Caroline Tennant-Kelly (1899–1989) was an Australian theatre producer, Aboriginal rights activist and anthropologist.
She organised competitions inviting submissions of one act plays which would be performed by her group of players.
[5] After poor reviews for the performances of their third festival of one act plays, which suffered from a lack of rehearsal time and criticism of the quality of some of the scripts by the then Governor’s wife, Lady Game, Kelly disbanded the group.
[7] Her research into the kinship, languages, ceremonial practices and heritage of the communities[8][3] led to an appreciation of the cultural memory of Indigenous people.
It also suggested giving Aboriginal people more rights on the reserves and missions, noting the lack of paid employment and their exclusion from work relief schemes during the Great Depression.
Premier Bertram Stevens took the advice of Kelly, Elkin and the Public Service Board and recommended a new administrative committee for the Aborigines Protection Board to include an anthropologist and a full time protector of Aborigines to be appointed.