Reginald Dodd is an Arabunna Elder who was born on Finniss Springs Mission, at the southern end of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre.

Reg Dodd is an Arabunna Elder who was born on Finniss Springs Mission, at the southern end of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre. Reg was schooled on Finniss Springs until the age of 13, when he went to work as a Stockman on Anna Creek Station.

Reg started working with the Commonwealth Railways in 1960, and stayed until the Railways closed down in 1986. Reg later worked with the Department of Community Welfare, and the Department of Environment and Planning and Aboriginal Heritage.

Spending a lifetime advocating for his people, Reg used a Roget’s Thesaurus to interpret complex legislation, making his first Native Title claim in 1998. Native Title was granted to the Arabunna people in 2012. More recently he helped drive a submission for the National Heritage listing of Arabunna Country, now on the finalised priority assessment list.

A loyal family man, Reg has led cultural immersion tours of the Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre region since 1996 to financially support the Arabunna Centre and promote reconciliation in a joint venture with the Marree Arabunna People’s Committee and Community Aid Abroad. Reg’s tour is now operated as an independent Aboriginal enterprise. Reg has been involved with Aboriginal affairs throughout the area and is an active member of the Marree community. Reg co-designed and co-taught a law course at RMIT University on Country.

Reg is also a magnificent Photographic Artist, holding many successful exhibitions.