Connecting Community and Country Through a First Nations Culture Garden
In Point Pearce, South Australia, within the Wardang Island Indigenous Protected Area (IPA), an exciting new project is taking shape, the Point Pearce First Nations Culture Garden. This dedicated space will bring together Elders, First Nations Rangers, and Indigenous youth to bridge and transfer Cultural knowledge. Designed as a hands-on learning environment, it will inspire young people to engage in environmental conservation and explore career pathways that incorporate Cultural knowledge.
Recently, Point Pearce Primary School students visited the Indigenous Protected Area Rangers’ shed. During their visit, they interacted with the Rangers, explored various pieces of equipment, learned about their work, and gained insight into what it is like to be a First Nations Ranger.
As part of the planning activities, the children interacted and listened to the stories from a group of local Elders. They provided vital feedback and essential engagement for this project, which will be a critical part of informing the design, layout and content of the garden, as well as engaging and endorsing the overall aims of the project.
The meeting was a great way to introduce the Elders to the project and elicit their input and comments on the approaches to be taken when moving forward.
There was a great deal of support to embed Narungga language into every stage of the project and continue to work with those local Narungga based businesses that are already growing native plants and bush foods, which will be an intrinsic element within the project
There also has been earthworks preparation for the shed that will be built and some of the site prep for the propagation beds that will be erected in the adjacent compound, all of which are part of the capital works of the Point Pearce First Nations Culture Garden Project
The earthworks and site preparation work has been done in partnership with the Wardang Island – Point Pearce Indigenous Protected Areas (IPA) Rangers.
Earthworks and site prep have been undertaken at the Point Pearce Primary School. Visitors include Mr Ian Falkenberg and some of his project partners from LandscapeSA, who are undertaking a nesting tower installation project to support the endangered Osprey.
The young students participated in a nest building exercise, so that when the Osprey nesting tower is installed, in mid May, the pre-built nest bases will be placed on top as ready made starter kits for the Ospreys.
Words by Paul Heck, General Manager at Point Pearce Aboriginal Corporation
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