ARC Healing Country and the Curtin University Seed team members would like to share news of our recent visits and time meeting with the ARC Healing Country endorsing group, Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation.
In late October 2022, six team members from the Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (ETNTAC) visited the ARC Training Centre for Healing Country and the Curtin University Native Seeds Research Team. The ETNTAC team, consisting of Sean Hazelden, Lachlan Adamson, Trevor Dimer, Rhys Kelly, Zoe Bullen, and Hayleigh Graham, first met with Vanessa MacDonald and Andrew Knight from the ARC Training Centre for Healing Country for an overview of what the newly established Centre aims to achieve over its lifespan, then spent the remainder of the day with Simone Pedrini, Shane Turner, Michael Just, and Haylee D’Agui learning about and discussing the native seed supply chain, large scale ecological restoration, and seed processing.
Following this visit, ETNTAC invited the Curtin Team to take part in restoration planning for its Kardutjaanup Property. In early November, representatives from the Curtin Team (Simone, Haylee and Michael) visited ETNTAC in Esperance for two days of restoration planning.
On Day 1 the Curtin and ETNTAC teams travelled to ETNTAC’s Kardutjaanup Property, located in Salmon Gums. Sean, Lachlan, and Simone assessed the soils of the property and discussed a plan for seeding in 2023, alongside Dan Wildy from Woodland Services. Meanwhile, Trevor, Michael, and Haylee undertook a basic botanical survey of the native bushland adjacent to the property.
On Day 2, the Curtin and ETNTAC teams worked with Dan to devise a restoration plan and a set of research trials for the Kardutjaanup property for implementation in 2023. The ETNTAC team showed the Curtin team their seed processing facilities, and the Curtin Team provided advice on how the facilities could be further enhanced.
The days were filled with lots of planning and learning, however, there was still time for some fun. The Curtin team sampled quandong fruits fresh from the tree for the first time thanks to Lachlan and Trevor’s keen eyes for the bright red fruits, spent some time exploring the nearby bushland, and were toured through the Wylie Bay sand dunes and along the coastline by Lachlan.
The Curtin team thanks the Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation for their warm welcome, hospitality and the knowledge they shared with the Curtin team. As a ARC Training Centre for Healing Country endorsing group, we look forward to working together into the future.
This article and images is shared with permission from the team at Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation. Written and prepared by Dr Haylee D’Agui.
