RIG News Sept 2013 No26 - Remote Indigenous Gardens | RIG ...€¦ · (such as the aquaponics course) and an entourage of amazing international and interstate volunteers contributing

RIG News – September 2013, RIG Network’s Quarterly Newsletter, No.26 1

RIG News – September 2013

News from the Remote Indigenous Gardens Network – www.remoteindigenousgardens.net

NEW Guide - Available soon

This new ‘gardens guide’ will be useful for anyone planning a new garden or placemaking project or looking to re-energise existing projects. Commissioned by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, the guide aims to help people consider the range of garden opportunities and planning and design issues that can help build sustainable garden projects. A number of people from the network reviewed drafts or contributed ideas and images to help develop the guide. Warm thanks to them! Due out in October, the guide will be published on the RIG website and some printed copies will be available. For more information or to request a copy, please contact Anthea: [email protected]

Welcome to the September edition of RIG News, the first of our ‘quarterly’ - rather than bi-monthly - newsletters. We aim to bring you longer features on particular types of food gardens, projects and enterprises and to complement RIG News with more regular, short RIG Updates about news of events and resources useful to ‘know now’. In this edition we lead with the Deadly Awards inaugural prize for Science and introduce the Indigenous Knowledge Forum that undertakes research on intellectual property law issues for Indigenous knowledge owners. Read on for:

• Aquaponics training and practical projects in Alice Springs

• Our Special Feature on a variety of school garden programs underway across remote Australia

• A summary of coming events, courses, conferences and resources.

Left: the cover of Tjuntjuntjara school’s new book published with support from the Indigenous Literacy Foundation – one of the stories included in our feature on school gardens. .


Deadly Science – caring for culture and country… the greater garden The Deadlys 2013 – Inaugural Prize for Science Congratulations to Gerry Turpin who was announced the winner of the inaugural Deadly Award for a Scientist or Science Project of the Year at the Deadly Awards, Sydney Opera House, on September 10. Gerry Turpin is a Mbabaram Traditional Owner who works as an ethnobotanist with the Australian Tropical Herbarium, part of the Tropical Indigenous Ethnobotany Centre (TIEC) – a joint venture between Traditional Owners of North Queensland, the Cairns Institute, James Cook University, CSIRO and the Queensland Government. The TIEC is an Indigenous-driven initiative established to engage, support and build the capacity of Traditional Owner groups in Tropical Queensland to record and utilize Indigenous biological and ecological knowledge for cultural use on country. TIEC’s Indigenous Working Group of five Traditional Owners from various north Queensland groups provides strategic direction and guidance on project review and cultural protocols to ensure it becomes a leader in the protection of Indigenous governance, intellectual property and recognition of Indigenous knowledge. The new Award is sponsored by CSIRO and aims to recognise the significant contribution made by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working in science roles or science projects. CSIRO Chief Executive, Dr Megan Clark said the awards aim to showcase outstanding individuals and projects and encourage others to take on science careers. “If we look here, just at CSIRO, we’ve got Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working across a range of areas, including marine science, plant ecology, social sciences, ecosystems science, fire management and geography, and we know there are many more high achievers out there in the community,” Dr Clark said. RIG News acknowledges the Deadly Vibe website and Deadly Vibe magazine, No.198 August 2013, for the above materials and quotes.

