Rodney Carter is a prominent professional known for his leadership and advocacy for Indigenous peoples. He served as the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation (DDWCAC) and Dja Dja Wurrung Enterprises Pty Ltd (DDWE), based in Bendigo, Central Victoria, Australia for over ten years.

As a descendant of the Dja Dja Wurrung and Yorta Yorta peoples, I am deeply committed to self-determination, cultural preservation, and economic growth for the Djaara and wider community. 

My professional achievements include:

• Leadership of Dja Dja Wurrung Group: When Group CEO, I led the Dja Dja Wurrung Group to significant growth and scale, operating across government and private enterprise.

• Award-Winning Organization: Under my leadership, the Dja Dja Wurrung Group was named the overall Telstra Best Business of the Year and Telstra Indigenous Best Business of the Year in 2024.

• Cultural Heritage and Land Management: I have been instrumental in the sustainable development and effective management of Dja Dja Wurrung Cultural Heritage. I have focused on environmental stewardship, government liaisons, and biodiversity conservation to preserve and respect the cultural and historical significance of Djandak our homelands of Central Victoria.

• Native Title Settlement: A defining moment in my life was negotiating for, and being a signatory to, the Dja Dja Wurrung people's Native Title settlement under the Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010 (signed in 2013).

• Economic and Social Advancement: I have skills in negotiation and team leadership to foster economic growth and social advancement for the Dja Dja Wurrung peoples. I can now apply those skills for extending partnerships with others. I have particular interests in Agriculture and Tourism.

• Community Welfare and Social Services: I prioritised community welfare and progressive social services, with a focus on conflict resolution.

• International Recognition: The accomplishments of the Dja Dja Wurrung Group under my guidance have reached global audiences, and Rodney has been invited to Internaional Audiences on what is possible for Indigenous people.

• Development of Corporate and Community Centre: I achieved the long-standing aspiration and development of the Dja Dja Wurrung Corporate and Community Centre in Bendigo, a permanent base for operational activities, learning, and cultural interaction. This project received significant government funding (almost $11.3 million announced in November 2020).

• Research and Indigenous Management Initiatives: I have overseen initiatives like the completion of a Research Agreement with leading agronomists and ecologists, the announcement of a new PhD Scholarship on Kangaroo Grass which was succesfully achieved by Dr. Dylan Male, and the establishment of research and Indigenous management sites.
  Kangaroo Grass Research: https://www.publish.csiro.au/cp/Fulltext/CP24226
  Past Australian Aboriginal Foodways: https://journal.equinoxpub.com/AFF/article/view/18161

• The Goldfields of Central Victoria, World Heritage Bid UNESCO
  https://goldfieldsworldheritage.com.au/about-us/strategic-advisors/
  
  
  

• Other Publications:
  Djaara the Essential Ingredient:  https://meanjin.com.au/essays/djaara-the-essential-ingredient/
  Over 200 Years Ago Experts Managed the Land:  https://www.academia.edu/6910648/20140318190029_Rodney_Carter_Speech_DEPI_2013_2014
  Episode 061. Rodney Carter - The Djaara Story:  https://countrycreatives.podbean.com/e/episode-061-rodney-carter-the-djaara-story/
  Ep 402 Rodney Carter CEO Dja Dja Wurrung Group, Telstra Best Business Winners 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RmO1AE6QII
  The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/profiles/rodney-carter-1486339
  Despite spiritual connection, Dja Dja Wurrung barely considered in Victorian Government’s dingo “planning”: https://vicaboriginalnews.com.au/2024-12-01-5730/
  A Way Forward, Juukan Gorge: https://nativetitle.org.au/sites/default/files/2021-10/AWayForward.pdf