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There are approximately 250 different Aboriginal language groups across Australia with an excess of 700 different dialects. The Nyoongar people live in the South West of Western Australia, from Just south of Geraldton(North) to Merriden(East) to Esperance(South).

The nyoongar people consist of 14 tribal groups all sharing one language, however each having their own dialect, perth's original people the “wadjuk” lived within an approximate 50km radius of kings park, wadjuk means "the guardians of the link between the land and the sea", this link being the beautiful swan river., once a year the wadjuk would travel along the waterway we know as derbal yarrigan (swan river) and meet at walyalup (fremantle) to celebrate the country and waterway they cared for. the wadjuk had plenty of bush tucker to eat, many stories to tell and a dreaming that still continues today., join us and take a journey of discovery into the lives of the first australians....

Indigenous Tours WA was created as a trading name for The Nannup Family Trust, an enterprise established in 2004 for the benefit of Indigenous Culture & Heritage. The Nannup Family possess a connection to Wadjuk country dating back thousands of years and has a passion for sharing and promoting Indigenous Heritage and keeping our culture alive in the Perth Metropolitan area.

Take a journey with us soon....

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Sold Out Trip on Country with Dr Noel Nannup – Carers of Everything – August 2023

There are no upcoming dates for this event.

Personal account from Mark and being on country with Dr Noel Nannup (Uncle Noel) It makes me emotional knowing we can support Uncle Noel in this way and that you get the same opportunity to go out on country as I’ve had. One Tribe’s connection with going out on country with Uncle Noel is over 10 years old. Almost every year, the One Tribe shamanic practitioners have gone out on life-changing trips into this sacred land around Perth. I’ll never forget my first…

It was over 14 years ago and I was completely mesmerized from start to finish. It was like Uncle Noel had the key to the dreaming and opened the door into his sacred world. He shared the Carers of Everything story with us – a key creation dreaming story of the southwest – about how humans won the right to be carers of everything. To look after country. We listened to that story, drove upon the trails of it, went to sacred sites along it, and even saw it in the night sky above us! It was everywhere all around me and I changed. I opened, I softened, I felt a deep sense of connection to the land and heard the whispers of the ancestors. I even had a song come to me in my dreams! It was like Uncle Noel‘s teacher he had spoke so much about came to me in the early hours and sang me a song which I remembered upon waking! I worked with Uncle Noel to get some Nyoongar lyrics for the chorus. I taught the whole group the song and we sang it as we journeyed in the bus along those sacred trails. Ever since then, every year, I have sung it out on country with the trips we’ve gone on.

This is that song

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I am forever grateful to have had that experience and I wanted all the One Tribe shamanic practitioners to get the same opportunity I had. Now it’s your turn. Uncle Noel recently reached out to see if we could support his sacred trips. I didn’t hesitate to say yes. As much as possible, all proceeds after expenses go back to Uncle Noel and his work.

One Tribe will support the logistics and Uncle Noel will do what he does best, open a sacred portal to country and his ancestor’s ancient connection to it. There are four trips available this year, with even more advanced longer trips available next year to those who have done the Carers of Everything trip which is the foundational journey for all trips to follow.

I strongly suggest you grab this opportunity with both hands. We do not know how long Uncle Noel will continue doing these trips. May your trip on country be even more life-changing than mine.

A bit about Uncle Noel Dr Noel Nannup (Uncle Noel) is a marvel, a living treasure. He has had many accolades and titles – NAIDOC male elder of the year, Edith Cowen Universities elder in residence, he is a heritage consultant, has a doctorate degree, is a storyteller, cultural guide and mentor. However, to us at One Tribe his true gift is in bridging the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people and deepening our connection to the land and learning to care for country.

Uncle Noel is a rare jewel combining academia with decades of caring for country as a ranger. After he graduated from the University of Canberra many years ago, he returned to WA for a job with the Department of Conservation and Land Management at Narrogin, working with the Aboriginal community and learning how they used the land. It was over these many years that he worked with the elders to track and record hundreds of ancient trails and the stories to go with them. These have recently been published in a book called Aboriginal Journey Ways – How ancient trails shaped our roads.

During your trip on country with Uncle Noel you will journey along some of these key trails piecing together the story as you go. It is a phenomenal experience as not only does Uncle Noel have that vast ancestral knowledge, he also intimately knows all the birds, insects, animals, plants and land we go through. He truly has it all and is an incredible guide who lives his main teaching – to care for country which includes caring for us.

Carers of Everything Trip This foundational trip on country with Uncle Noel follows the powerful South West creation story of how people won the right to be Carers of Everything from yonga the kangaroo, weitch the emu, nyingarn the echidna and karda the goanna. During this trip you will follow key sites that make up this story. The Carers of Everything story has been recorded by Uncle Noel and will be sent to you upon booking in so you can really let that story sink in before going out on country with him. The Carers of Everything is the foundational trip from which other trips on country build upon.