IK Forum– Biodiversity and Intellectual Property Law As part of National Science Week, the Redfern Community Centre hosted an Indigenous Science Experience that included a seminar along with family oriented activities. It was an opportunity to learn about innovative projects underway in NSW and elsewhere – such as the River of Learning project that Yaegl Elders and Macquarie University’s Faculty of Science have developed together, the Sydney Olympic Park Authority’s Indigenous knowledge programs for schools and the Firesticks Customary Fire Management initiative that is underway in the northern rivers region of NSW. Given the importance of the rights of Traditional Knowledge owners in Intellectual Property developments, I thought RIG News readers may like to learn about the Indigenous Knowledge Forum that Natalie Stoianoff spoke about at the Redfern seminar. The following story kindly provided by Professor Stoianoff. The Indigenous Knowledge Forum (IKF) is an initiative of the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). The aim of the IKF is to contribute to the understanding of the impact of biodiversity and intellectual property law and policy on Indigenous knowledge and biodiversity management focussing on how the implementation and operation of relevant laws affect the rights and interests of Indigenous peoples. It was determined from the very beginning that the best way to achieve this was to embark upon comparative studies so that experience from other nations might inform how Australia could proceed. Led by Professor Natalie Stoianoff, the IKF is comprised of committee members from the faculties of Law, Business and Arts at UTS as well as from the University of Sydney, University of Queensland and Queen Mary College, London University (http://www.indigenousknowledgeforum.org/index.php/committee). It has an Advisory Board comprised of volunteers representing Mount Annan Botanical Gardens, Copyright Agency, NITV/SBS, Medicines Australia, United Nations University, IP Australia and AIATSIS (http://www.indigenousknowledgeforum.org/index.php/advisory-board). In August 2012, the IKF held a forum on Indigenous knowledge and biodiversity in India and Australia at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). The forum brought together stakeholders from Australia and India, and representation from the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity providing an opportunity for dialogue on comparative issues in Indigenous knowledge and biodiversity in Australia and India from the perspective of intellectual property and biodiversity laws and policies. The forum explored current and future directions regarding the implementation and operation of these laws and policies, particularly with respect to the rights and interests of Indigenous and local peoples. Emphasis was given to Indigenous peoples’ activities in formulating their own approaches regarding the protection and use of their


knowledge, as well as advocating for rights and recognition, and participation in policy development. The 2012 Forum Report and publications from that Forum are available at: http://www.indigenousknowledgeforum.org/index.php/reports-and-newsletters The 2012 forum provided a platform to encourage collaboration and ongoing dialogue between India and Australia including further development of networks, comparative research projects and forums. Outcomes from the forum included developing recommendations for action including policy development, internet based resources and publications to facilitate ongoing dialogue and the foundation on which specific research projects could be built. The Indigenous Knowledge Forum has been working with TERI University in India towards running a second forum in November 2013 to extend the comparative analysis of experiences with protecting Indigenous knowledge, access and benefit sharing. This forum will focus on experiences from nations of South Asia and the Pacific. Currently, the IKF is investigating the recognition and protection of Indigenous knowledge associated with natural resource management commencing with a comparative study. This project was developed as a direct result of the first forum and will establish a comparative framework facilitating the development of a legislative regime for recognition and protection of such Indigenous knowledge. The engagement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Communities in developing a standard–setting model of involvement in natural resource management and access to country is a key element in the design of this project. Accordingly, interested individuals, communities, and knowledge holder organisations are welcome to participate. Further details can be obtained by contacting Professor Stoianoff by phone on (02) 9514 3453 or by email: [email protected] On the topic of plant knowledges and skills ... two ‘big’ coming events in 2014 As flagged in the last RIG Update, two international big ‘plant’ events will be held in Brisbane next August. The 5th World Congress on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants and the International Horticultural Congress (IHC) will run concurrently and share some themes. Calls for abstracts for both events are now open and close on November 1. The IHC theme is Horticulture - sustaining lives, livelihoods and landscapes with sub-themes:

* Sustaining lives * Sustaining livelihoods * Sustaining landscapes * Tropical horticulture

For more information visit: http://www.ihc2014.org The World Congress on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, theme is From the Edge to the Centre – New Frontiers in Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Research. Abstract submissions can be on any of the topics listed on the event website and include:

* Medicinal and Aromatic Plants – The Interchange Between Local, Rural Knowledge and Their Global Applications

* Developing Role of Public Health Research in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants * Agriculture and Wild-crafting – Challenges and Opportunities * Aromatic Plants, Essential Oils and Health – Future Prospects

For more information visit: http://www.wocmap2014.org News from around the network Aquaponics training in Alice supports the Purple Garden Project Aquaponics is a clever, water efficient way to produce fresh fish and edible plants in the one system. In July the Arid Lands Environment Centre (ALEC) in collaboration with the Purple House hosted a weekend aquaponics training course in Alice Springs during which participants created a small aquaponics system for the Purple Garden Project. The Purple Garden Project is a part of the Wellbeing Program that is a social enterprise project of the Western Desert Nganampa Walytja Palyantjaku Tjutaku Aboriginal Corporation (WDNWPT) that is more affectionately known as ‘The Purple House’ in Alice Springs. WDNWPT is a not-for-profit, non government, Indigenous Governed, Community Controlled Health Organisation.

