Rossy Smith was a proud Wulbunja man and vibrant member of the Wulbunja community on the south coast of New South Wales. He was received an HIV/AIDS diagnosis in the 1990s and, despite the fear and stigma it brought, his compassion and dignity profoundly impacted those around him. While hospitalized at Moruya, he challenged demeaning barrier practices—once telling a nurse overwhelmed by protocol, “I can cry that long,” shifting the care ethos from fear to humanity. His life and legacy were captured in the 1997 documentary Umbarra Spirit and honored in community narratives, inspiring his niece, Jinny‑Jane Smith, to lead Indigenous LGBTQ+ healing and advocacy initiatives, including First Nations Floats at Mardi Gras and the foundation of BlaQ.
