A sparkling showcase of culture
Highlights
- ACU graduate Tara Croker, a Wiradjuri woman, built a career in major organisations including News Corp and Google before launching Indigenous beverage company Yaala Sparkling.
- Her business draws on native ingredients and cultural knowledge, aiming to elevate Indigenous enterprise and strengthen representation in the native foods industry.
- She credits ACU’s Weemala Indigenous Higher Education Unit for community, support, and shaping her path in business, leadership, and reconciliation-focused work.
About a decade ago, when an Indigenous undergraduate named Tara Croker walked through the door at News Corp’s Brisbane headquarters to start an internship in marketing, it felt a bit like stepping into another world.
“I’ll never forget it,” says Croker, a proud Wiradjuri woman who at the time was studying at ACU’s Brisbane Campus. “Walking into that shiny corporate building and seeing how beautifully dressed and professional everyone looked – it was daunting but exciting.”
The young marketing professional quickly earned her stripes, climbing the ladder at the media company for six years before moving on to other opportunities. After a yearlong stint with CareerTrackers, a First Nations-focused not-for-profit, Croker scored a coveted role as a marketing manager with the global tech giant, Google.
Never one to shy away from a challenge, she juggled her new job with an alluring passion project: a beverage company that would combine her entrepreneurial spirit with her Indigenous heritage.
Enter Yaala Sparkling, a line of premium drinks made from native ingredients like Davidson plum and lemon myrtle, sourced from Indigenous wild harvesters and local farmers. The venture had so much potential that it would soon land Croker and her mother Mel a rare opportunity to appear on Shark Tank, the reality TV show for entrepreneurs.
“Sharks, this is more than just a drink,” Croker told the show’s judges during her appearance in 2023. “This is a journey through the flavours of our land, and we’d love you to join us.”
She describes the experience as “a total whirlwind”.
“I’ve always been a fan of the show, and to think that I was on it is surreal and still a bit of ‘pinch me’ moment,” she says. “To have the opportunity to share the story of Yaala and discuss First Nations culture, Indigenous business ownership and representation in the native food industry on national mainstream television was a powerful moment."
Planting the seed
Tara Croker’s passion for plants goes back to her childhood, when her grandmother, a Wiradjuri woman, would prepare food made from homegrown ingredients.
“My grandma was a big influence on me becoming a real foodie and plant lover,” says Croker, who was born on Darumbal country in Rockhampton, and spent her early years living in Nhulunbuy, a small town on Yolgnu country in the Northern Territory.
“I remember when I was young, she’d prepare all this food from plants she had grown and set up little picnics, and we’d go out into the bush for days at a time. That love of nature, plants and food has always been a really strong way for me to connect with culture.”
Years later, when it came to choosing a university course, Croker was guided by two of her other strong passions: business and travel.
