community.
