Nation-building research is a flexible approach to research that prioritises the voices and self-determination agendas of Indigenous Nations. This paper discusses our application of the Indigenous nation-building (INB) methodology in our research with Gugu Badhun Aboriginal Nation, Australia, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The methodology allowed us to pivot to online methods for civic engagement, data gathering, and information sharing. Beyond COVID- safety, other benefits included the involvement of diasporic Gugu Badhun people, and the enabling of positive digital civic participation. Our case study shows the INB methodology is open and responsive enough for a geographically dispersed group of participants and researchers to progress a nation-building agenda, even during a global pandemic, in a way that remains ethical and intellectually rigorous.