THE FOUNDER
Michael Long OAM
The footballer
Michael Long is one of the greats of Australian football. An Anmatjere, Marranunggu and Tiwi Islands man who grew up in Darwin, he played 190 games for Essendon between 1989 and 2001, won two premierships, and claimed the 1993 Norm Smith Medal with one of the finest grand final performances the game has seen. He is a member of the Australian Football Hall of Fame and the AFL's Indigenous Team of the Century.
The stand
His most important moment in football happened beyond the scoreboard. On Anzac Day 1995, after being racially abused on the field, Michael refused to let it pass. He made an official complaint and said publicly what needed saying: racism has no place in sport.
It cost him. There were death threats. But his stand forced the AFL to act, leading to a racial vilification code that held players accountable for racism on the field. It was the first of its kind in Australian sport, and it changed the game permanently.
The walk
In 2004, three years after retiring, Michael took his biggest stand yet. Determined to put First Nations issues back on the national agenda, he set out to walk 650 kilometres from Melbourne to Canberra to meet the Prime Minister. Thousands joined him, the nation watched, and the meeting happened.
That journey became The Long Walk®.
Today
Michael was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2021 for his service to football and the Indigenous community. He remains patron of The Long Walk and continues to work for the health, education and wellbeing of First Nations people.
In 2023, almost two decades after his first walk, he walked the full 650 kilometres to Parliament House once more.
“I started the walk because of my own frustration but I began to understand that Australians from all walks of life had been looking for a way to express their support for Aboriginal culture.
It was about coming together, about black and white having a conversation and talking about the issues that face Indigenous Australians.”
— MICHAEL LONG OAM
Honours & Leadership
2025 National NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award
Recognising enduring advocacy for First Nations rights, self-determination, and community leadership
2021 Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)
Awarded for service to Australian rules football and to the Indigenous community.
2019 NT Australian of the Year
Honoured for leadership in anti-racism, reconciliation, and establishing the Michael Long Learning and Leadership Centre in Darwin.
Michael is available for speaking engagements and appearances via media@thelongwalk.com.au.