Uncle Noel never shares the locations of trips before going out on country adding to the mystery and magic of it all. We are in his loving hands from start to finish. The Carers of Everything trip sets off early Saturday morning from Midland and returns Monday afternoon around 4pm. Bus, food and Uncle Noel’s presence and guidance are all included in the price. You need to bring your own camping gear with details outlined below of what to bring.

What to bring:

• Packed lunch for the first day (we have a longish drive so this will maximise time on country).
• Water bottles (bring at least a litre first day), hat, sunscreen, insect repellent for evenings, fly net, first aid kit, day pack (not much walking but good to have), cup, bowl, plate, cutlery and a container for lunch (we will make lunch in the morning to eat to save time for key sites), tea towel.
• Camping Gear: A small tent, and/or a waterproof swag, self-inflatable mattress if you want a bit more comfort, sleeping bag, pillow, hammer/mallet for tent pegs. Camping chair and torch (head mounted ones are very handy). Usual camping stuff.
• Personal Gear: Mix of warm and cooler clothes, rain jacket, walking shoes/boots, change of socks, undies etc, basic toiletries including deodorant toilet paper. You might like to bring some wipes as showers may be a luxury… and water is for drinking, cooking etc. Also bring wet weather gear just in case.
• Snacks and treats if you require them (some snacks on bus provided).
• Please note food is vegetarian (catering for gluten free)

5 incredible First Nations experiences in Perth

Perth sits on the ancient country of the Whadjuk Noongar people, who have been the Traditional Owners of this pocket of Western Australia for over 45,000 years. It’s also home to some amazing First Nations experiences for travellers, from Aboriginal Astronomy to bush tucker tasting sessions.

Boorloo (Perth) is one of the most isolated major cities in the world, sitting on the far south-western edge of the continent. For over 45,000 years, the Whadjuk Noongar people have called it home. A lot of travellers are drawn to Perth for its beaches, particularly Cottesloe, its gardens, and its proximity to regional WA hotspots like Margaret River and The Pinnacles (proximity really matters when your state covers more than 2.6 million square kilometres).

But more and more visitors are discovering Perth’s unique First Nations experiences, too. There are some great Indigenous-owned and -guided businesses offering incredible day-trips and walking tours in Perth. In partnership with not-for-profit marketplace, Welcome to Country , we’ve rounded up some of our favourites. 

Learn Aboriginal Astronomy at the Gravity Discovery Centre

Australia’s Indigenous people are often credited with being the world’s first astronomers, and thanks to Gravity Discovery Centre , just north of Perth, you can get a look at the night sky like you’ve never seen it before. Indigenous Elder, Dr. Noel Nannup, will teach you how First Nations people mapped the cosmos, and how stars were used to navigate, predict weather, and influence Song Lines, art and culture. Enjoy a guided laser tour beneath a clear night sky, and take a peek through the famous 25” Brodie Telescope. It’s a truly humbling experience. More information .

Taste traditional bush tucker at Mandoon Estate

This is a cellar door visit with a difference. Mandoon Estate winery in the Swan Valley offers a unique bush tucker experience with local Noongar Elder, Dale Tilbrook. This bush tucker experience isn’t just about traditional food; it’s a chance to sit with Dale and hear the stories of this region, to learn about Indigenous farming practices and get an insight into Noongar culture. It also includes a glass of sparkling at the Mandoon cellar door, with a little crash course from their in-house sommelier. More information .

Wander King’s Park with Nyungar Tours

King’s Park is one of Perth’s most beautiful gardens, with epic views overlooking the Swan River, and it’s always been a popular spot with visitors. But not many travellers get to experience King’s Park in the company of Whadjuk Yorga and expert guide Kerry-Ann Winmar. Kerry-Ann runs Nyungar Tours , which includes a couple of walking tours in Perth, and she’s full of stories about Whadjuk Country, about Yorgas (women) in Aboriginal culture, and about the medicinal plants still found in the gardens today. You’ll get a whole new perspective on Derbal Yerrigan (the Swan River) and its Traditional Owners. More information .

Join an Aboriginal art workshop with Djurandi Dreaming

Djurandi Dreaming is an Indigenous tour company, run by Wadjuk man Justin Martin, who also happens to be a renowned Noongar artist. They run several amazing cultural experiences in Perth, but one you don’t want to miss is the Aboriginal Art Workshop . This can be run indoors, or out in nature, if the weather’s good. Justin will teach you traditional symbols, stories and line work used in Noongar culture, and help you create your own artwork to take home. All the paint and art supplies are provided, and you’ll get an introduction into local Indigenous history, too. Pro tip: don’t wear your fancy clothes to this one. More information .

Explore the Swan Valley with Dale Tillbrook

If you’re looking for a good overview of the Swan Valley, just 30 minutes outside Perth, this is the place to start. Wardandi Bibbulmun woman Dale Tillbrook is one of the region’s most experienced tour guides (she runs a bunch of different experiences here , including some delicious bush tucker tasting sessions ) and her Local History and Culture tour is an incredible deep dive into local First Nations history. It takes place at the Maalinup Aboriginal Gallery, where you can check out the local art scene, taste some wild bush tucker, and meet the friendly emus, too (they’re suckers for a selfie). No-one knows this area like Dale. More information .