The ‘Wellbeing Program’ is a social enterprise in bush balm products and catering, as well as arts/media projects and the Purple Garden Project. The aim of the Garden Project is to establish a sustainable space for dialysis patients and their families and staff of WDNWPT to enjoy and partake in. This includes bush tucker and conventional vegies that are used in the catering service, bush medicine plants used in bush balm products, an outdoor earth


pizza oven, a recycled tyre & rubbish seating area for workshops and events, and the introduction of an aquaponics system. The Purple Garden Project has got into full swing with a series of public working bees and workshops (such as the aquaponics course) and an entourage of amazing international and interstate volunteers contributing to the project. Aquaponics is a water efficient way to produce food in small spaces and is increasingly popular in arid and remote areas. Alice Springs uses more water per household then any other place in Australia and receives less than 300mm of rain per year (on average). Coupled with this, about half of all water in Alice is used domestically and two thirds of this is used in the garden. Much of this water is wasted on leaks and over watering – water pumped up out of the ground and put to no good use! ALEC’s Arid Zone Adaptation project is seeking ways to grow food efficiently using less water and so they were keen to offer local people the opportunity to learn about aquaponics. Aquaponics uses 80% less water than conventional gardens. It is a closed system that means everything is recycled and reused, the only input being fish food! The outputs are beautiful edible plants and large fresh fish. In brief, aquaponics is a closed system that has two main components. The first of these is a medium to large tank that contains fish. These fish can range from gold fish to edible fish such as silver perch and barramundi. The water from the fish tank is pumped up to a ‘grow bed’ (the second major component of the system) that is filled with gravel. The water floods the grow bed and once the grow bed is full, drains back into the fishpond. The two elements of this cycle are symbiotic. The fish provide nutrients necessary for plant growth and the plants provide a natural

filtering system that cleans and oxygenates the water returning to the fish. The weekend training course focused on backyard aquaponics and was delivered by Murray Hallam from Practical Aquaponics in conjunction with ALEC. At the workshop a group of fledgling aqua gardeners built two beautiful systems. On the first day, participants made a bathtub system at the Purple House Renal Dialysis clinic after learning some of the benefits and techniques of aquaponics. Day two provided more technical detail as participants worked on converting a backyard swimming pool into a large and hopefully abundant aquaponics oasis. Later that day the group visited an existing system and feasted on silver perch, freshly caught and smoked using a wood fired oven.

Workshop participants at the Purple House Garden. Although aquaponics may seem a lot more technical than conventional in-ground gardening, it can have amazing results. For more information about how to set up an aquaponics system, visit Murray Hallam’s website: http://www.aquaponics.net.au/ Information and picture for the above story kindly provided by Cassandra Douglas-Hill, ALEC, and Christy Vanderheyden, the Wellbeing Program, WDNWPT. For more info on any of the Wellbeing enterprise projects please email [email protected]

Special Feature - School garden news from around the network Different types of school gardens across the country are providing fun, educational activities for students and their school communities to get together to learn, try and do new things. Garden based activities can help to encourage healthy diets and lifestyles, increase school participation and provide teachers and students with enjoyable outdoor learning activities that can enhance learning outcomes in science, literacy, numeracy and many other subjects via the new Australian curriculum’s cross curriculum priority areas. Children aged 16 years and under represent up to 50% of the population in most remote communities. Many of these communities often have poor access to reliable, affordable fresh food – so school gardens can often help to seed community benefits well beyond the school gate. As schools head to the holidays, we feature stories from different places that show schools growing good things in many different ways. Indigenous Literacy Day at the Sydney Opera House on September 4. Above left: Natalie Ahmat, NITV, was MC for the event. Below Left: Students from Sydney and Tjuntjuntjara chat at the Great Book Swap.


