The Board

Michael Long is the Patron of The Long Walk.

The Board is responsible for the corporate governance of The Long Walk and its controlled entities.  Corporate governance is undertaken with due regard to all of The Long Walk stakeholders and its role in the community. 

Merryn Apma
Chair

merryn.apma@thelongwalk.com.au

Merryn is a descendent of the Arrent'e people of Central Australia: she is the third generation of her family to have been removed from her family as a child. Merryn was adopted and brought up in Geelong Victoria by a non Indigenous family. 

Merryn is one of the founding members of the Wathaurong Aboriginal Cooperative , where she is employed as a Bringing Them Home Counsellor.  She also sits on the Board of Stolen Generations Victoria, and as a representative on the Reconciliation Victoria Council.

Merryn has been awarded  the Bicentennial Medal for her contribution to the Aboriginal Community (2001), The Western Suburbs Indigenous Gathering Place "Reconciliation" award (2005), and the "Women in Culture" award at the Koorie Women Mean Business' inaugural Victorian Aboriginal Women's Awards (2006).

Merryn strives to keep working at the grass roots level to provide a sense of community involvement to enable her people to have better opportunities in employment, health, housing, and to be heard and understood, and treated as equal. She is very committed to making a difference to both the Indigenous and non Indigenous people, she is extremely community minded, and is very passionate about assisting those less fortunate to get over the line.

Peter Murphy
Deputy Chair

peter.murphy@thelongwalk.com.au

BIOGRAPHY TO BE PUBLISHED SHORTLY

Peter Maher
Treasurer

peter.maher@thelongwalk.com.au

John Cusack
Director

john.cusack@thelongwalk.com.au

John Cusack is currently involved as an Associate Investigator / Project Officer in Indigenous Mental Health Research. He is also an Indigenous Artist, and descendant of the Gurindji, Walpiri and Anmatjerre people of Central Australia.

His parents are members of the Stolen Generation, who were placed in a Catholic Mission on Melville Island N.T.

John is the co-initiator of the historic walk, who together with Michael Long and many Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians took the plight of their people to the Prime Minister's office in Canberra. John is strongly committed to Indigenous self-governance. 

Sue Davies
Director

sue.davies@thelongwalk.com.au

Sue Davies is the founder and Managing Director The PR Exchange. After working as a journalist, and then in corporate public relations, Sue established The PR Exchange in 1994.   

As a highly experienced publicist and media specialist her passion and commitment is working with communities (particularly in rural areas), government, corporate and philanthropic organisations and the media, to facilitate good relationships, communication and awareness of issues, including in particular Indigenous and environmental.

Sue is a Lifetime Member of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. 

Simon Matthews
Director

simon.matthews@thelongwalk.com.au

BIOGRAPHY TO BE PUBLISHED SHORTLY

Darron Muir
Director

darron.muir@thelongwalk.com.au

Darron Muir, grew up in Ballarat, Victoria with his family. Darron represented Australia in professional cycling in the late 80's early 90's, where he spent several years in Europe racing for a Dutch Pro team and then the US on the professional circuit. Darron was fortunate to have been given the opportunity to school in the USA where he attended university studying business/finance.

Whilst in America, Darron ventured into the motor industry where he quickly made his mark. Upon his arrival back in Australia in 96 he climbed the ranks of the motor industry where he has since become a very successful business man in partnership with the Blood Motor Group in Geelong.

Since Darron came to Geelong he has contributed to many Community Charities, Functions, and events.

Darron also represents many Committees, such as Asthma Foundation, Essendon Football Club, and has been a committed sponsor to the Long Walk and Indigenous issues that impact on his people. He looks forward to the Challenges that he faces, with the future directions of The Long Walk Board.

Alan Thorpe
Director

alan.thorpe@thelongwalk.com.au

Alan Thorpe, a Gunai man, is a former AFL player, and lined up with the Fitzroy Lions, Sydney Swans, Western Bulldogs and Carlton during his 7 years on the field.

Having worked within the Victorian Indigenous community for almost 20 years, Alan is particularly passionate about the serious health issues facing young Indigenous men.

Alan currently works as a Drug & Alcohol Outreach worker with Ngwala Willumbong Cooperative in Melbourne. He is married to Carol Harrison, a Yuin/Yorta Yorta woman, and they have three children.