OUR STORY
Milbi Designs is a design-driven lifestyle brand, bringing together ART + CULTURE + SURF.
‘Milbi’ means ‘turtle’ - either long-necked freshwater turtle or sea turtle depending on the region - and ‘story’/‘storytelling’ across several Queensland language groups.
Founded by First Nations artist Anthony J. Walker - from the Yiman, Ghungalu and Gooreng Gooreng peoples of Central Queensland - Milbi Designs is artist led, environmentally aware, and socially conscious.
Anthony grew up on Kabi Kabi Country (Sunshine Coast) immersed in the local surf and skate scene before training as an Indigenous Park Ranger and becoming an award-winning visual artist.
Now based on Arakwal Country (Byron Bay), Anthony gets inspiration from the landscape and coastlines of Southern Queensland and Northern New South Wales, as well as his grandparents’ Freshwater & Saltwater Country. Drawing from his background caring for Country, Anthony seeks to raise awareness about the preservation of native flora + fauna.
Whether in the design studio or down the beach, Milbi Designs delivers the highest quality artwork + apparel for adventurers and art lovers alike.
Follow @milbi_designs on instagram for upcoming events, limited edition releases and design studio updates.
Milbi Designs is a 100% Aboriginal owned business.
OUR TEAM
ANTHONY J. WALKER
FOUNDER + CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Anthony is a visual artist + artefact maker from the Yiman, Ghungalu and Gooreng Gooreng peoples of Central Queensland.
Anthony’s work has been critically acclaimed for its light-hearted design and blend of colour and movement. As a visual artist, achievements include: winning the Bluethumb Art Prize Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Award, participating in Wesfarmers Indigenous Arts Leadership Program (National Gallery of Australia), undertaking a curatorial residency at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA - Sydney), winning the Gold Coast Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award, and having solo exhibitions at The CAIRNS INDIGENOUS ART FAIR, BYRON BAY’s LONE GOAT GALLERY, AND Melbourne’s Koorie Heritage Trust Centre.
Before founding Milbi Designs in 2020, Anthony worked as the Indigenous Arts Development Officer for Arts Northern Rivers, and the Aboriginal Arts Development Officer for Regional Arts NSW.