PROJECTS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

PROJECT IN THE SPOTLIGHT BAAKA CULTURAL CENTRE, WILCANNIA REINVIGORATING A REMOTE COMMUNITY WHILST CELEBRATING ITS HERITAGE

Architect David Kaunitz of Kaunitz & Yeung Architects explains the concept design to community members in the park Wilcannia (Source: PWA)

Public Works Advisory (PWA) is project managing the delivery of a Cultural Centre for the Baakantji people in Wilcannia, NSW.

Public Works Advisory (PWA) is part of Regional NSW within the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment and bridges the gap between the government and the private sector. PWA is a specialist engineering and project management group that provides technical design, advisory, planning, delivery and support services, across a wide range of disciplines to its clients.

PWA has a strong representation in Western NSW with offices based strategically throughout the region to effectively provide services to the many Government and Non Government agencies.

DEDICATED TEAM

PWA Project Manager, Peter Hughes and PWA Construction Manager, Paul Theoharidis are leading the delivery of the project. They sat down to answer how they are tackling this project. Peter, what experience do you bring to this project?

Over 30 years’ experience working in Project Management with NSW Government Agencies What do you enjoy about working on this project?

The interaction with the local community and Elders of Wilcannia, the People of Wilcannia are welcoming and positive about the project. I also enjoy the challenge of promoting Indigenous Community Working Opportunities and collaborating with the designated agencies for work placements and experience.

Paul, what is your industry experience? Over 3 years with PWA, 10 years in structural engineering and fabrication and before that 25 years in the mining industry in Broken Hill. And, what do you enjoy about this project?

This project brings a sense of ownership. Being a local Broken Hill resident, and even though Wilcannia is around 200kms from Broken Hill, the township is within the Far Western District of NSW Community.

A CULTURAL CENTRE

The Baakantji People are synonymous with the Darling River, the river holds significant cultural and heritage value to the people and the community. There is also a strong European influence on the community given the paddle boat trade that was prominent in the early days of settlement up until modern road transport took over.

The Project will deliver:

• A Cultural Centre for the Baakantji people to practise their living culture, including art, recorded history and tradition

• Provide a keeping place for Baakatji tangialble and intangiable artefacts, language, and memories

• Support inter-generational and inter-cultural teaching through the keeping place and language lab that has partnerships with local schools and research institutions

ENGAGEMENT WITH COMMUNITY Peter, what has the experience been like during engagement with community members?

The passion of the people has been brought to light with the initial start-up meeting for the project, the community information session was held in the local park with a BBQ and the interaction with the locals clearly identified how much the original building and the new Cultural Centre means to the whole community. The consultation on the design also held in the park opposite the site shows the interest in the project especially with the temperature at the time 46 deg and hot BBQ dinner. Why do you think these sessions have been so valuable with the local community? It is interesting, given so many of the Elders had worked in the original Knox and Downs store; their passion to retain some of the original features in the new work is strong.

I can relate to one of the Elders saying to me that he only came to town for the first time when he was 7 years old (being born in the outer reaches of the township) and he cried when he stood on the bridge over the river with first sight of the Knox and Downs store thinking “this is the big city”. That memory is priceless.

The project management team, along with our State and Commonwealth partners, have set up a Project Control Group that comprises of members of the: • Local Council [Central Darling Shire Council],

• Both State and Commonwealth Government Agency representatives,

• Members of the Baaka Cultural Centre Corporation, and • Other community members of Wilcannia.

PWA IS WORKING WITH TAFE NSW A priority for the project is providing employment opportunities for the people of the town that also focuses on skills training and development. PWA are working collaboratively with NSW TAFE and the local training and employment group in Western NSW, to deliver training and employment referral services for the project.

NSW TAFE and the REDIe Group are providing skills records and training outcomes for the community members of Wilcannia. This information will be provided to the tenderers for the main construction work so that their Aboriginal participation plans can be built around known skills base, the contractors will be able to work with the REDIe Group to engage with potential workers for the period of the construction.

ABC BROKEN HILL Peter, the ABC (Broken Hill), are also involved. Can you explain what they are bringing to this project?

The ABC are starting to record local stories from the Community, both Indigenous and European heritage locals, on the story of the original Knox and Downs store, the significance of the River [Baaka] to the town as well as stories of maintaining indigenous culture and language. Where will it be available to see? The ABC will collate stories over time, possibly a 12-month duration, not only for the use of the Baaka Cultural Centre but in their own documentary work as well. We are still working with ABC on time frames and other details.

The project is expected to be completed and operational in early 2022.