PODCAST
S3- E09 | Breaking the Mould, Building Pathways with Pauly Vandenbergh
RegionPauly Vandenbergh grew up on the West Coast of South Australia with a strong sense of cultural identity and connection to Country. He went on to play professional basketball in the NBL before building a career spanning sport, community, and enterprise. Today, Pauly wears many hats — from founding Munda Wines, to leading the Tjindu Foundation, establishing the Aboriginal Basketball Academy, running Wanna Mar seafood in Port Lincoln, and serving in leadership roles with Port Adelaide Football Club and the AFL.
At the heart of it all is his mission to create opportunities for the next generation, shift the narrative around Indigenous voices, and build the kind of pathways he wished were there when he was growing up. He’s a passionate storyteller, a mentor, a father of four, and makes the time to take care of his health, with the help of his wife’s yoga and breathwork routines. Here’s Pauly... Read more...Pauly Vandenbergh
Founder + Owner + Chief Story Teller Munda Wines PVConsultancy Articles: Our Founder | Munda Wines Pauly Vandenbergh | Our People | Tjindu Foundation Pauly Vandenbergh | Australian of the Year Pauly Vandenbergh - Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia - PIRSA Watch Somebody Feed Phil | Netflix Official Site Pauly Vandenbergh is a Wirangu and Kokatha man, cultural educator, entrepreneur and changemaker.
His life’s work is grounded in a single belief: that when Aboriginal young people are connected to identity, culture and opportunity, they can transform their future — and ours. Pauly is the founder of several impact-driven ventures including the Tjindu Foundation, Aboriginal Basketball Academy, Munda Wines, and Indigenous-owned seafood business Wanna Mar. Each reflects a different facet of his purpose: to honour Country, shift narratives, and open real-world pathways for Aboriginal people. From his early years in Ceduna to a professional basketball career with the NBL, Pauly’s journey has spanned sport, education, cultural consulting, and community development. He has worked in state government, led Aboriginal programs at the Port Adelaide Football Club, and currently serves as the National Diversity Talent Manager at the AFL. Through his business, Vandenbergh Consulting, Pauly delivers cultural awareness programs to workplaces across the country — often using his own story to help others build the confidence and knowledge needed to work respectfully with Aboriginal people. Pauly holds a Diploma of Community Development, a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, and is completing an MBA with the University of Adelaide. He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and brings a sharp sense of strategy to all of his work. Across every role, Pauly centres the values he was raised with: care for land, care for people, and tell the truth with integrity. Whether he’s sharing wine, walking Country, or mentoring our future leaders, his leadership is quiet, powerful, and impactful. |
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