This is really just the tip of the iceberg. Our partners, Welcome to Country, have a huge list of Indigenous travel experiences in Perth. You can check them out here .

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• Local Accomodation

Observatory

• Teacher Resources
• Ningaloo Total Solar Eclipse

Leaning Tower

The Leaning Tower of Gingin is our pride and joy here at the Gravity Discovery Centre.

Cosmology Gallery

View the Gravity Discovery Centre Cosmology Gallery.

Solar System Walk

The Solar System Walk is an enjoyable and educational 1km scale model of our Solar System.

Wild Flowers

The Gravity Discovery Centre is located on DBCA land and the surrounding bush land is untouched and in its original state.

Biodiversity Gallery

In our Biodiversity Gallery, you can get up close and personal with some of our local flora and fauna.

The GDC Gingin Observatory is part of the Gravity Precinct and shares this special piece of pristine bushland...

Nighttime Attractions

Join our astronomers as they guide you through the cosmos at our world class stargazing facility. Duration: 2 Hours (approx.)

Join our astronomers and elder Noel Nannup as they guide you through the cosmos at our world class stargazing facility. Duration: 2 Hours (approx.)

Do you have a telescope and don't know how to use it? Tame your telescope is the class for you. Duration: 3 hours (approx)

Learn all about stellar evolution from the birth of stars to their spectacular death in this lecture style tour. Duration: 2.5 hours (approx)

Leaning tower of Gingin

The Leaning Tower of Gingin is our pride and joy here at the Gravity Discovery Centre. It is an awesome feat of engineering. The Tower is an impressive 45 metre tall steel structure, leaning at an angle of 15 degrees and held in place by 180 Tons of concrete.

The extreme angle it leans at may very well make it the “leaniest” purpose built tower in the world. Its model and inspiration, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, leans at a mere 5.5 degrees.

A safe, yet thrilling climb up the 222 steps will take you to the very top of the Tower. The view from up there across the Wallingup Plains all the way to the Darling Scarp is no less than breathtaking.

Visit the Gravity Café

School Excursions

EASTER HOURS 2024

The neergabby star party timetable of events 2023.

Warmest Holiday Wishes from the Gravity Discovery Centre and Observatory!

Gingin Dark Sky Reserve Update April 2022

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• 1098 Military Road, YEAL WA 6503

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• 08 9575 7577

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• PO Box 2062 Clarkson 6030

GDC ADMISSION AND OPENING HOURS

10am to 4pm Tuesday to Thursday

10am to the start of the Observatory session Friday, Saturday & Sunday

• Concession $18

OBSERVATORY ADMISSION AND OPENING HOURS

7.30pm to 9.30pm Friday 7.30pm to 9.30pm Saturday 7.30pm to 9.30pm Sunday

Session times: Subject to change

• Senior & Concession $44

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• Early Childhood

Journey on Country - Subtleties of the City

• Starting on 20 May 2022
• Cancellation permitted until 13 May 2022
• Event registrations closed on 13 May 2022

Delivery Format : In Person

Event registration is Closed

Description

This day tour offers a way to see this place we call home differently. Grow your knowledge of places of significance for Noongar people connected to our rivers and waterways. 

This tour is lead by Dr Noel Nannup.

Join us as we travel between the City of Perth and Fremantle learning about the culture and country of the Whadjuk people of the Bibbulmum Nation. This is a beautiful opportunity to learn about this place we call Perth, to understand what was here before the tall ships came and to connect with what is still here today.

We will meet at AISWA, travel by 25 seater coaster bus and visit various local sites. You'll hear stories, language, learn about Aboriginal spirituality and transform your relationships to people and place.

Morning tea and lunch will be catered for by Dale Tilbrook from  Maalinup Aboriginal Gallery .

This event is highly subsidised by AISWA EC and therefore is limited to 2 teachers per school.

Please dress for the weather and bring a water bottle.

Dr Noel Nannup

Terms & Conditions

AISWA Professional Learning – In Person Event 

• Detailed In Person event T&Cs here . Below is an overview only.

In Person event conditions

• Attendance records: Participants must sign-in on the day to confirm attendance. A member school can also view this data for their staff.
• Privacy disclaimer: PL Events may be live-streamed, recorded or photographed by AISWA for sharing. Attendees have the right to be excluded from such records but must notify AISWA of their wishes before the start of the event. NB: This condition was acknowledged during registration. See full T&Cs here .
• Attendee swaps: Acceptable. The organiser must be notified. There are conditions.
• Walk Ins: Any non-registered attendee MUST disclose this to AISWA on arrival. A correct registration process can then be followed. 
• IT Acceptable Use Policy: Compliance with this policy for the use of AISWA’s on-site equipment, internet and website is required.
• Payment Conditions: Price includes GST. Credit card payment only for Guests. Member schools will be invoiced post-event.
• Cancellation: Cancellation is without charge if prior to Cancellation Permitted date. Cancellations via this website. Late cancellations or failure to attend will incur full cost. Refer any issues to the Event Organiser. If AISWA cancels a PL Event, attendees will be notified by email and any payment will be refunded.
• Free event non-attendance: A fee of $25 may apply. See full T&Cs.