Indigenous Literacy Day celebrates How Does Your Garden Grow?

Students from the Tjuntjuntjara community were the stars of Indigenous Literacy Day at the Sydney Opera House on September 4, reading stories from their new book How Does Your Garden Grow? and performing their catchy songs ‘Spinifex Country’ and ‘How Does Your Garden Grow?’ for the large audience. Organised by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation and hosted by Natalie Ahmat from NITV this special event brought students from Tjuntjuntjara Remote Community School together with students from over 18 Sydney schools to celebrate literacy, gardening and a ‘Great Book Swap’. Can you imagine travelling from far away, to perform in the Joan Sutherland Theatre foyer at the Opera House, in front of more people than live in your community?! The students did an amazing job - it was a joyful privilege to be in the audience to enjoy their stories and songs. Tjuntjuntjara Remote Community School is located in the Great Victoria Desert, close to the border with South Australia, north of the Nullarbor Plain and 680 Kilometres north-east of Kalgoorlie. It was established in 1985, when people moved into the region to follow a traditional lifestyle and maintain cultural identity and values. Tjuntjuntjara Community is the home of the Spinifex People, a million worlds away from bustling Sydney, and is considered to the most remote community in Australia.

Some of the authors of How Does Your Garden Grow? at the Sydney Opera House. The Tjuntjuntjara school organic vegetable patch was established by the school’s dedicated students, Principal and teachers. Their book is the result of a wonderful collaboration with a fellow student in Melbourne, 13 year old Lachie Coman. Lachie visited the community and inspired them to write their garden stories and brought the stories back to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation to publish. As an

Environment Captain at his school, Lachie organised for his school to fundraise and send a package of gardening supplies and tools to the Tjuntjuntjara school garden. When Lachie was invited to visit them, he decided to share his passion of reading and writing stories and enlisted support from ILF’s ambassador, Andy Griffiths. How Does Your Garden Grow? is the result - a collection of the stories written by Tjuntjuntjara students during Lachie’s 2011 visit. Indigenous Literacy Day has been running since 2007 and is celebrated nationally across Australia by thousands of school children who hold Great Book Swaps and other events.

ILF Ambassador David Malouf with one of the students from Tjuntjuntjara School. The Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) is a national charity initiated by the Australian Book Industry. In the past four years they have sent over 100,000 culturally appropriate books and resources to more than 200 remote communities. ILF conducts numerous projects, including translations into first language of children’s books like The Very Hungry Caterpillar and publish community literacy projects, written by children and/or community. In 2013 ILF have published books for Cherbourg, Thursday Island, Warburton and Tjuntjuntjara in WA and will also publish two books for Yakanarra Community School (the Kimberleys) translated into language (Yakanarra Dogs & A Yakanarra Day ) and a book from Nyrripi in the Northern Territory. Information and images kindly provided by Karen Williams, Executive Director, Indigenous Literacy Foundation

THE PLANTSMITH ( Girraween Nursery) Wholesale growers of seedlings, herbs, advanced vegetables, paw paw passionfruit, chilis and more. Also flowers shrubs, palms and cycads. Supplying NT and WA Ph 08 89832001 fax 08 89111965 email [email protected]


Wiluna Remote Community School and the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden National Program Wiluna RCS is a school of around 100 students, predominantly Aboriginal, situated around 900 km north-east of Perth in remote Western Australia. The school joined the Kitchen Garden National Program in 2011. At the time, Principal Arama Mataira was seeking a tangible project for the school that would involve the whole community, and promote understanding between students, staff and families. Local Elders told her they needed a community garden. She then discovered the Kitchen Garden Program and realised it could be the answer. Due to the remoteness of the school and its tiny community, building the garden meant many hours researching what would work within the local terrain (Wiluna means ‘windy’ in the local language), and what would fit the school’s minimal budget.* ‘The Foundation was incredibly flexible and understanding, and worked with us to ensure the program’s success. We worked very closely with staffer Marcelle Coakley, whose enthusiasm and dedication to the project was just outstanding’. The program has now been operating at Wiluna for two years and is solidly embedded in school life. Students spend one hour in the garden and one hour in the kitchen every week. The school is incredibly proud of its achievement and so is the local community. Everyone is invited to experience the benefits of growing harvesting, preparing and sharing – meaning people outside the school can contribute to the learning, the pride and the fun of growing and cooking their own food. Teachers take full advantage of the integrated learning the program provides, building on students’ garden and kitchen experiences, taking that hands-

