The Goldfields University Department of Rural Health (GUDRH) marked National Reconciliation Week with a series of meaningful activities, bringing staff and students together to reflect, connect and deepen their understanding of Aboriginal culture and perspectives.
Staff welcomed three local Wangkatha Elders – Senior Elder Nanna Maisie Harkin, Aunty Miriam Brownley and Aunty Jennifer Bevan – for a meaningful morning tea centred around a shared yarning session.
As part of the gathering, the group reflected on a series of images that prompted discussion about perceptions, history, and the impacts of colonisation on Aboriginal Australians. The Elders also shared deeply personal stories, including Nanna Maisie’s upbringing in the Great Victoria Desert, her experiences of being forcibly removed to Mount Margaret Mission, and the broader challenges faced by Aboriginal people in the region.
Aunty Jennifer and Aunty Miriam spoke about their own life journeys, their stories highlighting the local realities of restrictions once placed on Aboriginal people in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, including curfews that limited their presence in public spaces.
The morning provided a powerful opportunity for learning, reflection, and respectful conversation, with a post-session debrief allowing the team to process and deepen their understanding.
To further celebrate the importance of Reconciliation Week, GUDRH students and staff took part in an immersive on Country experience – joining the Ulrich family for a Goldfields Honey Ant Tour.
Traveling 50km into the surrounding desert, students took part in exploring traditional bushfoods and the connection between people and Country. They gathered, prepared and tasted foods that have sustained the Tjupan people for thousands of years, including honey ants, witchetty grubs and native fruits such as quandong and bush pear.
Set amongst the mulga of the Goldfields outback, the experience offered insight into traditional knowledge, including the use of native plants for food and medicine and the resilience required to live in a desert environment. The group also shared lunch on Country, including freshly prepared damper, providing time to connect and reflect.
These experiences reflect the intent of National Reconciliation Weeks theme “All In” and highlight GUDRH’s commitment to fostering culturally informed learning – preparing students for respectful, culturally safe practice in rural and remote communities.