Event Segment

Date / time.

Suite 3, 41 Walters Drive Osborne Park WA 6017 Australia

PL Hours : 6.50

Learning area, school area.

• Preschool (PK-K)
• Early Childhood (PK - 2)

Event Contact

• Janelle Dickinson

AITSL Standards

Dr Noel Nannup

Dr Noel Nannup , is a respected Aboriginal Elder, story-teller and cultural guide. He is a heritage consultant, has been named NAIDOC Male Elder of the Year, and is ECU's Elder in Residence

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Aboriginal Astronomy Night

2 hours total duration, 50 pax total capacity.

The Gravity Discovery Centre and Observatory works in partnership with Indigenous Tours to showcase cultural storytelling and Astronomy. Following storytelling the Indigenous constellations will be identified during a laser guided tour of the night sky, before moving onward to the observatory to gaze at the stars. The Gravity Discovery Centre and Observatory hosts an Aboriginal Storytelling and Astronomy night once a month. 

Public night stargazing visits are held regardless of the weather. If viewing through the scopes is not possible, due to inclement weather, a fun and informative session will be held in the GDC Theatre and a cloudy night pass will be issued (free return).

The Gravity Café will be open until half an hour before your session starts and dinner bookings are preferred but not essential.

1098 Military Road , Gingin Western Australia

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Connect with CAN

Uncle noel nannup.

Ni Means Listen Podcast

Uncle Noel Nannup has spent the best part of his life sharing his love of his ancient Aboriginal culture. He truly believes sharing this knowledge is our path to a better future. He has been an author, cultural guide, Elder in Residence and leader of many reconciliation projects. This is his story.

Ni! means listen was produced by Community Arts Network in partnership with the City of Perth and with support from the ABC.

Content Warning: this episode contains graphic content

Ngaluk Waangkiny | Stories of Resilience

This book is dedicated to the ten courageous, wise and trailblazing Elders who generously shared their life’s journey during this storytelling project.

Their triumphs over adversity, tireless fight for human rights and constant advocacy for respect and recognition leaves a powerful and lasting legacy.

We pay our respects to the Elders who passed during the making of this book and we thank them for gifting their stories so future generations can learn from them, heal and move forward.

This book shares images and vignettes of each of their lives. It serves to complement a series of in-depth podcast interviews featuring each Elder, and a short film documenting their reconciliation journey with the City of Perth.

Their stories, in their words – their legacy. Always was. Always will be. Aboriginal land.

Ngaluk Waangkiny Documentary

Ngaluk Waangkiny follows the journey of a courageous group of Aboriginal Elders living on Whadjuk Noongar boodja as they fight for respect, recognition and acknowledgement from the City of Perth.

Once banned from the city streets, these Elders now have a seat at the Council table and are making decisions that are quite literally changing the face of Boorloo - Perth.

Co-written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Poppy van Oorde-Grainger and acclaimed Noongar artist Ian Wilkes, this short film is rich with archival vision, personal histories and moments of profound change.

CAN Perth Head Office

Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm

PO Box 7514 Cloisters Square WA 6850

King Street Arts Centre Ground Floor 357-365 Murray St Perth WA 6000

08 9226 2422

[email protected]

ABN: 72106364407

Copyright 2024 CAN

CAN acknowledges the Noongar people of the Bibbulmun nation as the traditional custodians of the lands on which we work and live. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and honour all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the first people of this nation. CAN is proud to work with people from all cultures, but we do so on the understanding of First Peoples, first.

Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.

Worl Wangkiny – Aboriginal Astronomy

Indigenous Australians are renowned as the world’s first astronomers, having studied and interpreted the cosmos for navigation, calendars, ceremony, cultural lore, song lines, and art for thousands of years. As such, indigenous astronomy represents an essential aspect of this country’s history and sharing those stories and knowledge of the night sky enriches all Australian cultures.

In 2018, Perth Observatory received a Lotterywest community grant , enabling it to build on its reputation as an iconic venue to celebrate astronomy and history while embarking on an ambitious collaborative project focusing on indigenous astronomy. The grant facilitated the creation of Worl Wangkiny, which commemorates 60,000 years of Noongar celestial storytelling through an artwork painted onto the inner walls of a large part-constructed telescope dome.

This artwork was produced by renowned Perth artists Sharyn Egan, Kylie Graham, Peter Farmer Jr., and James Egan in a project led by Peter Farmer and Miranda Farmer. The artists collaborated with Follow the Dream students from Governor Stirling Senior High School to paint the artwork and share traditional knowledge.

