To celebrate Indigenous Business Month, we’re highlighting some great Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses. From clothing to chocolatiers, jewellery makers to furniture stores, dance classes and tours – there’s a great range of businesses to explore.
There are plenty of great ways you can support your favourite business. You can leave a positive review, like and subscribe to their channels, join events or buy a gift for yourself or a loved one.
Food
Chocolate On Purpose
Discover this premium Bush Food Chocolate, a fusion of Belgian chocolate and the best of Australian native botanicals. Proud Wiradjuri woman Fiona Harrison and her business partner run the business from Wiradjuri Country on the Central Tablelands of NSW. With flavours from Illawarra plum and macadamia to finger lime, you can purchase Bush Food Chocolate with native botanicals online.
Cafe Dreaming
This Aboriginal family owned and operated cafe in the heart of Redfern serves familiar food with an Indigenous twist like their burger with a kangaroo and beef patty or their acai and wattleseed bowl. They celebrate community and gathering through food and service.
See what’s cooking on the cafe’s Instagram.
Goanna Hut
Enjoy native bush teas created by Indigenous chef Jo-Ann Lee. There are 5 blends featuring ingredients like lemon myrtle, rosella, lilli pilli fruit and gumbi gumbi leaf. There’s a cuppa for everyone from calm to energise.
Clothing and accessories
Magpie Goose
This Aboriginal-owned business partners with First Nations artists to create powerful statement clothing. Their clothes are made ethically in Australia using environmentally conscious materials. Magpie Goose provide new economic and creative opportunities for Aboriginal people around Australia.
Trading Blak
Shop from a range of 100% Aboriginal owned and led businesses on the Trading Blak marketplace. It features a range of stores selling everything from beautiful accessories, striking pieces of clothing and wellbeing items like yoga mats and tea.
Trading Blak began to stop the exploitation of Aboriginal art, culture, people and Blak businesses.
Haus of Dizzy
Find bold, playful, statement-making jewellery that celebrates and honours Indigenous culture designed by proud Wiradjuri designer, Kristy Dickinson. Often featuring powerful political and social messages, each piece is handmade in Melbourne/Naarm.
You can shop these fabulous jewellery pieces online or find them at the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Australian Museum in Sydney.
Deadly Connections - merchandise
This charity operates in Marrickville to provide community and justice services. This includes holistic, culturally responsive interventions and services to First Nations people and communities. You can support their work by purchasing their t-shirts, tote bags, hats and phone cases with empowering messages and slogans on their website.
Clothing the Gaps
This Aboriginal business is a play on the words "Closing the Gap", which is an Australian Government health initiative to help close the life expectancy gap between Aboriginal people and non-Indigenous Australians. They sell modern leisurewear including t-shirts, hats and socks.
If you don’t identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and are unsure whether wearing some of these items classes as cultural appropriation, their ‘mob only’ and ‘ally friendly’ labels can help you understand which items are for you.
You can shop Clothing the Gaps leisurewear online.
Boomalli Aboriginal Arts Co-operative
Boomalli is the longest running Aboriginal owned and run arts organisation dedicated to supporting and promoting NSW language group artists. There’s clothing, accessories, skincare, jewellery and a selection of books and handcraft art pieces.
Browse the online store or visit the art gallery in person.
Jarin Street
An activewear and equipment brand that aims to create a pathway for all people to connect to Aboriginal artists and story through wellbeing while respectfully honouring Aboriginal culture. Choose from vibrant yoga mats, towels and a range of flattering activewear designs.
Welcome to Country Shop
This not-for-profit online marketplace is all about making each purchase count. It strives to address employment and economic development outcomes in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities with the proceeds from your purchase. You’ll find everything from jewellery, clothing and bags, to foods, homewares and books. The perfect place to find gifts for everyone in the family.
Homewares
Winya
Winya is a majority Indigenous-owned and controlled business selling beautiful furniture. This profit-for-purpose business supports training and employment growth with each purchase made.
Blak Markets at The Rocks
See the art and craft up close and talk to the makers and artists directly on 11 and 12 November at the Blak Markets. Indigenous artists, designers and small business owners showcase their wares. Featuring a variety of art, homewares, jewellery, fashion, children’s clothing, textiles, woodwork, woven goods, plants and bushfoods. See the market schedule.
The Floral Decorator
The floral destination for Sydney's inner west, with a range of beautiful plants, gorgeous bouquets and gift sets. Founder Kelly Thomas is a proud and culturally active Wurundjeri woman and floristry lets her stay connected to country and mother nature.
Shop their blooms and gifts online or instore.
Services
Brolga Dance Academy
In the heart of Redfern this cultural dance studio specialises in Aboriginal contemporary and traditional classes. The academy is a 100% owned and operated Aboriginal business provding an authentic, culturally safe and professional service.
There’s a great variety of classes on offer for all ages. You can book Brolga Dance Academy classes online.
Burrundi Theatre: Dance Central
Burrundi means black in Wiradjuri Language, and this Aboriginal-owned multidisciplinary arts organisation runs Dance Central in Surry Hills. Dance classes include hip hop, contemporary, heels, dancehall and afro fusion. Book a class here.
Koori Radio
Sydney’s only Indigenous radio station, broadcasting 24 hours, 7 days a week from Redfern for over 20 years. Offering a unique and authentic voice for the community, with music you won't find anywhere else. Listen online or at 93.7FM. Support their work by registering for free tickets to Live from Redfern or buying t-shirts and hoodies made with Yabun festival.
Dreamtime Southern X
Discover Sydney's cultural heart with a tour from this Aboriginal-owned tourism and education company. Tour leader Aunty Margret Campbell is a well-known and proud saltwater woman from Burnt Bridge in Dunghutti Country, South West Rocks New South Wales, “Muughi” (meaning Margret). The tours are designed to educate and create a mutual understanding and respect between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people grounded in cultural understanding of Dreamtime and the Australian landscape.
Book a Dreamtime Southern X tour online.
Supply Nation
If you’re after more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses to support Supply Nation is an online directory for verified products, services and businesses. The organisation brings together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses with the procurement teams in Australia’s leading organisations to help them engage, create relationships and do more business.
NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce Inc (NSWICC)
Similarly, the NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce Inc is the peak body for Aboriginal businesses in NSW and a powerful voice for the needs of Aboriginal entrepreneurs, business owners and enterprising communities.
Got anymore businesses you reckon deserve a shout out? We’d love to know about them. Share with us on Instagram or Facebook, just tag @cityofsydney and we might just add your suggestion to this article.
Learn more about Aboriginal culture and history at the Sydney Barani website.
Published 19 October 2021, updated 3 October 2023
