Top arts appointment

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IT'S A long way from Tullymorgan to the Sydney Opera House, but for Bundjalung woman Rhoda Roberts the road appears to be paved with gold, and a lot of hard work.

Having established herself as a well-known Australian identity thanks to a long list of achievements in indigenous theatre and arts, as well as a variety of roles in media and events management, Ms Roberts said that she was honoured to be appointed as the first Head of Indigenous Programming with the Sydney Opera House.

Starting work this week in a position that was created especially for her, Ms Roberts has already set her sights on a number of goals which include supporting and developing indigenous art, increasing community engagement, and breaking down stereotypes of elitism.

But most of all, Ms Roberts said that she hoped that her new role with the Opera House would give her a better opportunity to encourage Aboriginal people to support performing arts.

"A lot of my work will be to develop strategy and policy," Ms Roberts said. "Our culture is really important - we need to see our stories on stage.

"It's an obligation we have as a people to continue the stories we've learned since time immemorial. It's integral to our sense of belonging."

Ms Roberts was born in Lismore and grew up on her family's property at Tullymorgan, in the Clarence Valley's north.