Our elected Advisory Panel, headed by Dr Noel Nannup, including caretakers of the land Vivienne and Morton Hansen, and Brendan Moore of SWALSC , provided guidance and leadership. During the painting works, the Advisory Panel shared traditional stories behind the artwork with the students, and special guests were invited to attend the painting works, including artist Roma Winmar, and Walter and Meg McGuire of Go Cultural , who shared sky stories, displayed cultural artefacts, and painted students in traditional ochre.

The brick pathway leading to Worl Wangkiny was designed by Peter Farmer and symboli Rotary Kalamunda , which also provided funds for the accompanying dark-sky-approved lighting for safe access at night. Their young professionals’ organisation, Kalamunda Rotaract , volunteered their time to offer supporting work, including cleaning and priming the dome in preparation for painting.

The whole project was filmed, including time-lapse astrophotography shot by Dr John Goldsmith of Celestial Visions, and a short film produced by local filmmakers Edwin Sitt and Zal Kanga-Parabia documents the project and shares the sky stories with the world.

The Ceremonial Opening of Worl Wangkiny on Saturday, 7th March 2020, was presided over by the Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt, with attendees comprising representatives from cultural, community, heritage, science, and tourism organisations.

We express our gratitude to our sponsors Lotterywest and Rotary Kalamunda for making this unique collaborative project possible, as well as to Perth Picker Hire and Crisp Landscapes and Maintenance for their generous donations of equipment and services. The Centre is now open, and visitors can take a guided tour with our partners Koya Aboriginal Corporation through ANTZ Aboriginal Nature TrekZ .

Selected quotes from our Advisory Panel whilst talking to the students on the first day of the project:

My footsteps follow in the footsteps of the ancestors, and they guide me and they allow me to walk on this country and honour them. And as youngsters with this responsibility, from where I’m at, you’re most important in this room. Because you are the future and if we are fair dinkum about our future what we need to do is to impart the knowledge that we have received from our Elders, who received it from their Elders, so, therefore, it is your birthright for us to give you the knowledge that you will receive during this project. So think about that, take it on board, soak it up. You’ve got an important job. And I’d like to congratulate Perth Observatory, for making this possible… When we talked about the possibilities that existed and guided you to talk to the right people. And always remember youngsters, that this is guided by a spirit, the spirit of this place, and don’t be afraid. You’ll make mistakes. There is not one person in this room that hasn’t made a mistake that they regret. So, think about it. We’ll get this done, and I think it will just go a long, long way, to make you and I prouder people, as we walk on this land with our ancestors and honour them, and I really look forward to what it is that the artists have come up with. That’s their role, they’re artists. And they’ll be guided spiritually, I have no doubt at all, and I have seen some of the wonderful work that they have done, and guess what, they’re passing their knowledge on about art to young people, and you come in as another generation below that. So it’s awesome to be here and I feel right at home. Dr Noel Nannup

As a Noongar woman, I am really proud and happy that we are on the land of the Whadjuk People, Noongar boodjar, and that its good that we can talk to you guys and you listen to us, and we’ll listen to you, and we’ll all have a good talk together…. It’s been very exciting to be a part of this project which I think is a first and so looking forward to that, and all the stories we learnt growing up, about the stars, the Moon, the Sun, it’s all coming together in this wonderful project, and for you guys to be involved is tremendous, I’m looking forward to today. Thank you. Vivienne Hansen

Thank you for allowing us to be part of this day here and I’d like to thank Perth Observatory very much for having us up here. What we have here is a project that is probably better late than never, OK… it’s better late than never. When we were going to school, we never learnt the Aboriginal way of things. We learnt more about England and the United States of America than I did about my own country… so the people up here at the Observatory, I would like to thank you very much for allowing us to be a part of this project that’s happening now, whilst we are around, so thank you. Morton Hansen

A long long time ago, Noongar people looked towards the Moon and the stars… When you live in the city you don’t see the stars. When you go out to the bush, there is no TV, if you’re camping that is, and all you can do is look up to the stars… These stories haven’t been told, they are just starting to be told. And we’re in a state where settlement began in 1829 and here we are in 2019… before the story gets told. So, I’m learning as a younger Noongar. The other day I heard a story of the fire, and how the fire was put out with the help of the Moon, which created the waves… So these stories that the Elders have, you’ll remember these for the rest of your life. So, thanks very much Perth Observatory for kicking this along, and Miranda (Farmer). Brendan Moore

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337 Walnut Rd Bickley WA 6076

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• High School
• Indigenous Pathways

A conversation with Dr Noel Nannup

• Monday, March 15th, 2021

Dr Noel Nannup is a respected Aboriginal Elder, story-teller and cultural guide. He is a heritage consultant, has been named NAIDOC Male Elder of the Year, and is Edith Cowan University’s Elder in Residence. In this interview we talk with Uncle Noel about his involvement with the High School Program over the last 10 years and his vision for Indigenous high school students.

Could you describe your involvement with the Aurora High School Program?

Well, from the very beginning, that was in 2012. The Program started here in Western Australia and I believe we were a year behind New South Wales and Victoria. One of our Elders, Marie Taylor, had been recruited and she was onboard and was actually camped down at a little place called Point Perrin with the group. She suggested that they contact me to do the male Elder side of the Program so I was invited along to share the dreaming story for the local area. The story is called Mundendarh kurrjinanin and in our language that means the spirits that came out of the darkness into the light to care for everything. So, my first opportunity to be involved in the program was centered around that story.

The youngsters were mesmerized with the story as they had never heard it before. I soon began to realise that this was a special program and was something that I wanted to continue my involvement in. Back then there were only female Elders involved in the Program and I eventually became the first male Elder to join the Program. It didn’t take me long to realise that this Program was going to make a massive difference to our culture in the future so I made sure to take up every opportunity to be involved and since then I have seen this model grow and it makes my heart sing every time I get the chance to be involved.

In your view, what impact has the High School Program had over the last few years?

The High School Program (HSP) has had a massive impact on our education system. It’s been through the HSP that we have been able to infiltrate the ancient draconian way that education has been slowly rolled out where there were always low expectations for Indigenous students. Then you see these year 8 Indigenous students come through the High School Program and immediately you can see the potential in them, they ooze leadership, they ooze skills and knowledge, but they don’t know how to put it all together. By being able to balance academic enrichment with cultural saturation of knowledge you bring this beautiful young person to begin a journey to blossom into who they have every right to be.

Compared to other educational programs, supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, what do you see as the strengths of Aurora’s approach?

The High School Program allows Aboriginal people to be directly involved in the teaching of cultural knowledge to the students so that they get the academic enrichment, which is so important to help balance it out. One learning activity that the students participate in at our WA camps is the sand drawings which each represent belonging, identity, and responsibility. When you put those three on the sand, you ask them to tell you which one is the important one and allow them to just explore that and think about it which demands a lot of thought. Once they realise that it’s belonging, then from that will come their identity. And that means we can then say to them, well, ‘who are your grandparents, who are your great-grandparents?’ that takes them back to the apical ancestor, the land that they come from when the tall ships arrived, that is when they know who they are. And they know that there is a piece of country that they are responsible for. So, the responsibility that comes into that then will allow them to pursue with absolute certainty, the knowledge that they need to look after that piece of country into perpetuity.

What needs to be in place for programs like the High School Program to have the widest possible impact and drive systemic change for our students?

Well, one is already there and that’s consistency and everyone needs to know that there is certainty and consistency, it’s like raising a child. That’s what this Program does and it has in place all the occupational health and safety mechanisms that are fundamental to making sure that the work place is safe and secure and the individual feels safe and secure because their health and wellbeing is primary to the whole program. Once you have that safety net in which you can go on and work with the people that have the skills to deliver the academic enrichment and the cultural knowledge. That’s its real strength.

What is your vision for Indigenous high school students?

I have personally been working at universities where I have been working with school teachers and other members of the community in structuring an education program that will take us to a point where this will become the norm and we are trying to infiltrate the education department, but we have had ministers that have observed several times and it is hard to shift their old attitudes that are still there. Until they see data and statistics they are not interested. You’ve got to be able to put those things under their noses for them to realise that a program like this is very successful.

A part of this education Program is teaching the government about memory code, that there is a way we can do and remember things through our ancient cultural ways by having symbols and then putting knowledge into those symbols and being able to remember them just by looking at them. As the students are sitting there doing their exams, they can draw that symbol and there is the story within it. The knowledge is instant and remembering that the knowledge is in the relationship. If it’s a person’s name and you see that person in your mind’s eye, you realise that that person has their own story. That story belongs to them. You can’t take that story and put it in your head because it’s not yours. But as soon as you see that person, that knowledge comes to you from them such as their name, their piece of country, that they belong to, their family structure and so on. It’s all about catchment and that’s one of the claims of this Program is you can bring the modern academic science knowledge, which we are all trained with connecting that to the ancient Aboriginal way of doing things, is science all the way through it.

So, we’re trying to change it from STEM to STEAM to include the Arts and Culture. Without Arts and Culture, you don’t have us.

I think one of the important quotes for me is everything is connected, everything. And then once you have that quote, the people themselves can then ask, what do you mean by everything being connected? Well, it’s connected physically, and it is also connected spiritually. And that is for every race of people on the planet, because we are one people and science helps us prove that in the modern world. And that is why I have such great delight in having these conversations with the people that are decision makers. I’m giving them something to go away and seriously think about and science is there to support the comments. And then you can tell when they understand, it’s no longer that blank look on their face and they’ve got that sparkling in their eye like ‘wow, I get it’. And the powers of observation are the key to it, that’s what the Eldership is all about. The powers of observation.

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Noel Nannup Walks Together

Monday 12th October / presented by Jeff Bullen

The Danjoo Koorliny, Walking Together movement was launched last year through the annual Social Impact Festival (Centre for Social Impact UWA) as an initiative designed and led by Aboriginal leaders to help us all go together into the future as Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people towards 2029 (200 years of colonisation in Perth) and beyond.

