What’s happening at Nowanup? The answer is lots. And here is a summary of the activities from 2020. There were Noongar family healing camps; new walktrails and mia mias built; Noongar Elders across the region provided with roo and salmon while they stayed safely at home during COVID; Curtin University student camps; school and kindergarten camps; youth at risk camps; yorga (women’s) camps, including planting into the six seasons cultural circles and traditional basket weaving; men and boys’ rites of passage camps; and to top it all off, a music festival to celebrate getting through 2020.

The Minister for Energy came and launched Nowanup’s new Western Power supplied stand-alone solar-diesel generator power system. And with the support of two very generous donors, a brand new red tractor and a second-hand 12 seater bus were purchased. The Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal kindly funded implements for the tractor. Also, through a contact made by Curtin University, Rio Tinto very kindly provided a near new Toyota Landcruiser.

The Nowanup Rangers supported the hive of activity at Nowanup, assisted with cultural food deliveries during COVID, planted 66,000 trees for Greening Australia across central Gondwana Link, and undertook training in seed picking supported by Greening Australia and Woodside.

The Friends of Nowanup are a very active group that support Nowanup with busy bees to upgrade or develop infrastructure and also support Eugene Eades and the cultural exchange program with planning, research and funding applications. The Friends also bring their skills, friendship and advice to Nowanup. Nowanup is enriched by their generosity and good will. Here is a lovely story by Rod Safstrom who initiated the Friends group.

Nowanup is a 754 hectare, Greening Australia owned property between the Stirling Range and Fitzgerald River national parks. It’s a hub of cultural exchange and activities led by Noongar Elder Eugene Eades.