Nearly 30 years ago the 56-year-old Raymond Terrace mother of three and grandmother teamed up with her high profile sibling Di Ball - an Order of Australia Medal recipient - to form a deadly duo in their little neck of Port Stephens.

The sisters kick-started Wahroonga Aboriginal Corporation - dedicated to supporting Indigenous people primarily in health issues - in 1994, and more recently began operating the Raymond Terrace Community Hub from their rooms in Sturgeon Street [funded by Port Stephens Council].

"Our goal with the community hub is to develop strong relationships with Port Stephens community groups and businesses mainly in Raymond Terrace and create a place for all people, not just Aboriginal, to visit, get support and referrals, and gain information," said Zona.

While her volunteer work with both Wahroonga and the Community Hub take up many hours a week, Zona still finds time to partake in her personal passion - painting.

"When I paint I take on a dream-like state," said Zona. "The paintings come natural, they are part of my culture ... I was never taught how to paint, when I have a story to tell I tell it through my paintings."

What's more, Zona only discovered her talent with the brush around a decade ago, "quite by accident".

She had moved from her home town of Armidale to Newcastle in 2011 to study a bachelor of arts degree at Newcastle university, majoring in Aboriginal and English languages.

"I was was working with one of the tutors at the university's art gallery, who encouraged me to take up Aboriginal painting. I started on some A3 cardboard and before I knew it I was painting hundreds and donating them to the university as gifts. Some of them were sent overseas as gifts."

As Zona's expertise in Aboriginal painting became more widely known and respected, the demand for her artwork grew and soon she was being commissioned to supply paintings to larger organisations and for local charities to be sold or auctioned off.

One of those charities is the Port Stephens Men of League Foundation, which supports the men, women and children of the rugby league fraternity who have fallen on hard times or suffered serious injuries or illness.

"On a number of occasions Zona has been kind enough to paint a couple of surfboards that we would auction off at our fundraisers," said MoL's Peter Arnold.

A quiet, private person, Zona says she does not paint for profit, and usually only requests that people "pay for the paints, brushes and boards" she requires. "If the work is going to a good cause then I'm happy."

Zona said that her inspiration when sitting down at her tiny desk at her Raymond Terrace home comes from her Aboriginal upbringing.

"A lot of my work features totems, animals such as dolphins and lizards, and dot painting."

She says that she has lost count of the number of works she has donated and often cannot keep up with demand.

"I never seem to have enough ... especially with family who are always asking me for paintings."

Zona says that she is eager to expand her horizons and one day hopes to be designing clothes.

"I would like to have a go [designing apparel], but I just have to find the time."

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