One of the pathways Ni! Bilyada Waanginy Listen! The Rivers are Speaking, is about bringing together respected Noongar Elders, scientists, artists, community, government representatives and other leaders to see how we can better work together to heal our state’s ancient waterways.

Dr Noel Nannup OAM is one of the respected Elders leading the conversation.

Dr Nannup is well versed in the history of our waterways and can talk about how we can reflect on the understanding of how the Noongar Peoples’, part of the oldest civilization on this planet, managed the waterways long before colonization.

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Fremantle Herald Interactive

Your free, online, independent newspaper.

Noongar tour walkout

AN indigenous tour operator has pulled out of Fremantle because he believes Dockers star Scott Chisholm is getting preferential treatment from a council-run Aboriginal centre.

Greg Nannup, who has run bi-weekly cultural walks in the port city for more than 15 years, says the effect on his business has been devastating and he’s ended up on anti-depressants as a result.

“Everything I have worked for for 15 years has gone,” Mr Nannup said.

His website says his family, which includes prominent elder Noel Nannup, have a connection to Wadjuk country stretching back thousands of years.

But Mr Nannup says they’ve never really seen eye-to-eye with the managers of the Walyalup Aboriginal Cultural Centre on Arthur Head, and had been assured Mr Chisholm wasn’t offering a product that would compete with theirs.

“Noel was told he was not doing a tour, and the council said he wasn’t running a tour, but go onto Eventbrite and what he’s offering looks like a tour to me,” Mr Nannup said.

“How this came to be is what I would like to ask the council.”

Mr Nannup said he’d previously discussed setting up a cultural tour with Mr Chisholm, but it didn’t come to fruition.

Mr Chisholm, who hails from the Northern Territory, pointed out he’d done the right thing and sought permission from the council’s Aboriginal reference group to run events.

The footballer told the Herald he wasn’t trying to steal Mr Nannup’s thunder and focussed on stories celebrating his own indigenous background, as well as his time living in Fremantle.

“I’m really highly ranked in our community for an outsider – for over 20 years I’ve been here encouraging culture, sport, love, life and surviving in the two worlds I live in as a sovereign man,” Mr Chisholm said.

“With what I do with my business, I follow protocol.

“Always did, always will.”

Mr Chisholm said he wanted to work with Mr Nannup to ensure their tours could co-exist, but Mr Nannup refused.

Fremantle council would only offer up a “spokesperson” to respond to Mr Nannup’s criticism, sayuing Mr Chisholm had volunteered many hours at the cultural centre before running his tours.

“Mr Chisholm has sought and received support and permission from local elders to assist in activating the WACC,” the spokesperson said.

“Noel Nannup was part of the elders group who met with Mr Chisholm and the City of Fremantle on August 24, 2018 where permission was given to Mr Chisholm to conduct his tours from the WACC with full permission of the elders group.”

But the elder Nannup says he felt that meeting had been “stacked” with Aboriginal people from a “Christian tradition” and he’d simply felt outgunned.

“That’s not how we do it, and I was quite disappointed with [mayor] Brad [Pettitt] for allowing it to happen,” Mr Nannup told the Herald.

The elder said there was a bigger issue, which was the WA Tourism Commission’s plans to boost indigenous tourism without a co-ordinating body to ensure future problems such as those being encountered by his nephew.

by STEVE GRANT

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Article Reach for the stars in remote Western Australia

Feature by Danielle Austin

An out-of-this-world experience awaits in the remote darkness of the Western Australian outback for travellers willing to seek it out. Endless crystal-clear pinpricks of light pierce the enveloping darkness of the night sky over a vast and barren stretch of red dirt, interspersed only by looming rock formations. This is the view that draws dark-sky enthusiasts to the Western Australia landscape, where the dramatic remove from the modern world offers a perfect vantage point from which to take in the celestial landscape.

Gastronomy meets astronomy in Cervantes

Two hours north of Perth, Cervantes is the home of the Pinnacles Desert which sits within the Nambung National Park . A vast stretch of jagged limestone pillars jutting metres into the air, the Pinnacles Desert is an awe-inspiring sight by day, but it is transformed to something otherworldly come nightfall.

Minimal artificial light interference makes the Pinnacles Desert an optimal location for dark-sky astrophotography, with the limestone formations providing a haunting backdrop to the hazy Milky Way that stretches across the sky above. Joining a sunset and stargazing tour , you’ll be treated to a gourmet barbecue dinner amid the unique rock formations, featuring produce and wines from Western Australia’s renowned Margaret River and Swan Valley regions, as you gaze skywards contemplating the vastness of our universe.