on learning into the classroom and using it to reinforce core educational areas. What is learnt in theory can be understood in practice in the garden and kitchen spaces. ‘The benefits are endless’, Arama says. ‘The children don’t realise they’re learning when they are gardening and cooking, but we use this contextual learning to run through the entire school curriculum. When our students’ families see what they’ve done in the garden, local Elders come and share a meal they’ve cooked, or the local paper features the garden they’ve helped create, they are sharing their achievements with this wider audience and it has a huge impact on their self-esteem. They understand the results of working hard, patience and teamwork.’ Arama’s advice to similar schools is to ‘not go overboard – make it as big or small as you want. The key is to plan, get the community on board and ensure everyone understands the vision and the resulting benefits. Also remember the Foundation is there for you. Our school received phenomenal support from Foundation staff, we couldn’t have asked for more. Finally, remember all your hard work is worth it. When I go down to the kitchen and see my students sitting quietly sharing and enjoying a meal they have made with their own hands, it always makes me smile.’ *Note the Foundation recommends schools start small using what you have. Story and pictures kindly provided by the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation.

Join the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden National ProgramFoundation staff work with schools to make the most of their facilities and welcome local Elder input. Recipes are adaptable to the ingredients schools have at hand. Teachers can take on multiple roles and receive in-depth, hands-on training and resources that provide everything they need to know.

Upcoming training:

26 September – Perth17 October – Alice Springs21 October – Darwin

2014Margaret RiverNorthern WAPerth

For more information contact:Marcelle Coakley

0415 741 [email protected]

Growing healthy food at Wiluna school – love the red, red soil!


Costa’s news from Fingal Head Public School’s Dreamtime Pathway and Bush Tucker Garden Recently I had the pleasure of visiting the Murwillimbah District of Northern NSW as part of a local food initiative being developed called the Farmer's Choice School Organics Program. All local schools were being visited as a way of building connections not only between schools but to the local markets and farmers in the area to increase awareness of the importance of local food and how it is grown and supplied throughout the region. One of the highlights of my first day on the road was a visit to Fingal Head Public School. For a full album of pictures from my visit check out the schools website at: http://www.fingalhead-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/home. When I walked in the gate, the students were at the ready in the open space playing field along the school boundary. Well actually we came in the gate at the top of the school and it turned out that we snuck up on the whole welcome operation which was stationed at the lower gate. Nothing like a bit of a left field mix up to mess with the plans, but no one was thrown and the show was off and running within a few minutes. A group of four young indigenous students were part of a fantastic welcome ceremony by local elders and the students.

Welcome to country dance performed by the students. Since my visit to Yirrkala my appreciation and feeling of a welcome to country has taken on a whole new and much deeper meaning so it was once again one of those moments that I do not forget, to be welcomed to a new part of our wonderful country. Many thanks for the effort to prepare and share this welcome for me. It really means everything.

From this moment on I was led to what I would describe as the most comprehensive school bush tucker garden that I have ever seen. In fact I would call it Fingal Head’s own Bush Tucker Botanic Garden Walk. I was lead along a pathway that wound from the higher part of the playing field boundary down intro the bordering dunes/wetlands. Along the way each and every student had prepared their explanation of the plant or tree that they were given responsibility for. In groups of two, I was explained the indigenous name, botanic name and common name of each plant, what its uses are and how it has been used over time. The students were incredibly articulate and explained so many interesting details that I didn’t want to rush any of the stops. I can not stress enough how impressed I was by the students and their sharing, expression and genuine interest in the plants they were describing and better still the stories behind the plants. It was an incredibly educational experience for me and all the parents that followed I am sure. The best part about this garden walk is that it is so mature. It is not a case of small tubestock in the ground and the plaque being larger than the plant. This is a really developed bush tucker garden , the best that I have seen and an educational asset and resource for the whole community. Congratulations to all the local elders for their input and ongoing support of the project, along with the principal, staff and community for their ongoing support of this significant local and regional landscape. The platter of bush tucker and medicine is something that I would like to learn more about and I look forward to visiting the students again when I have more time and can spend some class sessions sharing stories and experiences.

