WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised the following article contains the name of an Indigenous person who has died.

Respected Turrbal Elder, Maroochy Barambah has sadly died after her battle with cancer.

She was an acclaimed songwoman and law-woman, mezzo-soprano singer and performer whose work carried culture from Queensland to national and international stages.

Born Yvette Isaacs, she has Turrbal and Gubbi Gubbi ancestry ties with bloodline connections to Wakka Wakka, Gamilaroi and Birri Gubba nations.

Hailing from the Cherbourg mission, she is remembered as a cultural leader and as someone whose voice and public work supported Aboriginal rights and cultural recognition.

Turrbal Dippil marked her death in a statement shared with the community.

"It is with deep sorrow that we share the passing of Maroochy Barambah, following a courageous battle with cancer," the organisation said.

"Maroochy was a revered Turrbal Elder, traditional Songwoman and Law-woman, trailblazer, and matriarch whose life and work profoundly shaped not only our Meeanjin (Brisbane) community, but also the broader Australian community."

Maroochy studied in Melbourne, attending the Melba Conservatorium of Music and the Victorian College of the Arts where she graduated in Dramatic Arts.

She delivered lectures on Aboriginal culture at institutions and was a keynote speaker at the Australian Reconciliation Convention in Melbourne.

In 1989, she made her operatic debut in the lead role in Black River, becoming the first Aboriginal person to perform on the Australian operatic stage.

The opera focused on Black deaths in custody and later received the 1993 Grand Prix Opera Screen Award in Paris.

In 1993, she performed at the United Nations in New York in honour of the International Year for the World's Indigenous Peoples.

Her screen and stage credits included the Indigenous musical Bran Nue Dae, the television series Women of the Sun and the opera Beach Dreaming, written for and about her by Mark Isaacs.

She released two singles, including Mongungi, which reached the top 10 on the U.S. Billboard Dance chart.

In 2014, she performed the traditional Welcome to Country ceremony at the Brisbane G20 Summit, with world leaders in attendance.

Turrbal Dippil noted her impact extends far beyond accolades however.

"Beyond her remarkable public achievements, Maroochy was a cultural custodian who carried deep knowledge, generosity, and responsibility for Country and community," Turrbal Dippil said.

"She lived her values with integrity, ensuring that culture was not only preserved, but shared in ways that fostered understanding, respect, and unity."

Maroochy Barambah is survived by her daughters, Baringa and Kulkarawa and her grandson, Dalapai.

Her voice and cultural leadership are embedded in the songs she carried, the people she taught and the paths she opened for others.

"We extend our deepest gratitude to the many people who have walked alongside Maroochy, supported her work, and been touched by her life," Turrbal Dippil said.

"Maroochy's spirit, voice, and legacy will forever remain woven into the fabric of our nation."