Lois Peeler is of Yorta Yorta / Wiradjuri heritage by her mother and Wurundjeri / Yorta Yorta by her father. She grew up on her Mother’s country on the Murray River and the Cummeragunja Aboriginal Reserve. Lois has had a lifetime of involvement in Aboriginal community development. Her extensive experience in Aboriginal Affairs includes the community level as Assistant Director at the Aborigines Advancement League and at senior levels of State and Federal Governments in the Aboriginal Affairs arena.

Lois’ public career includes being the first Aboriginal fashion model. She also worked in television (GTV 9 Breakfast Session in the 60’s). She was part of the group that toured Vietnam at the height of the Vietnam War that were the subjects of the hit play and then internationally acclaimed movie “The Sapphires”.

More recently she has held elected positions within the Department of Justice and Community Safety as Chair of the Eastern Metropolitan Regional Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee (RAJAC) Koori Justice Caucus, the Victorian Aboriginal Justice Forum. She currently leads ‘Lotjpadhan’ an Aboriginal-led restorative practice program and is Chair of Burrumbul Mirring Ltd a benevolent institution to support Worawa Aboriginal College.

After more than a decade as Principal / Executive Director of Worawa Aboriginal College, Lois retired from that role and currently holds the position of Elder in Residence at Worawa.

Over her diverse career Lois has had the honour of being made a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia for her “significant service to the Indigenous community as an educator, advocate and role model”. In 2017 she was Senior Victorian of the Year and in the same year she was awarded a Doctor of Social Science, Honoris Causa, by RMIT University. In 2022 she was NAIDOC Female Elder of the Year. In 2023 she was awarded a Doctor of Education, Honoris Causa, by Latrobe University. In 2024 she was inducted into the Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll.