Alf Clint, an Anglican cleric, formed Tranby Aboriginal Co-operative Ltd., the oldest Indigenous training college in Australia, in 1957. Clint had been active in forming Indigenous co-operatives in Papua New Guinea and Australia. He believed that the co-operative model was compatible with traditional Indigenous tribes. When Clint passed away in 1980, Kevin Cook became the first Indigenous Secretary of Tranby, and all subsequent secretaries of Tranby have been indigenous.
Tranby, a 19th century Glebe homestead, on Gadigal country, began as a hostel for Indigenous students, who attended trade courses in Sydney and then returned to their own communities. Tranby began teaching its own courses with co-operative principles as a core subject. Over time it paved the way for courses developed by Elders, based on principles that ensured they remained culturally and educationally Aboriginal.
Dozens of Indigenous co-operatives arose out Tranby, with graduates including Eddie Mabo and Kevin Cook.
Tranby was extended in 1998 with ‘Buildings out the Back’, containing circular rooms that reflected Indigenous learning practices.
Tranby’s courses were first provided online in 2020, with an online ‘yarning circle’ format, which allowed students from all around Australia to continue their cultural learning and stay connected during the Pandemic. Today, it offers the Diploma of Applied Aboriginal Studies exclusively for Indigenous students with Indigenous trainers. It also offers the Diploma of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advocacy, which was originally developed by the Human Rights Commission in response to the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Besides online courses, Tranby also provides block release courses, which are held on-site in one-week study blocks several times throughout the year.
Tranby earned a reputation as a powerful advocate for Indigenous social justice issues particularly under the leadership of Cook. As early as 1967 it distributed ‘Vote Yes’ in the successful 1967 Referendum that amended the Australian Constitution to allow the Commonwealth to make laws for Aboriginal people and include them in the Census. The subsequent federal funding of Indigenous communities fuelled a major growth in Indigenous co-operatives in Australia. Tranby hosted early meetings on land rights and Aboriginal deaths in custody. Tranby was involved in the 1989 Black Deaths in Custody Protest March. Tranby launched in 1991 the Rona Tranby Trust to preserve and record Indigenous Australian oral history to strengthen Indigenous identity and community. Tranby continues to play a significant role in Indigenous education, culture and advocacy.