Story and photos kindly provided by Costa Georgiadis

Pictured above (1-3): signage along the Bush Tucker Botanic Garden Walk. Above right: The atmosphere was a buzz! with Locals, Elders, parents, kids & staff. Pictured top right: The Bush tucker and medicine platter. Incredible colours and textures and all identified, understood and explained by the students.


The EduGrow Awards The EduGrow School Garden Awards are running across East Arnhem in 2013 – good luck everyone!

Twelve schools, including six small homelands schools, are participating in the Awards that aim to support and celebrate the achievements of students, teachers and their communities to grow good things.

The Awards close on October 21 and winners will be announced in mid November!

The Award categories provide for schools of different sizes and for those with established gardens or starting out for the first time. Their gardens and learning programs are all different and inspirational. For example, see the ‘Let’s Obtain A Yield’ blog that Shepherdson College at Galiwinku have underway. http://letsobtainayield.wordpress.com/

The Jimmy Little Foundation Thumbs Up! program, Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation, Traditional Credit Union and Nutrition Plus are the lead sponsors of the Awards that are managed by RIG Network with support from the Nursery & Garden Industry NT.

Other local organisations are providing valuable in-kind support. The Awards would not be possible without the support of the Department of Education and children’s Services, NT. Thanks to all!

Please visit the RIG website for more information. If you are interested in supporting or partnering to run Awards in your region in 2014 please contact Anthea.

The EON Grow ‘Em Up Fund The EON Foundation run edible garden and health promotion programs with partner communities in WA and are well very recognised for the outstanding work they do. The edible gardens are located at or near the school – wherever the community determines.

Australian children in remote indigenous communities are more susceptible to life threatening diseases due to poor health and diet. This health gap will not be bridged without remote communities having better access to fruit, vegetables, and nutrition and hygiene education.

EON has established the Grow ‘Em Up Fund, to ensure that indigenous children in remote communities no longer suffer third world health problems.

EON’s Grow ‘Em Up Fund gives the private sector the opportunity to be directly engaged in improving the health and education of indigenous Australian children.

Our aim is to raise $5 million over a period of five years to leverage government funding and enable EON to meet demand for the EON Thriving Communities Program.

By supporting EON’s Grow ‘Em Up Fund, you are contributing to the health of not only indigenous Australians but of everyone living in, and connected with, the remote communities of Western Australia.

If you would like to see more about EON visit our web page, www.eon.org.au or if you would like to make a donation visit https://eon.org.au/donation/, every little bit helps.

Coming Events for Schools and Teachers? A Biennial Conference - Uncharted territory? Navigating the new Australian Curriculum. For teachers and others involved in curriculum implementation, the conference will explore the new Cross Curriculum Priorities: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, Sustainability, Asia and Australia's engagement with Asia. Where/when: Darwin, 25-27 Sept 2013. More info/to register: http://www.acsa.edu.au/ Youth Eco Summit (YES) - Sydney Olympic Park, 23-24 Otcober 2013. Registrations are now open for free video conference sessions at the Youth Eco Summit (YES 2013). A curriculum-based sustainability event, YES promotes student leadership and showcases sustainability achievements and practices in both primary and secondary schools. To get involved visit: http://www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au/education_and_learning


Coming Courses, Conferences & Events and new resources CRANAplus Annual National Conference, Darwin, NT, 25 to 28 September 2013. More information: https://crana.org.au/about/conference/annual-national-conference/ Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities (AMRICC) conference. Alice Springs, NT, 15-16 October 2013. AMRRIC in partnership with the Australian Institute of Animal Management (AIAM) will bring together an impressive line-up of animal health and environmental health experts. The conference provides an opportunity for people working in the fields of animal management and education in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to come together at a national level to share their experiences, stimulate discussion, update research and share hopes and plans for better outcomes. More information and to register: http://www.amrric.org/news/conference2013

