Staff members from major partner Gold Fields were on hand on Monday, 9 December, to assist with the planting of over 70 new native plants in the expanded Aboriginal Bush Food & Medicine Garden at the Museum of the Goldfields in Kalgoorlie-Boulder.
The Aboriginal Bush Food & Medicine Garden at the Museum of the Goldfields was established in 2022 to preserve and share Aboriginal knowledge. The garden is designed to develop the awareness of how native plants have been an effective source of nutrition and medicine for Western Australia’s Indigenous population. The garden aims to strengthen the community’s understanding of food and biodiversity as well as sustainability, and to highlight the symbiotic relationship with the land and the native flora that our Indigenous population has had for over 60,000 years.
The major three-year partnership between gold mining company Gold Fields, the Western Australian Museum and the Foundation for the WA Museum is enabling the Museum of the Goldfields to expand the garden to incorporate a greater variety of plant species.
After a plant audit and removal of non-native plants was carried out by the Rangers at the Goldfields Aboriginal Community Services with support from the Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison’s Section 95* work program participants in October, 75 new plants were planted this Monday. Featured plants include the Desert Cassia (senna artemisioides), a small woody shrub with silver green leaves and bright yellow flower is a medicine plant endemic to the North Eastern Goldfields, and the Jam Wattle (acacia acuminata). The seeds of this versatile plant can be used for flour, bark is used as a painkiller, and timber is used to make tools.
The garden will also include a fire pit, yarning circle and interpretive signage. The garden will foster environmental stewardship by promoting biodiversity and sustainable land management and encourage cultural exchange and dialogue among diverse communities.
As part of the three-year partnership, the Museum of the Goldfields will expand its educational programming to align with the new garden and raise awareness of Aboriginal knowledge and cultural practices, and the integration of this with Western science (two-way science).
Marta Perona, Manager of the Museum of the Goldfields, has welcomed the Aboriginal Bush Food and Medicine Garden expansion project and the assistance from Gold Fields staff and business partners.
“The WA Museum has an important role in understanding the past and sharing stories of Western Australia. The bush garden is an excellent example of this. Through the garden and the museum’s associated programs and activities we will be able to build community connection and educate our visitors about historic and modern scientific and medical practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”
“The garden also holds an emotional connection for the community, having been dedicated to the much-loved former Museum of the Goldfields regional manager, Cara Haymes, when it was opened in 2022.”
Speaking at the planting event, Gold Fields’ Vice President External Affairs Australia, Claire Walker, highlighted the importance of community partnerships that make a meaningful difference to the company’s host communities.
“The Museum of the Goldfields is essential to preserving and sharing the stories of the Goldfields community – past, present and future,” she said.
“We are proud to support the Aboriginal Bush Food & Medicine Garden and play a part in sharing the rich history and deep knowledge of First Nations peoples.”
* Section 95 of the Prisons Act enables minimum security prisoners to contribute to the community – and their own rehabilitation – through supervised work programs.