Night sky, Kalbarri Coastal Cliffs

Stories in the stars in Gingin

Hearing Aboriginal Dreamtime Creation stories under the expansive starscape that inspired them is a truly humbling experience, and a reminder that this country’s First Nations people are ancient custodians of the secrets of stargazing. Aboriginal Australians are often credited as the first astronomers, with the night sky not only setting the scene for Dreamtime stories, but also playing an important role in navigation, timekeeping and ceremony.

A number of experiences offer travellers an insight into the traditions of Aboriginal astronomy, including at Gingin’s Gravity Discovery Centre , less than an hour’s drive north of Perth. Here, astronomy tours are led by Aboriginal Elder and cultural guide Dr Noel Nannup, who takes visitors on a walking tour that weaves Dreamtime legends with a laser tour of the night sky. Drawing on both ancient Aboriginal teachings and our modern understanding of the celestial wonders, you’ll decipher the giant scorpion, emu and kangaroo constellations, and learn about reading the stars according to practices utilised through millennia.

Nature's Window, Kalbarri National Park

Walk among the gods in Kalbarri

The pristine, pitch-black night skies of Kalbarri , a little over six hours’ drive north of Perth, are the perfect location to get a little closer to the stars with a stroll along the vertiginous Kalbarri Skywalk . Located within the Kalbarri National Park , the twin metal viewing platforms are anchored deeply in the rock ledge and extend out from the gorge, more than 100 metres above the Murchison River . Standing under the inky-black dome of sky here offers not only visual access to an unobstructed sweep of stars and planets but the unique experience of seeing it all reflected on the surface of the waters far below.

While the naked-eye view is incredible, take advantage of a stargazing tour which will reveal the incredible celestial secrets that are only visible through a telescope. Leave time to take the short walk to Nature’s Window , an incredible rock formation that perfectly frames the constellations overhead.

Take the Stairway to the Moon in Broome

Greg Quicke, Australia’s self-appointed #SpaceGandalf, has been leading stargazers through far away galaxies for more than 25 years as the owner of Astro Tours, based in Broome in the state’s North West. Quicke’s Broome's Astronomy Experience is a 2.5-hour star-studded extravaganza that is both educational and entertaining, utilising big telescopes and lasers to trace some of the best stargazing skies on the planet. The show takes place when the night sky allows at Astro Tours’ dark site, an easy 20-minute drive out of town.

And if your sights are firmly set skyward when you travel, make sure to consult the lunar calendar and time your visit to Broome to coincide with the full moon in order to witness the mesmerising natural phenomenon known as the Staircase to the Moon , when the giant orb reflects off the watery mud flats of Roebuck Bay to create the illusion of a quivering, ephemeral stairway stretching to the heavens.

Staircase to the Moon, Roebuck Bay

Published August 2022.

Tourism Western Australia acknowledges Aboriginal peoples as the traditional custodians of Western Australia and pay our respects to Elders past and present. We celebrate the diversity of Aboriginal West Australians and honour their continuing connection to Country, culture and community. We recognise and appreciate the invaluable contributions made by First Nations peoples across many generations in shaping Western Australia as a premier destination.

Ancient Noongar knowledge and western science come together in Perth documentary for WA Day

A new film will screen in Perth on WA Day, telling the story of Noongar knowledge of the Swan River catchment and its similarities to western science.

"Essentially it's about the connection that we all have to country," explained the film's director Glen Stasiuk.

Walking Together — Belonging to Country, the film pairs Noongar elder Dr Noel Nannup with Professor Stephen Hopper from the University of Western Australia's school of plant biology.

The pair are both experts in local animal and plant life in the Perth area, and the film follows them as they walk from the source of the Swan River (known to the Noongar as the Derbal Yerrigan) to the ocean, discussing the similarities of the Noongar creation stories and the western scientific understanding of the land.

This is added to with animations which tell stories of the 300-million-year history of the land.

"We all now live in this Wadjuk boodja — this area called Perth," Dr Stasiuk said.

"This Wadjuk area is one of the most heavily colonised areas in the world but what has become clear with the native title claim and the existence of elders and oral stories is that we have always been here.

"What is significant is that we share it now with a colonised world, with a western gaze and that includes science.

"It's really important that we share both sides of the story so there is a western science and a Noongar knowledge to this country."

The film was originally the idea of Dr Francesca Robertson from Kuronkurl Katitjin, the Centre for Indigenous Australian Education and Research at Edith Cowan University.

"She had the first concept and went to Lotteries West who jumped on board with funding and then they came to us at Murdoch University for us to make the documentary," Dr Stasiuk said.

"It was shot over a significant period of time last year, after the rains."

What Dr Stasiuk hopes audiences will take from the film is a greater appreciation of what everyone, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, shares by living in the country around the Swan River.

"You don't have to be Aboriginal to connect with country, everyone should connect with country. It's what we live in and it is what embraces us," he said.

"I think if we all do that, as a society we will be a lot better going forward."

The 40-minute documentary film will premiere on the WA Day public holiday on Monday, 1 June at the State Theatre Centre of WA. The two screenings at 12.45pm and 2.45pm are free and will be followed by a Q & A with the filmmakers.

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