Speaking with community at Yamatji on Country

Photo: Steering Committee Member Carol Martin OAM and Community Engagement Officer Stacy Maxted speaking with a community member. 

The Aboriginal Cultural Centre (the Centre) project team has continued to meet with regional communities to share information about the project and learn what’s important to them in the early planning stages of the Centre.

Recently, Steering Committee Member Carol Martin OAM and Community Engagement Officers Stacy Maxted and Courtney Symonds headed to Yamatji on Country, led by Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) in Jambinu (Geraldton).

Yamatji on Country gives Aboriginal people across the Mid West, Murchison and Gascoyne regions the opportunity to discuss matters important to their communities. 

The team felt warmly welcomed and appreciated the opportunity to speak with community at their third visit to this important annual event.  

Wanggajimanha (Wajarri for talking together) with the community

The team enjoyed speaking with community members at the stall, who were all supportive of the project.

The statewide Aboriginal Cultural Centre in Boorloo (Perth) will be located on the site of the current Terrace Road carpark, close to the culturally significant Derbarl Yerrigan (Swan River). Community members were looking forward to seeing the Centre come to fruition and praised the location and connection to the river.

The community shared feedback with the team including:

• the importance of ensuring Aboriginal languages is represented and passed down to the next generation
• the need to promote and support Aboriginal tourism to the regions
• that the Centre should reflect, support and involve youth in its planning and operations.

Young community members also shared their enthusiasm about potential workforce opportunities at the future Centre, a key consideration in the project’s early planning.

While in the area, the team also had the opportunity to yarn with Bundiyarra Community Aboriginal Corporation and Wajarri Yamaji Aboriginal Corporation, as well as several other services and organisations present at the event.

Celebrating culture

Yamatji on Country is an important event on the calendar for the region, and the team were grateful to hear from local community leaders, including powerful talks from the youth on issues they faced.  

The event included a fantastic celebration of Aboriginal talent and culture, including a performance by students from Geraldton Primary School singing in language, and traditional dances by Rangeway Primary School students.

Attendees also enjoyed performances from local regional artists Aleah Toomalatai, Trevor Farrell, Corey Dickerson, Craig Pickett, Billy Narrier, Latia Robertson and Zain Laudehr-May.

It was great to see the community come together and bring the youth along the journey too.

Photo: Senator Dorinda Cox speaks with attendees at Yamatji on Country 2024.

Get in touch with the team

The Aboriginal Engagement team will have a stall at the upcoming Midland NAIDOC event on Tuesday 1 October from 10am-2pm at Weeip Park. Come down to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and say hello to the team.

If you would like to yarn with the project team, you can also reach out to us at ACC@dlgsc.wa.gov.au