The Hyllus Maris Annual Memorial Lecture is the first memorial lecture in honour of an Aboriginal woman on an Australian university campus. The Lecture honours Hyllus Maris’ visionary work in Aboriginal education and also honours the contribution and participation of Aboriginal people in higher education generally in this country. The Lecture is an opportunity for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians to meet at the University and share in a celebration of mutual significance.

The Lecture was an initiative of the former La Trobe University Women’s Studies Program, in collaboration with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, the La Trobe University Aboriginal Liaison Unit and Koorie Women Mean Business.  The Lecture is sponsored by the Office of the Director, Indigenous Education.

This year's guest speaker will be Tom Calma, Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.