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Case Study Working on CountryENGAGING AND EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE

Covering 2,400 square kilometres, the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area in south western NSW has a rich and deep history. It’s landscapes are testimony to significant environmental change and the ways that people adapted to this through time. This country is of great significance to the Ngiyampaa, Mutthi Mutthi and Paakantji people. Aboriginal field officers supported through the Australian Government’s Working on Country program work in partnership with Traditional Owners, private landholders and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service to manage this fragile landscape.

The World Heritage Area contains a system of ancient lakes formed over the last two million years, with evidence of Aboriginal people living on the lake shores for at least 47,000 years. Human remains, known as Mungo Man and Mungo Woman, have been dated to around 42,000 years – the oldest human remains found in Australia, and some of the earliest evidence of ritual cremation in the world. In 2003, footprints made by Willandra people in the clay 20,000 years ago were found, and they are the only Pleistocene footprints found in Australia. Aboriginal people today retain strong connections with this country, and the Elders are committed to passing this knowledge on to younger generations.

ENGAGING AND EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLECase Study Working on Country

Caring for our Country is administered by a joint team of the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Photo credits: (Front page L–R) Eroded clay pinnacles (Ian Brown, NSW OEH), Archaeologist Caroline Spry shows ancient artefact to students (Helen Healy, HHO Events), Walls of China (Ian Brown, NSW OEH), Stone Artefacts (Ian Brown, NSW OEH)

© Commonwealth of Australia 2012Published November 2012This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Commonwealth. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Populations and Communities, Public Affairs, GPO Box 787 Canberra ACT 2601 or email public.affairs@environment.gov.au

In September 2011 the third Mungo Youth Conference was hosted in the World Heritage Area, honouring the Traditional Owners’ aspiration to engage and educate young people in the culture, conservation, education and management of this region. Over 190 Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students from high schools in NSW and Victoria attended.

Before the conference, the students engaged in school-based research about the area and developed conference presentations, working with archaeologists, scientists, Traditional Owners, rangers and mentors. Using a ‘kids teaching kids’ model, students shared their knowledge at the conference, and took part in exploration, cultural tours and activities led by the Elders, Traditional Owners, scientists, parks staff and pastoralists. This approach equipped each student with knowledge about the area and valuable life skills such as communication, team work, leadership, public speaking and understanding other people’s values and experiences.

Conference activities included visiting archaeological sites; accompanying the Aboriginal Discovery Rangers on a walk to explore the layering of time and human occupation in the landscape; participating in Aboriginal language lessons; visiting the Zanci and Mungo Woolsheds to have a go at sheep-shearing; and hearing from pastoralists about the challenges of managing large lease areas in the World Heritage Area.

Traditional Owners and a number of Aboriginal staff worked closely with the students throughout the conference, sharing their culture and knowledge and playing a mentoring role. Highlights included using satellite links to talk in real-time with remote Alaskan schools, and a megafauna laser show projected onto the sand dune which provided an entertaining insight into prehistoric life.

The Mungo Youth Conference is a powerful model for teaching students about Australian culture and history and for reconnecting – people with each other, old with young, Indigenous knowledge with science and people with country.

Aboriginal Discovery Rangers Ernie Mitchell, Robert Ritchie and Tanya Charles at the Walls of China during the Mungo Youth Conference

(Simon Hughes)

Rangers guiding students through Mungo landscape (Helen Healy, HHO Events)