The Melbourne Vixens have unveiled their 2026 First Nations Dress designed by proud Djab Wurrung, Kirrae Wurrung and Peek Wurrung woman, Tarni Jarvis.
The dress honours the club's journey following its 2025 premiership success while reflecting its enduring connection to Country, community, and stories which shape the Vixens.
Unveiled during a special presentation held this month which included a smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country, the dress has been designed around the theme of leadership transfer.
Jarvis presented the dress to Vixens team members, with members of the First Nations Advisory Committee also in attendance alongside Holly Stephens, Anna Solomon and Manon Muir, with Muir also serving as vice-captain of this year's Victorian 17/U state team.
Jarvis, who is from the Grampians region in south-west Victoria and lives and raises her family on Wadawurrung Country in Ballarat, said the artwork brings together story, culture and connection to Country.
"In this artwork, I tell the story of the Birrarung and its influence over Country. It is a source of life, a meeting place and a place of ceremony for tens of thousands of years, and it continues to be for our First Nations and broader community," she said.
The design features the Birrarung running along the side of the dress, alongside a journey symbol representing the path the players and club have travelled in recent years and the direction they are heading next.
For Jarvis, seeing elite athletes wear the design is both a proud personal moment and a powerful form of representation for young people participating in sport and for the broader community watching on.
"I also wanted to capture the theme of change within the team, communicating the ever-evolving and growing nature of both the team and the broader organisation," she said.
In essence, the piece reflects the transfer of knowledge from one group to the next and the continued journey and growth of the team.
"In acknowledging the journey ahead, the piece also tells the story of where the team has been, and the achievements, growth and learning that have come along the way.
"By combining the themes of Country, change and achievement, this piece captures the role, identity and future of the team and the broader Vixens organisation."
Jarvis said she hopes young First Nations fans will feel a sense of connection to the players, the story within the design and the representation it offers.
She also welcomed the opportunity to work with the Vixens' teal and pink colours to help bring key parts of the story to life.
The dress will be worn in Rounds 11 and 12 as part of Suncorp Super Netball's league-wide First Nations Round, which aligns with National Reconciliation Week from May 27 to 3 June.
The Vixens will first wear Jarvis' design this Sunday against the NSW Swifts at John Cain Arena on Wurundjeri Country, before wearing it again next week against the Adelaide Thunderbirds at Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Kaurna Country.
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