Project Overview
The Caring for Noongar Boodja – Elders, schools and community working together project has successfully brought together many different groups and organisations to Care for Country. Conceived after successful projects focused on the Noongar Six Seasons this project envisaged initiating and supporting on-going partnerships to undertake environmental activities using traditional ecological knowledge in combination with current conservation science and practical resource management.
One of the key aims was to build connection to culture, language and country to help develop capacity and capability of the Noongar community to effectively care for the environment.
During the project’s first year over 600 students from Fremantle Primary School, Samson Park Primary School and All Saints College participated in activities. They learned from Elders about the significance of the native animals, which plants had medicinal properties, or were used for food and shelter and learned their Noongar names. Their enthusiasm made a big impact to two natural areas and community members remarked on their hard work. There were smiles all round and many asked if they could do it again.
Coordinated by Perth NRM the project was supported by funding from the Western Australian Government’s State NRM Program
Project Stories
What’s in my school yard?
Year 4 students from All Saints College eagerly participated in The Caring for Noongar Boodja – Elders, schools and community working together project. Aunty Freda Ogilvie started the session with a Welcome and talking with the students about the importance of different birds to Noongar culture, like the Kulbardi (Magpie). They then set out to learn about the native birds in the Perth Metropolitan area and what they can do to support habitat at home.
Volunteers from Birdlife WA taught the students how to use binoculars and to tell the difference between male and females and between adult and juvenile birds. They tested their skills in the school grounds identifying differences between male and female Magpies and between the adults and younger birds. Over a couple of hours, the two classes identified 22 species of birds at the school. After the Caring for Noongar Boodja session the students prepared booklets about the birds at the school, sharing their knowledge with each other and their school community.
Sir Frederick Samson Park
A trip back to Sir Frederick Samson Park for a planting day was the perfect opportunity to assess the growth and survival of seedlings planted by students at Samson Park Primary School and the Friends of Samson Park in May 2022, as part of the Caring for Noongar Boodja – Elders, schools and community working together.
The flourishing seedlings looked healthy, and the survival rates were remarkably high. This can be attributed to the care taken by the primary school children during planting and the mentoring by community members, parent helpers and teachers. Friends of Samson Park dedicated numerous hours to watering over summer and their efforts certainly paid off. Congratulations.
Coordinated by Perth NRM the planting event was delivered in partnership with the Friends of Samson Park, Fremantle City Council and Samson Park Primary School and supported by funding from the Western Australian Government’s State NRM Program
Partners
We acknowledge and appreciate the support of all our partners, supporters, funding bodies and sponsors.
