Co‑production in Aboriginal health research builds on participatory, strength-based approaches where Aboriginal knowledge, expertise and priorities are valued and used to generate evidence to drive improvements in Aboriginal health and healthcare. This paper looks how the Coalition for Research to Improve Aboriginal Health (CRIAH), led by a partnership between the Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council (AH&MRC), Sax Institute and six Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) in NSW, has successfully co-produced evidence to guide policy and program planning. It highlights three initiatives driven through the co-production platform: 1) examining how local mental health service systems are working for Aboriginal children and young people and how they can be improved; 2) understanding how the cancer care system is working for older Aboriginal people to develop scalable and sustainable approaches to improving cancer care; and 3) finding effective ways to measure the impact of innovative, Aboriginal-led primary health care programs. The CRIAH experience shows that it is critical that such research programs build capacity, prioritise Aboriginal leadership respect the culture and expertise of Aboriginal partners and promote self-determination. Such a process has enabled CRIAH to emerge as an enduring platform for Aboriginal health research that addresses emerging community priorities and generates evidence that informs culturally responsive Aboriginal health policy and practice.