People from all walks of life came together to farewell a beloved and prominent community leader at the Bega Showground pavilion on Friday, July 15.

Senior Djirringanj and Ngarigo Elder, Colleen Dixon, was known by many for her deep love of family and constant advocacy for the inclusion of her people and culture.

Members of the Dixon family said they couldn't have wished for a better "send off" for Aunty Colleen and wanted to thank everyone who had contributed towards the beautiful ceremony.

Aunty Colleen's daughter Robben said she was proud of her mother's lifelong dedication to establishing positive relationships and programs within the community that worked towards helping create a better future for the younger generations.

"Mum was a true representative of what an elder should be and she was always there standing up for the community in sickness and in health," she said.

Born in Berry in 1951, Aunty Colleen first moved to the Bega Valley with her parents Margaret and Roger Dixon when she was five years old.

Djirringanj and Ngarigo elder Ellen Mundy said the Dixons had been the first Aboriginal family to be housed in the Bega township in the late 1960s and the family had been met with a serious "power struggle".

"When you look at Aunty Colleen's youth she took a lot on board as a child, from staying back from school to help her mother raise her siblings, to protecting her loved ones from the racism and threats made against her family," she said.

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The racial segregation in the town during her youth didn't deter her as she stuck to her path instead and followed the wisdom of her elders.

As the years passed, she grew into a wise, self-taught woman who dedicated herself towards continuing her cultural traditions and encouraging others to do so with pride and joy.

"She grew up in a time where there was a lot of racism and she made her way through despite it all, and I think that's what fuelled her dedication to playing such an active part in the reconciliation between Indigenous and non-indigenous people," Aunty Ellen said.

Aunty Ellen said she took pride in seeing Colleen's work to raise awareness and promote inclusion of Aboriginal people and culture within the community.

However with her passing it was now up to the emerging elders to continue her work.

"Colleen would want the rest of us to continue negotiating with businesses and implementing programs that will help our younger generations continue their cultural heritage and make a good life for themselves," she said.

Renowned for her welcome to country, Aunty Colleen made sure she attended and networked at as many social events as she could, to advocate her people's culture.

Robben said over the years her mother also helped put foundations up within the community, that brought about better health care, housing, legal justice, reconciliation and recognition for her people.

Be it her involvement with getting a Katungul health centre placed in Bega, the signing of the MIOU in the Snowy Monaro or having a hand in supporting education - to name a few.

"Mum was part of the group that designed how the TAFE arts and crafts group was going to be run, she used to go out and get 12 to 16 students to make up the classes each day," Robben said with a chuckle.

Robben said her mother had strongly supported the housing initiatives for her people and was involved in several aboriginal corporations that helped build houses for Koori people within the community.

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These corporations included Gunyah, Biggah enterprise aboriginal corporation and the Murray flats aboriginal corporation.

"Mum worked alongside other elders in these corporations to build houses that are still being used by the Local Aboriginal Land Council today," she said.

Aunty Colleen's involvement in the Djirringanj court advocacy group was also highlighted by her sister Aunty Kathy, who was proud of her for standing up for her people alongside Stanley Murrum Dixon.

"They started this group where elders would go into court and help Koori people when they were in trouble, by asking to take them under their wing and help them get re-connected with their culture again," Aunty Kathy said.

Aunty Kathy said this initiative had really helped people who'd "lost their way" in life and meant that less aboriginal people were sent to prison over "petty crimes".

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"She had quite a few success stories come out of that and some never saw jail cells again," she said.

Robben said her mother had built "good relationships" within the local court system be it with the prosecutors or the judges and "there wasn't a time where they denied her to take someone under the elders' care".

Along with Aunty Colleen's extensive dedication to her local indigenous communities was her deep love for family that knew no bounds.

Aunty Glenda Dixon, said her sister was always surrounded by family and was often taking them out fishing, on picnics or to all sorts of sporting events.

"She was family-driven and wherever they went whether it was camping, fishing or going to football she had all the snacks and food you could ask for. She always came prepared," she said with a hearty laugh.

Aunty Kathy Dixon said her sister also spent a great deal of time with the local schools, including the Bega Valley Public School where their mother, siblings, children and now grandchildren went.

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"She was proud of Marcus [Mundy] being at Bega Valley Public school, helping educate the future generations and she'd often tear up talking about him," she said.

"Colleen wanted the community to get involved and have a say in the education of the next generations and she was incredibly proud of her family members and the rest of the Koori community who took up positions at the local schools."

Marcus said he was incredibly thankful for Aunty Colleen's support over the years and for playing a "massive part" in shaping him into the person he had become.

He said he would always remember Aunty Colleen's wise advice which she gave with "grace and integrity".

"I'll honour you every single day in my life, whether that be at work, home and wherever I am on my journey," he said.

During the yarns shared by multiple members of the Dixon and Mundy families, all agreed on one thing - Aunty Colleen had a strong spirit and she would continue to live on in the hearts of many.

Uncle David Dixon said he was pretty certain Aunty Colleen's spirit would return as an Eagle, the highest totem in the Aboriginal culture, known for their wisdom and for looking after country and its people.

"We saw eagles flying high above us on the way to the funeral and we knew what that meant," he said.