Thanks to Yvonne’s parents and upbringing she has been able
to make her own path and achieve her dream of helping young
Indigenous Australians.
SPORT
From as young as she can
remember, Yvonne always wanted
to play Rugby League just like her
grandfather Matthew O’Neill. At
age 16, a friend in Sydney showed
her an advertisement in the paper
for a position with the North
Sydney Bears. She went to her first
training session and has not looked
back since. Fast forward three
years and her dream came true. At
age 19, she was on the first ever
Australian Rugby League team to
verse New Zealand. Being able to
play not only for her country but
her people has been one of her
most proud moments. Knowing her
mum was watching her play was
something truly special. Yvonne
believes her mum is the reason she
is the person she is today and is the
reason she strives to be the best
she can be every day.
ART
After being bugged to try it out
for so long by a friend, Yvonne
finally picked up a paintbrush
and began working on traditional
Australian Indigenous artwork.
Little did she know it would
eventually lead to her artwork
being displayed in the Vatican, or
that she would be one of the few
artists still alive who has a work
hanging there. One of Yvonne's
pieces, a 7-foot cross, tells the
story of Saint Mary Mackillop and
was displayed in the embassy for
12 months before public demand
had it moved to the Vatican
museum. Yvonne's second piece
was a gift to Pope Benedict XVI
himself, and depicts the story of
3 parties travelling to Rome for
canonisation.
WORKING IN EDUCATION
Before accidentally stumbling
across her current role as School
Engagement Officer for Indigenous
Connections at USQ, Yvonne
provided education and disability
support. One month in to her
new job and she has made a great
impression by hitting the ground
running! While having artwork
recognised internationally and being
an elite athlete are by no means small
feats, when asked where Yvonne's
passion truly lies, she says it is here,
at home in her community. Having
grown up in a small community
herself, nothing gives Yvonne greater
satisfaction than helping those who
ultimately are our future. Particularly
in Ipswich, where Yvonne is based,
there are some kids who struggle.
She hopes to help these kids have a
positive first step out of school into
their future.
While Yvonne recognises that she has achieved a lot, she wants
to help others do even better by recognising their potential and
helping them to make the most of it.