Introduction to Permaculture Course, Alice Springs, October 19 & 26. Run by desertSMART COOLmob, this two day course will familiarise participants with the key principles of Permaculture design in arid environments, with a focus on learning practical skills you can apply in your own backyard. All participants will receive a complimentary copy of the Alice Springs Vegie Garden Companion, and Geoff Miers Gardening Calendar for Alice Springs. Cost: $220, Bookings: [email protected], More info: http://desertsmartcoolmob.org/2013/08/1378/

For Arts Sake – Creative Communities Exchange, Darwin, NT, 21-23 October 2013. Darwin Community Arts and Corrugated Iron Youth Arts are presenting a special opportunity for community engagement workers and artists to meet and share ideas and skills. ‘For Arts Sake’ is a three day program of forums, conversation and creative workshops that will be held at Browns Mart, Darwin. As an innovative creative communities exchange, this event aims to scrutinise:

• Community arts and cultural development, what is it and why do we do it? • Creative visions for the future of our city, our region • Maintaining cultural integrity throughout intercultural collaboration • Social Media: Spinoffs and strategies • Evaluation: Exploring creative mechanisms to capture measurable outcomes.

For Arts Sake is an exciting opportunity for organizations to actively participate in an inaugural NT exchange and people are encouraged to run or lead workshops or focused discussions and to submit ideas by October 4. Forward queries and ideas to Bindi Isis, Program Manager, Artists in Remote Schools, Corrugated Iron Youth Arts, [email protected].

9th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander environmental health conference. Adelaide, SA, 12 - 15 Nov. 2013. This year’s theme is ‘ healthy ways – healthy communities’ – register now to be a part of the national forum providing discussion around, and raising the profile of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Environmental Health Issues. More information and to register: http://natsieh.com.au Australasian Agri-Food Research Network Conference 2013. Melbourne, 2-5 December 2013. The theme of this year’s conference is “Resistance, Resilience and Security”. The Local Organising Committee invites abstracts for presentation at the 2013 Annual Australasian Agri-Food Research Network conference and papers that engage with this theme are encouraged. However, all Agri-Food related abstracts are welcome. The deadline for submission of abstracts has been extended to Friday September 27. Please email abstracts to Nicole Reichelt: [email protected]. For more information about the conference – speakers, cost, where: http://agrifood2013.org NEW nutrition resource from the Rural Health Education Foundation. Free Australian Dietary and Infant Feeding Guidelines DVD now available. This DVD contains recordings of the recent Rural Health Education Foundation live panel discussions around the new Australian Dietary Guidelines and the Infant Feeding Guidelines. The DVD offers practical strategies on how to use the guidelines. In one of the two programs, Dr Norman Swan leads a panel discussion on the importance of healthy eating and how to apply the updated 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines. Dr Caroline West leads the second panel discussion on the key recommendations of the new Infant Feeding Guidelines recently produced by the NHMRC. This program also provides advice to parents and carers about healthy feeding for infants in their early years, and shows them where to find information they can trust and have confidence in. Available from the RHEF, visit http://www.rhef.com.au/free-dvds/ to download the order form.

RIG News is written and produced by Anthea Fawcett. © Southern Exchange. The Remote Indigenous Gardens Network is an initiative of Augusta Nelson Pty Ltd t/a Southern Exchange. ABN: 46 110 133 134.

Contact: [email protected]


We acknowledge and warmly thank RIG Partner Organisations & Sponsors …and we encourage you to SPONSOR RIG Network programs in 2013-2014

RIG Partner Organisations Centrefarm Aboriginal Horticulture Limited

Charles Darwin University Horticulture Aquaculture Group In-Scape-Out Living Systems

Marra Worra Worra Aboriginal Corporation CDEP CuriousWorks

Significance Heritage & Archaeology

RIG Sponsors

Documents

RIG News Sept 2013 No26 - Remote Indigenous Gardens | RIG ...€¦ · (such as the aquaponics course) and an entourage of amazing international and interstate volunteers contributing