More than 1000 people attended the awards ceremony at the National Canberra Convention Centre, which featured some of the nation’s best Indigenous entertainers including Jessica Mauboy, Casey Donovan, Archie Roach, Blue King Brown and Dave Huddleston and the Riverbank Band, and presenters Mary G, Leah Purcell and Ernie Dingo.

Les said he is not sure who nominated him for the NAIDOC award, which has previously been won by Purcell, Warren H. Williams and Kerrianne Cox among others, and that he went into the ceremony with an open mind.

“I thought ‘you beaut’ – being nominated was an achievement in itself,” he said, adding that when his named was announced the spotlights were so bright that he had to be led to the stage.

A descendant of the Wonnaruah people of the Upper Hunter, Les is committed to teaching the Wonnaruah style and techniques that are gradually being lost.

As well as holding art classes for local school and seniors’ groups, Les volunteers at St. Heliers Correctional Centre at Muswellbrook, teaching Aboriginal men about their culture and art.

He has organised formal exhibitions of their work, including one during NAIDOC Week that featured 50 works, and money raised from selling art is given to their families or put aside for when they are released.

“I got the boys out for the day to see the exhibition, to see where art can take them and what they can achieve,” Les said.

Les is also an accomplished portrait artist, has studied the traditions and art styles of other indigenous nations across Australia, and his art has been recognised and sold internationally.

A former electrician at mines including Aberdare Extended, Gretley and South Bulga, Les said he “got a calling” to learn more about his culture and started taking Aboriginal art and culture classes at Cessnock TAFE about 15 years ago.