Nowanup returned to Traditional Owners

In a significant step for everyone involved with the Nowanup property in Western Australia over the past 20 years, the land has been returned into Noongar hands.

Artwork for the return of Nowanup by Rocky Eades.

The work of many months, the official return of Nowanup occurred during a special signing ceremony last year. Ownership now sits with the Noongar-owned special purpose charitable entity, Nowanup Noongar Boodjar Ltd.

‘We want to say a big thank you to Gondwana Link and Greening Australia and stakeholders and partners that made this happen, because of how you believed in us. And we believed in you as well,” said Noongar Elder Uncle Eugene Eades, who has been a major driver of the social, cultural and environmental transformation of the Nowanup property.

“Change came by force upon us Noongar people, and then it took Gondwana Link to give us a clear support to go back onto Country and fill the gaps with constructive and productive opportunities.”

Noongar Elders quoted in this article, from L-R: Aden Eades, Eugene Eades, Eliza Woods. Photo credit Nic Duncan.

A vision for a different way, a model for the future

Heather Campbell, Greening Australia CEO, applauded the foresight of the organisations involved in Gondwana Link and of the people of Greening Australia WA involved in the past.

“Thinking back on where it all started in the mid 2000s, I’m full of admiration for them. Even though they couldn’t foresee exactly what the future of the property might be, they took the critical step of inviting Traditional Owners to participate in decision making and assume leadership at Nowanup,” said Heather.

“That – and the incredible vision and long-term activities of Uncle Eugene Eades here – laid the pathway for the return of this land to occur.”

Keith Bradby, Gondwana Link CEO, said the return of Nowanup proves a concept and the benefit of the whole approach.

“We are following along that path now, and replicating this model elsewhere in the region.”

Uncle Eugene agreed: “When I’m asked where would you like to be in 20 years time, what would you like to see in the Gondwana Link, I say 20 more Nowanups.”

Gondwana Link CEO Keith Bradby and Greening Australia CEO Heather Campbell during the signing ceremony at Nowanup – thriving revegetation is visible in the background. Photo credit Nic Duncan.

Where it started, where we are now

Nowanup is located between the Stirling Range and Fitzgerald River national parks, about an hour and a half east of Albany and 450kms from Perth.

“I knew that country before it was cleared. That was my hunting ground around there, chasing malleefowl around one time ago,” said Noongar Elder Uncle Aden Eades. In his lifetime he has seen the bush on the property cleared, the land operated as a sheep farm, and now some of Nowanup’s vegetation and wildlife restored again.

Showing how the property has come full circle, Uncle Eugene said: “Recently we had a couple of wadjala visitors camping down by the dam, said there were birds there in the morning. What kind of birds? They said malleefowl. Going for a drink of water and getting used to the new environment, the new suburb.”

The former sheep farm was originally purchased by the National Trust for the Gondwana Link program in 2004, then on-sold to Greening Australia, with funding from a substantial philanthropic donation.

While the initial purchase was motivated by the ecological value and habitat connectivity potential of the property, it soon become clear that the place had important cultural significance. Within a short time, Noongar Elders were invited to make use of the land for their community.

At the entrance to the Nowanup property, a sign welcomes visitors to Noongar Boodja. Photo credit Nic Duncan.

They initially chose to establish a Meeting Place there, and have since turned the property into a hub for cultural education and community healing programs, with the support of Gondwana Link Ltd, Friends of Nowanup and a range of funders and local groups.

More than 17,000 people have visited Nowanup over the years to take part in these programs run by the Noongar community. Nowanup is now also a ‘bush campus’ for Curtin University.

“Where we come from there to now, it wasn’t just luck, it was what was instilled in us by our parents and our uncles and aunties. We had that confidence we could do something positive, but the opportunity had never arisen before. We were always like downcast people, not acknowledged in our own community with racism and all that, but seeing everybody come out there now, it fills you up,” said Noongar Elder Aunty Eliza Woods.

“It’s done more for us than money can buy, it’s given us back our identity, an opportunity to really relive our culture, and to share it on Country we’re familiar with, where our ancestors would have walked and run. Lots of times in the past we were just being told what to do.”

Younger generations playing at Nowanup. Photo credit Nic Duncan.

Restoring Country, restoring lives

In partnership between Greening Australia, Gondwana Link, Friends of Nowanup and the Noongar community, the property has been extensively revegetated and is a centrepiece of the landscape-scale Gondwana Link ecological restoration program.

The property is also homebase for the Nowanup Rangers, who have become sought-after suppliers of restoration activities in the area.

Remembering visiting Nowanup in the early years of Greening Australia’s ownership, Uncle Aden said: “Myself I thought, I don’t know what they’re doing with revegetating this. When I looked at the little seedlings in that hard clay, I thought it’ll never grow. Next time I went out there, those little plants were blooming, strong and healthy looking. It was truly amazing.”

Reflecting on what the return of Nowanup means for the future, Uncle Eugene said: “We’re taking on an opportunity to create a multi-cultural, constructive business enterprise based on restoration and what you can do with it. That’s a jigsaw that needs to be worked upon, done carefully and respectfully from all points of views. Because we look at all the journeys and contributions that’ve been made by these Elders who have passed on and passed through Nowanup and made a big contribution to us all, and their legacy they left for us.”

“A special acknowledgement to the Greening Australia team, for hearing our request about what would make a difference to our people, but that we need land to do it. They heard that request, and they acted upon it with full support and power and authority. So we’re really grateful for that contribution, while working in collaboration and partnership with other organisations and with Gondwana Link in particular.”

Eugene Eades with Greening Australia staff at the signing ceremony, from L-R: Barry Heydenrych, CEO Heather Campbell, and Blair Parsons. Photo credit Nic Duncan.

Aunty Eliza agreed: “It opens doors for a lot of opportunities. We got a lot of lived experience but we haven’t been able to share all that knowledge, and this will allow us to do that and on a bigger scale. We want to open up our own places where we heal. And when we say healing, we mean going out there and connecting with nature. You walk around, do your crying, do your shouting, and then connect with people who’ll be there with open arms.”

Greening Australia’s Barry Heydenrych has been working for years with the Nowanup Rangers, and his two sons who are now grown men were at the Meeting Place launch back in 2007.

“For [my sons] and for so many people, their experience at Nowanup has changed the way they think about the world. What’s been achieved at Nowanup is a showcase of how restoration can keep community and culture at the core, which we would love to see happening a lot more around the country,” Barry said.

Everyone present at the signing ceremony returning Nowanup into Noongar hands. Photo credit Nic Duncan.

More stories and videos about Nowanup and the Nowanup Rangers

• Bush Heritage Australia and Greening Australia unite to champion world-class restoration in WA
• Aboriginal geoglyphs years in the making sprout across Western Australia
• Local groups celebrate restoration success
• Nowanup | NAIDOC Week 2021
• Stand-alone power system installed for Nowanup
• Nowanup: Healing Land – Healing People

 
To learn more about Nowanup and how to get involved, join the Friends of Nowanup mailing list.

To receive news like this straight to your inbox, subscribe to Greening Australia’s newsletter, The Leaf.
 

Share this article