Proudly supporting the ILF
Beyond delivering books to remote First Nations Communities, our partnership with the ILF extends to the development of culturally appropriate books, fundraising in stores and online, and the sale of ILF merchandise through participating Australia Post retail outlets as well as supporting Indigenous Literacy Day.
Book Supply program
Since partnering with the ILF in 2020, we’ve ensured the safe delivery of over 700,000 books to more than 400 remote First Nations Communities, giving children and their families access to new, culturally appropriate books.
Over 50% of these books feature Indigenous authors and illustrators. This allows children to see themselves and their culture reflected in the stories, helping to build a sense of connection, belonging and pride.
Donate to the ILF
You can share books with children in remote First Nations Communities by donating to the ILF online or at participating Post Offices.
Create Initiative
We are a proud supporter of the ILF’s Create Initiative, which provides the opportunity for people from remote Communities to write, illustrate and publish a book on the topic of their choice under the mentorship of ILF Ambassadors.
This inspiring work authentically relates stories of day-to-day life within remote Communities, enabling readers to see themselves represented in the written form.
In 2023, we supported two Create Initiative events with:
- Queensland-based Wujal Wujal Elders on Country. Together with ILF representatives, the Elders commenced the development of three picture books that tell the stories of their community.
- students from Tiwi College who travelled to Sydney for a week-long intensive workshop to develop an illustrated chapter book, with the support of ILF mentors. The immersive experience results in participants returning home with new confidence, maturity and aspirations for future growth and development.
Bringing First Nations storytelling into the classroom
Through our partnership with the ILF, we’ve collaborated with Yankunyjatjara and Wirangu educator Shelley Ware to create a teacher guide and lesson plans complementing ‘Country tells us when…’, a bilingual book in English and Yawuru languages written and illustrated by Tsheena Cooper, Mary Dann, Dalisa Pigram-Ross and Sheree Ford.
Moli det Bigibigi (Molly The Pig) Teacher's Guide¹
Bring First Nations storytelling into the classroom with this Teacher Guide, developed by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation and Australia Post to support non Kriol speaking students to understand the language. 1
Our partnership in action
Australia Post and the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) celebrate the partnership milestone of delivering the 600,000th book to a remote Community in Queensland.
Read transcript
Video: Australia Post van driving on a dirt road.
Video: Female teacher sits with two students, reading books together.
Audio: Delivering books to remote First Nations communities.
Video: Female teacher and four students smile to camera, with the students giving thumbs up sign.
Audio: Together with the Indigenous Literacy Foundation,
Video: Teacher helps a student read.
Video: Teacher reads a book to the students.
Audio: Australia Post has delivered over 600,000 books.
Video: Female student smiles.
Video: Students reading and smiling.
Video: Split screen with the left half displaying the Australia Post logo and the right half displaying the words "Proud partner. Indigenous Literacy Foundation" and the Indigenous Literacy Foundation logo.
Audio: Just another way we're delivering for Australia at Australia Post.
Australia Post proudly supports the Indigenous Literacy Foundation's Create Initiative. Learn more about the Create program that took place with Tiwi College students in 2025.
Read transcript
Video: Text displayed on screen "Australia Post proudly supports the Indigenous Literacy Foundation's Create Program".
Video: Female student in uniform, sitting in classroom at desk.
Audio: (Female student) I would want..."
Video: Female student identified as Dakoda, a Create participant, talking to camera.
Audio: (Dakoda) "...everyone from like all over Australia to read this book and overseas.."
Video: Dakoda and other students, and teacher, sitting in classroom.
Audio: (Dakoda) I would want them to know how we live on the island and what we do and that they should learn a bit from us."
Video: Shelley Ware (ILF Ambassador) talking to camera.
Audio: "The CREATE program is this fantastic program that the Indigenous Literacy Foundation does where we get a group of students together and they write a book in a week."
Video: Camera spans the classroom where students are writing and drawing.
Audio: "On Friday, we get to celebrate the book and have one in our little hands."
Audio: "So that's when our students become authors."
Video: Shelley Ware (ILF Ambassador) talking to camera.
Audio: "So this year's title is a scary one."
Video: Full whiteboard and then camera pans back to students working.
Audio: "We've got a scary book called The Night of the Nyingawi at Jesse Rivers,"
Video: Latisha (student and Create participant) sitting in a chair, talking to camera.
Audio: "...the book is about the senior kids getting stuck at Jesse, getting bogged."
Video: Latisha and other students working in the classroom.
Audio: "We planned it a few weeks ago in the classroom."
Video: Shelley working in the classroom with students.
Audio: "Shelley and David helped us with the chapters and adding more details."
Video: Shelley and David interacting with the students in the classroom.
Audio: "So a lot of it is their lived experiences, that it's full of culture, ..."
Video: Shelley reading pages from the book.
Audio: "...it's full of language and it's a lot of fun really because we get to learn what's happening on Tiwi from them."
Video: Joe Murfet (National Indigenous RAP Lead, Australia Post) sitting in chair, talking to camera.
Audio: "The big thing that it does is it creates that storytelling component..."
Video: Camera spans the classroom.
Audio: "...and that opportunity to really share culture and share language and..."
Video: Joe presenting to room full of people with a banner that says "Reading opens doors".
Audio: "...build the literacy that comes from the experience."
Video: Person holding a box while another person pulls out a copy of The Night of the Nyingawi at Jesse Rivers.
Audio: "The theme of our stretch wrap at the moment is amplifying Indigenous voices."
Video: Students holding copies of their book and looking through them.
Video: Joe speaking to camera.
Audio: "An initiative like CREATE really connects in and provides that opportunity."
Video: Shelley speaking to camera.
Audio: "It allows them to feel like they matter and they end up writing this incredible book."
Video: Bella Puruntatameri (ILF Regional Coordinator) sitting, talking to camera.
Audio: While we use two languages in the book, it's important, you know,..."
Audio: "...we need to keep it alive for the next generation."
Video: Bella in the classroom with students.
Audio: "And it also tells people who we are."
Audio: "You know, young kids back at home see the girls speaking and then they see Tiwi language."
Video: Bella unveiling a framed, enlarged version of the book cover.
Audio: "They can recognise themselves and that really helps them with reading and writing."
Video: Shelley and David speaking to room full of people.
Audio: "Also, it's the pride that when they take the books home to their own community..."
Audio: "...and they really get to know their strengths and they can build on those strengths,..."
Audio: "...they learn that it's also about growing as a person and that's been a really important part."
Video: Students receiving certificates.
Audio: "When you see them, they just thrive, which is really beautiful."
Audio: "And then they take that energy and that self belief back to their community."
Audio: "It's good making books to make our family proud."
1 Australia Post acknowledges First Nations author Karen Manbulloo and illustrators, the Binjari Buk Mob, for granting permission to use the Moli det bigibigi story.