Uncle Archie receives posthumous Order of Australia honour

There were 68 artists and arts workers among the 1047 recipients honoured ‘for meritorious, distinguished and conspicuous service’.

The late, great Archie Roach, a Gunditjmara (Kirrae Whurrong/Djab Wurrung) and Bundjalung singer-songwriter known as ‘Uncle Archie’ to many, has been posthumously recognised with one of the nation’s highest honours.

He was one of 1047 Australians recognised in the Australia Day 2023 Order of Australia Honours, which recognise ‘meritorious, distinguished and conspicuous service’ across a range of sectors, from the arts to the public service.

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Richard Watts is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM, and serves as the Chair of La Mama Theatre's volunteer Committee of Management. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and was awarded the status of Melbourne Fringe Living Legend in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize. Most recently, Richard was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Green Room Awards Association in June 2021. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts