Mabel Lochowiak - Memorial
Aboriginal elder, community leader, musician and storyteller
Mabel Jean Lochowiak passed away in September 2025, aged 84. She was a proud Aboriginal elder with family ties to the Ramindjeri, Ngarrindjeri, Narungga and Kaurna peoples, and the granddaughter of Private Arthur Walker. She was also the former Chairperson of the Umoona Community Council.
Faith
Mabel's Catholic faith was a big part of her life. She worshipped at St Martin de Porres Chapel in Stepney, where her funeral Mass was celebrated, and she was a long-time member and supporter of the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry's Otherway Centre. Her son John Lochowiak, a NATSICC SA councillor, says she was proud of her faith. It stayed with her from her childhood on Point Pierce Mission, where her father would take the family on the walk to Maitland to attend Mass.
Early life and family
Born in the Riverland, Mabel was the second eldest of fifteen children. Told as a child she would never have children, she went on to be a devoted mother to John, Lynette and Leanne, and a loving grandmother. A gifted musician taught by her father, she entertained people for most of her life. She married Bogdan Lochowiak in 1960, and the family later made their home in Andamooka and Coober Pedy.
A life of service
In Coober Pedy, Mabel found her calling in caring for the Umoona community. She set up one of the first Aboriginal education rooms at the Coober Pedy Area School, giving children breakfast, clean clothes and help with homework, and teaching them to be proud of their culture. She went on to advocate for families through child welfare, and was elected Chairperson of the Umoona Community Council, possibly the first woman in Australia to chair an Indigenous council. Under her leadership, the community gained childcare, health and aged care services and proper housing. She also served on many state and national boards and committees.
When her sister Sharon was diagnosed with leukaemia, Mabel returned to Adelaide and was her donor for three stem cell transplants.
Remembered
Mabel was a natural comedian, storyteller and singer, always the life of the party. She will be remembered for her strength, humour, generosity and love for her people.
Source: The Southern Cross, "Defying the odds with wisdom and wit" (30 October 2025), drawn from the eulogy by Mabel's nephew, Michael Sostaric.