Aunty Averil Dean was born in the bush at the Gnowangerup Mission in 1939. She has experienced life as a Noongar person in the communities of Gnowangerup, Tambellup, Cranbrook and Albany. Despite oppression and racism, her parents worked hard and their resilience enabled them to overcome the struggles of caring for family during hard times.
Averil attended high school in Perth, then trained at Royal Perth Hospital to become a Nursing Aide before transferring to Broome Hospital. She met her future husband Kenneth Dean and started a family. Feeling homesick, Averil moved back, with her family, to the Tambellup district. Due to work commitments, they relocated to Cranbrook, which became their home for 12 happy years. For better education outcomes, the family moved permanently to Albany. With brother Jack’s leadership, Averil and sister Treasy began teaching cultural studies at the Albany Senior High School in 1992. This became an important focus for Averil who still works with schools. Averil also worked for the Aboriginal Visitors’ Scheme, supporting Noongar inmates at the prison where she earned a lot of respect. In 2025, Averil received the Annette Knight Community Leadership Medal, along with a standing ovation, for her years of cultural leadership.
