Carmine Munro

Carmine "Maggie" Munro (born Carmine May Smith; 8 May 1931 – 29 December 2010) was an Aboriginal Australian elder who lived in Moree, New South Wales. Munro was a community leader and confidante and was well known as a supporter of human rights for Aboriginal people, and is also known for founding "The Granniators", a group of elderly Aboriginal women who worked for their community.

She was married to Lyall Munro Snr, and one of their sons is Lyall Munro Jnr, both also Aboriginal rights activists.

Early life and education Carmine May Smith was born on 8 May 1931 in an Aboriginal camp in Moree, the second of three girls born to Raymond Smith, a boundary rider, and Mary Jane French. Her mother died when she was a toddler and her father remarried. The new union gave Maggie a further 12 more brothers and sisters.

According to her Sydney Morning Herald obituary, "As a child, she and sister Beryl helped their father, who worked on Pullaman Station, in the task of maintaining fences. Beryl also helped break in the horses but Maggie was afraid of them - a fear she wouldn't conquer until later in life". the couple were part of every essential protest, decision and action for Aboriginal rights for the next 50 years. The Munros were particularly involved in Indigenous land rights. Their son Lyall Jnr also became well-known in the movement, while Maggie stayed in Moree tending to local community issues. She fostered many children, was an active member of the school's parent and child association, and was a committed member of the football club auxiliary. Both she and Lyall Snr were members of the local Aboriginal Advancement Committee,

The Granniators became one of Munro's lasting legacies. Founded when Munro was 74, the group of Aboriginal grandmothers worked for their community, cooking, babysitting, fostering, clothing and mothering local children. She also worked closely with local police on issues of juvenile crime. ), Danile ("Dan" ), Keith, Julie, Selina, Jennifer, Lloyd (in 2021 vice-chair of the Moree Local Aboriginal Land Council

She often won first prize at the Moree show for her cooking prowess, especially scones and damper, as well as prizes for sewing. According to an obituary published in The Sydney Morning Herald, "She steadfastly refused to get a sewing machine, creating everything by hand and often staying up all night to complete a garment. Once, when the dresses for a local wedding didn't arrive from Sydney in time, Munro sewed them by hand, too".

Munro died in Moree Hospital on 29 December 2010. Her funeral was held on 8 January 2011 at the Moree Memorial Hall. She was survived by her husband Lyall, and 10 of her children (Keith and Jennifer had died earlier), as well as 70 grandchildren, 74 great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren.