Tom Price 40th Anniversary by ECUJournalismPerth

TOM PRICE 40th Anniversary 1972 – 2012

303 ECU7385 CRICOS IPC 00279B

Happy 40th

Regards,

Jeffrey Breen CEO - Shire of Ashburton

Sinead Kaufman Rio Tinto General Manager Tom Price

BURDOO RA Anniver ~ y s

2012

CA ~ PA NI

Regards,

~ Hap ary

ry Hap sa

ften referred to as the oasis of the Pilbara, Tom Price’s journey over the last 40 years is an impressive one. From just 250 homes in 1972, Tom Price now boasts more than 1200 dwellings and is home to more than 4000 people. We are working closely with local government to support a town revitalisation that will enhance Tom Price as a robust and diverse regional community. A town that was built to service a mine site is now in a position to offer a desirable country lifestyle that will continue to attract a diverse population. A town’s success is not measured in bricks and mortar, but in community spirit and participation and this is certainly where Tom Price shines. Each year we look forward to a first-class line up of entertainment at annual events such as the upcoming Nameless Jarndunmunha Festival. Fantastic turnouts at annual community events demonstrate the value and pride we place on contributing to the community. It can be easy to take for granted what is right in front of you. As we celebrate the town’s 40th anniversary I encourage you to take a moment and reflect on the beautiful landscape we live in, with one of the country’s most breath-taking national parks on our very doorstep. The past 40 years have taught us how to be resilient as a community and how to create our own identity in the world. Who knows what the next 40 years will bring?

ANNAW ~P E y Anniver O p

ongratulations Pannawonica, Paraburdoo and Tom Price on the 40th anniversary of officially being towns! All three towns were established in the late 1960s-early 1970s as residential bases for iron ore mining operations. Pannawonica is named after the nearby Pannawonica Hill. Pannawonica means “hill that came from the sea” referring to the Aboriginal legend that the sea spirit dragged the hill fom near the sea forming the Robe River in the process. Paraburdoo is named after the many little corellas that are live around the area. It translates from the local Aboriginal language as “meat feathers”. Tom Price was named after Thomas Moore Price, Vice President of a US-based steel company. Tom Price is the highest town in WA at 747m AHD. All of the towns are thriving communities, each with it’s own unique character. Over the years, the longevity of the towns has been uncertain in line with the world demand for iron ore but now a long term future for each of the towns is more certain. The towns are at various stages of a facelift (who doesn’t need one after 40 years?) to further enhance their lifestyle experience and livability. Even though the physical appearance of the towns may change over the next two or three years the sense of community and spirit of the towns that has endured for the past forty years will live on long into the future.

M PRI TO C

Contents

Timeline In Case Of Emergency Passing On Our Culture Steel Caps and Stilettos: Woman in the Mines Bob Hicks – The Humble Wildlife Sanctuary and Photo Essay In Your Words – What You Love About Tom Price Karijini National Park – Natural History Being There For The Kids

4 6 8 10 14 20 22 24

WARNING: When reading this publication and sharing it with family and friends, please be mindful that it contains an image and the name of someone who has passed away.

Credits This magazine was written by Tess Ingram, Rebecca Parish, Sarah Vasey and Aaron Bradbrook – four Edith Cowan University journalism students who leapt at the chance to travel to Tom Price to meet the locals and find out what they think of their town turning 40. Back at ECU’s Mt Lawley Campus two graphic design students Steffi Rosedel and Chanelle Percival created an InDesign document and made the words and pictures the journalism students brought back into this magazine. As an ECU lecturer I was delighted to be able to work with the Shire of Ashburton to offer these students the chance to showcase their talents and to introduce them to the rugged beauty and tremendous spirit of the people of remote Australia. ECU prides itself on offering practical, as well as theoretical, training and this real-world challenge was a win-win opportunity.

study externally, and many are the first in their families to come to university; what matters for all of them is that they are learning skills that will help them find fulfilling careers and to make a valuable contribution to society. Their success in making a magazine that celebrates the efforts the Tom Price people who have created and continue to maintain the town’s sense of community is a contribution these students can be proud of. We wish you all a happy anniversary. Best wishes,

AT ECU Mt Lawley students from all walks of life in WA mingle with international students working towards qualifications in a wide range of fields. Some of our students are part time, some

Journalists Tess Ingram Rebecca Parish Sarah Vasey Aaron Bradbrook Photos By Aaron Bradbrook Tess Ingram Sarah Vasey Archive photos courtesy of the Shire of Ashburton Back cover courtesy of Rio Tinto Designed By Steffi Rosedel Chanelle Percival Editor Dr Kayt Davies Senior Lecturer in Journalism Edith Cowan University 2 Bradford St, Mt Lawley Western Australia 6050 CRICOS IPC 00279B With help from: Deb Wilkes Executive Manager Community Development Shire of Ashburton Printed by: Graphic Source 12 Jersey St, Jolimont WA 6014

Journalism students From left to right: Rebecca, Tess, Aaron and Sarah.

4 text by Sarah Vasey photography by Aaron Bradbrook

1977 First private residents moved into their new home.

1977 Plans were developed for a new residential area (Area W).

1976 Colour television arrived!

1975 First female security guards at the mine gate.

1975 The cemetery opened.

1972 Tom Price town gazetted.

1971 The Tom Price Fire and Rescue Service was set up.

1970s The gun club started.

1971 The school opened for years one to ten with 700 students.

1970 Townsite Eagles Football Club started.

1970 The first inter-town tennis match was played on September 12 and 13 between Tom Price and Dampier â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dampier won 14 sets to 10.

1969 Karijini gazetted, it was previously known as the Hamersely Range National Park.

1969 The first Nameless Festival.

1966 The first shipment of iron ore.

1964 The first community swimming pool was built.

1962 Namesake Mr Tom Price died of a heart attack at his desk.

1960s The drive-in cinema was opened.

Then to Now

2012 40th Anniversary celebrations.

2011 A tremendous storm ripped trees from the ground.

2009 Renovations started on the pool.

2005 The Pilbara Wildlife Sanctuary was set up by Bob Hicks.

2004 The gun club started up again.

2003 Fire surrounded Tom Price town.

2002 The Garringjardi Mirrinurr Mulga Ngurr Project was opened with the high school.

2001 Paraburdoo High School closed so Tom Price High School saw an influx of students.

2001 A fire endangered the town.

2000 Emergency Services Cadets started.

1999 The Diamond Club was set up to incorporate all of the diamond sports under one roof.

1990s Capricorn Pistol Club closed down.

1995 The high school separated from the primary school as student numbers increased.

1986 Mr Tom Price’s daughter Shirley Harper Arthur visited the town named after her father.

1980s Capricorn Pistol Club started mid ‘80s.

1980s The gun club closed down.

1977 The town’s first burial.

In Case Of Emergency by Rebecca Parish

hen Steve Eames arrived at the St John Ambulance Sub Centre in Tom Price 15 years ago, the small volunteer crew consisted of only a handful of volunteers and a few old Ford ambulances. Today, Steve manages the centre and has been doing so for ten years. The centre now has a full fleet of vehicles including three impressive ambulances and a brand new caravan that the centre can take to events. Steve moved to Tom Price sixteen years ago with his wife Brenda and their two children Simon and Shaun. Both of Steve’s sons attended school locally and tried their hands at different sports including BMX and Motocross, often travelling locally or state wide to compete in events. Right at the side of their boys was Steve and Brenda, both helping as much as they could. Steve has always been heavily involved in the community and can often be found on the

weekends at any number of local events, often in his St John’s uniform lending a hand. Steve says when he moved to Tom Price, he wanted the town he was living in to feel like home. “We had to live here, I had to bring my boys up here, why not make it a nice place to live?” In 2000, Steve helped to start up the Tom Price Emergency Services Cadets. The Cadets was open to anyone of high school age to join and got the kids involved with all the local Emergency Services including the State Emergency Services, St John’s and Fire and Rescue. Those who took part had the opportunity to go on camps, emergency exercises, help with community events and gain their senior first aid certificates. As you can imagine, Steve has won many awards and been honoured for his help within Tom Price. Steve has received two Rio Tinto Community Awards, the latest of which was also dedicated

Photo courtesy of Steve Eames

to Brenda. However, Steve says one of the most exciting nominations he got was the nomination for Australian of the Year. “I didn’t win it but, it was pretty great, I was really pleased with that.” Steve currently works as an Emergency Management Officer with Rio Tinto at the Tom Price mine site and says he loves his job. “Anything medical out there, we look after them. If anything happens, we respond. It’s a great job.” In his spare time, Steve travels back and forth from his property in Clackline and sometimes he can even be found at Barbagallo Raceway riding his motorbike on track days. This year, the Tom Price St John’s Ambulance Centre celebrated it’s 25th Anniversary. The celebration reflected the increasing involvement with and support for this worthwhile association. Steve plans to stay in Tom Price until his retirement, eventually moving south to enjoy his homestead.

Passing On Our Culture story by Tess Ingram, photography by Aaron Bradbrook One of the people mentioned in this article is no longer living. Her family gave us permission to use her name.

O “

ur culture is handed down by stories so it’s important to be on country to learn language, and learn to protect country.You have to be there to practice who you are. We need to look after our special places and it’s all to do with our children. We continue practicing our law and culture so we can pass it on.” Ronnelle Hicks learnt her culture from her grandmother. When she was a young girl she used to spend weekends and school holidays at the Wakathuni community with her grandparents. Ronnelle never wanted to go, she resented not being allowed to speak English in the house and at the time had no interest in learning about bush medicine. Now, however, she says that she is eternally grateful for the culture and knowledge that was passed on to her. “It is so important to understand who you are and learn about your ancestors and to be able to practice it on country. If you can’t do that, you are lost.” Ronnelle was fortunate to have the Pilbara’s most well respected medicine woman as her teacher. Her grandmother, Lola Young, was recognised across WA for her medical knowledge, environmental advice and cultural teaching. However, Lola is most famous locally for

founding the Wakuthuni Community on the outskirts of Tom Price. In 1990, frustrated by life in Karratha and desperate to reconnect with her homeland, Lola gathered her family and approached the owner of Rocklea Station, John Bettini, with a request for some land. A lease excision was negotiated and the community was born. Lola lived on the land by herself for some time before her family joined her and since then, Wakuthuni has grown to today’s community of about thirty people. In her 2007 biography, titled LolaYoung: medicine woman and teacher. Lola wrote: “I’m really glad I brought the people home with the homeland movement, where they first started. Really glad about that. All the best part of my life went in Waku. I had to do it. Waku wouldn’t be there if I didn’t get off my backside and go out there so my people can follow me out there. I really wanted the family to come home.” Lola’s daughter Dawn Hicks says that her mother was an inspiring and active member of the Pilbara community. “Mum was about changing attitudes, helping everybody. She didn’t care about black or white she would teach anyone that asked.”

As the first grandchild of her generation, Lola was chosen to learn bush medicine from her grandparents. And when Ronnelle was born, Lola started passing on everything she knew to her. Ronnelle and Lola started a business in 2002 manufacturing products based on Innawonga bush medicines and selling them, primarily at the annual Mt Nameless Festival. Ronnelle has put the business on hold since her grandmother’s passing but plans to restart it in the near future. “I’m waiting until the time is right. Out of respect you know. But this is what she has given me, so I will start it again soon.” An inspiring woman in her own right, Ronnelle works at the Gumala Aboriginal Corporation in Tom Price as an Aboriginal liaison officer and mentor. ‘Gumala’ is an Aboriginal word in the Banyjima language meaning “all together” and the Corporation was created to represent the interests of the Nyiyaparli, Banyjima and Innawonga peoples of the Pilbara region in negotiations with Hamersely Iron. The Corporation also acts as a community and language centre and Ronnelle is Tom Price’s Indigenous Co-ordinator and Mentor. She has worked for years in Aboriginal education and as a language teacher she is passionate about making sure

It is so important to “ understand who you are

and learn about your ancestors and to be able to practice it on country. If you can’t do that, you are lost.

”

that Aboriginal languages are passed down through the generations. Dawn believes that without her mother’s continuous efforts to bring their family back to country, Ronnelle’s generation wouldn’t have had the opportunities that they did thanks to Wakuthuni. “Living in someone elses country you can’t carry out the cultured person you are, because you can’t do anything. That’s why mum wanted to come home to be freely who she is and be in her country. She could teach us there and thanks to Waku, now we know.”

– Ronnelle and Dawn Hicks remembering lessons from Lola.

Steel Caps and Stilettos: Women in the Mines by Tess Ingram

omen account for almost 22 per cent of the iron ore industry workforce in Western Australia. This is a huge contrast to the beginnings of the industry in the 1970s when a woman in work gear was a rare sight. Times have changed, but have people’s attitudes? What is it like to be a woman working on a Pilbara mine site? “I think that as individuals and as a group we need to do what we can to make this industry a better place to work. In the words of Margaret Mead ‘never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.’ ” That’s Sabina Shugg, founder and driver of the Women in Mining and Resources Network in Western Australia (WIMWA). In 2003 Ms Shugg founded the network because she “felt there was a gap, an opportunity to start something that would be a good resource for people to turn to and feel supported and not isolated.” The group has grown beyond all expectations and now has over 1000 members. Eight events are run each year and they are always in high demand. “Since the inception of WIMWA in 2003 I have personally gained a lot of experience and knowledge about the industry and its people. I have also gained a lot of satisfaction from the success of the group and the frequent positive feedback from the various events that are held.

Many people have changed career direction, got new jobs, found mentoring relationships, made new friends and decided to stay in the industry longer because of the WIMWA group. “I think it has helped legitimise the idea of women in mining, which was once scorned - and let’s face it, still is in some (shrinking) circles. At the end of the day the industry needs to make the most of the human capital available to it and the females in this industry are a resource to make the most of rather than being let slip away.” A woman who is a perfect example of this is Stevie Lane. Ms Lane has just started working for Rio Tinto on the Tom Price mine site as a truck driver. “I’ve been doing it for a week now, it’s exciting, but apparently I’m really good, so it’s ok,” she said laughing. Ms Lane used to work in administration for ISS, but quit the job to spend more time with her son in Perth. Shortly after, she received a phone call from Rio Tinto offering her FIFO work driving trucks in Tom Price. She was on the next plane. “On our team there are quite a few females. Out of 40 people there’s maybe 10 females, but it’s different on every team.” When asked about the challenges she has faced so far, Miss Lane mentioned toilet breaks and uniforms before adding: “I think it’s a different kind of life up here.You have to be quite hard to work

11 Photo courtesy of Sandra Chester, Rio Tinto. Taken at the 2011 WIMWA Steel Caps and Stilettos function.

in this environment. Doing 12 hours a day... that’s rough, it’s hard to get used to.” Michael Pennington is a colleague of Ms Lane’s and agrees that it isn’t a job for everyone. “The last eight years has seen the change (in female employment).You have to be the right kind of girl to work here I think. We want someone who wants to drive a truck.You have to do the dirty work on the floor before you can get to a higher role at a desk.”

At the end of the day “ the industry needs to make

the most of the human capital available to it and the females in this industry are a resource to make the most of rather than being let slip away.

”

Sinead Kaufman is the General Manager of Rio Tinto’s Tom Price Operations and definitely did her ‘dirty work’ before getting to the top. She entered the male-dominated mining industry 14 years ago as the only female at the bottom of an underground copper mine in South

Africa and has since embraced Australia’s rugged outback to rise to management level. “Starting construction on the underground was quite exciting and there was not a lot of structure around roles so it helped me learn a lot about many different career paths while I was there. It was a good opportunity to just get in boots and all and do whatever you were interested in and understand all the different areas of a mine. “I was the only woman on the mine for the first two years and so from that point of view that was challenging considering the perception of people, particularly in the South African mining industry, about the capabilities of women in mining. On the mine I was working on there were quite a lot of cultural challenges and language barriers as well, so we used to spend a lot of time drawing pictures on the walls to communicate with people underground.That was certainly quite interesting, but what it also taught me was that it shouldn’t make a difference. If you’re male or female or whatever else, you still need to do the job and earn the respect of people and not expect to have any sort of special treatment because you are different from anyone else that you work with. Australian mining is very different, it’s a lot more accepting and people expect diversity in the workforce.” Sinead is focused on improving diversity in the workforce and providing better opportunities and support to encourage more women to step into the mining industry, whether it be job share opportunities, better child care services or even something as simple as a mentor.

Photo courtesy of Sandra Chester, Rio Tinto. Taken at the 2011 WIMWA Steel Caps and Stilettos function.

According to statistics from Rio Tinto the national average of women working in the iron ore industry is just under 22 per cent of the total workforce. Western Australia’s statistics are exactly in line with the national average, but Tom Price falls slightly short with women only making up 15 per cent of the workforce. “Women have success in this industry. They really do. There is an awful lot of proof and evidence that women make better drivers than men, probably in more than one industry, but certainly in mining and I’ve got a few personal accounts of that from over the years. When I was in Weipa the best loader operator was female. She loaded in the quickest time with no damage to equipment. “I think the other bit I see in all of this is that women tend to have a slightly different perspective on things from a leadership point of view. They tend to focus a lot more on people in some instances and I think one of the challenges for women in mining is that they often don’t feel comfortable taking responsibility for the big decisions. Even taking on leadership roles, particularly here in Australia, people tend to shy away from that, so I think it is important to promote the roles and successes of women in the mining industry because they really are good.” Ms Shugg agrees. “I think women need to shout their own praises more than they do - men are much better at this. If you’re prepared to get out there and have a go, you end up being the right person at the right time.”

Bob Hicks - The Humble Wildlife Sanctuary story and photography by Aaron Bradbrook

n the middle of a sunny 25-degree winter’s day a blessing the residents of Tom Price call normal - the inspirational owner of the Pilbara Wildlife Hospital and Sanctuary, Bob Hicks finds time to sink into his couch and relax. Inviting us into the mind behind this incredible operation. Before the first question has been asked Bob jumps from his seat eagerly grabbing two pink cotton pouches and placing them in our laps.Two newly born joeys push their heads out as if to listen to our conversation. Growing up on a wildlife sanctuary in Jandakot, a southern suburb of Perth, Bob has been rescuing and rehabilitating animals for the past forty years. Seven years ago he decided to set up shop in Tom Price. “When I started this place I just couldn’t believe that there was nowhere in the Pilbara where you could take wildlife to be looked after. I am the only one in the Pilbara.” Sacrificing much of his retirement money to fund this operation, Bob has put around $160,000 of his own money into providing shelter, food, water, accessories and medication for the animals. Not to mention the money needed to keep himself and his wife, Champagne, going. “It’s the animals, they’re the ones I’m looking after… it’s not about the money,” he says selflessly. According to Canberra’s Territory and Municipal Services 2010 research into kangaroo management,

the cost of rehabilitating a kangaroo to a size suitable for placing back into the wild is in excess of $3000. Since 2005 Bob has released 155 Kangaroos. Most releases are done on private property, which prohibits shooting, roughly 20km from Bob’s house. Incredibly Bob was able to schedule a release of four Euro Kangaroos a few days after our conversation, inviting us to come along. It is not just kangaroos that Bob focuses his attention on, he has also released falcons, kestrels, hawks, owls and bats.” “You name it,” he says, “I’ve put it back out there.” Except Michael, the largest kangaroo on Bob’s block if not in the entire Pilbara, who has been released five times and miraculously found his way back on every occasion. “To release him now, I’d need a horse float,” Bob chuckled. In his first year running the sanctuary Bob told us he, “moved 200 snakes safely out of Tom Price,” with safely meaning, “At least 35-40km away, depending on what snake it is.” In doing this type of work getting a proper rest can be challenging, but incredibly Bob manages to find time to immerse himself into the community. Despite midnight phone calls and three-hourly bottle-feeds for the joeys, Bob still manages to visit the local schools and is heavily involved at the youth centre. He strongly believes that the younger

– Bob Hicks

generation needs to understand the importance of animals in our society. “I want them [the children] to have the same sort of feeling that I’ve got,” he says passionately, adding: “When I grew up, I grew up illiterate. I couldn’t read or write so everything’s always been hands on for me. “When I go to schools and teach them hands on I find their thought is more direct. When you

have an animal there your thought is on that animal, that’s what you’re thinking about and that’s what I want them to feel. “All the kids in town know me. If there’s a sick animal they’ll make their mums and dads bring it out to me. So I’m actually getting to the adults through their children,” he explains. One of the old, “local doctors was a carer for

me and used to take the kangaroos to work with her and feed them between clients. “This is where the community comes together with me, through a shared passion for animals.” His biggest kick though is letting them go. “When you see a kangaroo you’ve just released in mid-flight going through the bush, that’s where they’re supposed to be.”

In Your Words - What do you love about Tom Price? by Rebecca Parish

The Town’s First Woman Haul Pack Driver Tricia Devenyns, 20+ years in Tom Price

ricia Devenyns moved to Tom Price with her family at the age of two and was part of the first group of children to live in Tom Price. Growing up in town, Tricia also watched the town itself grow. At 22 years old, Tricia began learning how to drive trucks on the Tom Price mine site. With so many women driving trucks these days, it’s hard to believe that she was the first

woman to start doing it at the site. But Trish will tell you it was the best experience of her life. “It was a big thing back then to go and work in a predominantly male-orientated workforce, but the crew that I was with were fantastic. They welcomed me and they embraced it. I was in a man’s world. They were still themselves, which was good… I expected that.”

Tricia eventually left town to start a family, travelling back and forth on holidays until she returned to town to take the job up again. “I just missed it, to me this is home! This is where I grew up and where my roots are. I will be here until I retire.”

The Vic Hayton Memorial Pool Irene Hayton, 38 years in Tom Price

If you don’t like Tom Price, Irene Hayton will be the first person to tell you: “You know the road that has brought you in, it’s the same road that will take you out.” Irene loves the town she lives in and you can understand why when she recalls her shock arrival to Tom Price almost 38 years ago. “Everybody wanted to meet me, and everybody

was so friendly… I couldn’t believe it.” The name Irene Hayton may sound familiar to many Tom Price locals and if you can’t quite put your finger on it, it’s because the local pool is adorned by her last name. The Vic Hayton Memorial Pool is named after Irene’s late husband. Vic not only loved kids, but was a firm advocate for them and won an infamous local battle finally

allowing them to use the tennis courts. Irene’s love of children and the community is proven in the numerous community events and clubs she has been involved in over the years. Irene was a regular on the drive-in gate for many years and almost never missed a school carnival. Irene was also involved in t-ball and the Lions Club of Tom Price.

In Your Words - What do you love about Tom Price? by Rebecca Parish

Silver City & MTN

Frank “Frog” Alliss, 31 years in Tom Price

f anyone can paint you a picture of what Tom Price was like in the 1980s, Frank “Frog” Alliss can. Frank arrived in Tom Price 31 years ago when it was a very different town. When Frank arrived, he was housed at a place the locals called “Silver City”, where the centre of town now sits. It used to be home to hundreds of tin-roofed single men’s rooms that housed the predominantly male population. Tom Price in the 1970s and 1980s had some significantly different features to today, including a television channel called Mining Television Network, that was run locally with programs run in the morning and the evening, so shift workers could always catch up on what was happening. Frog recalls: “You’d often get broadcasts interrupted for local news or even a parent wanting their kids to come home.”

– Frank “Frog” Alliss

No Going Back

Kaye Foan, 38 years in Tom Price

hen Kaye Foan arrived in Tom Price for a three week holiday from Victoria, she had no idea how much she would love the place. So much so that after a week of being in town, she’d found a job and there was no going back. “I came from cold Victoria, and I arrived here where the sun was shining, it was luscious and green and they gave me my work clothes and a lift to work everyday. It was a very different lifestyle and I just loved it.” Talking about the atmosphere Tom Price when she arrived in town, she says that it was a young people’s place. “There were no old people in town, because it was so hard to get to Tom Price, not many grandparents would come. “There were lots of barbeques and everyone got together.” Kaye says that Tom Price has changed a lot from the early days but that the outcome is positive. “I come to town on my lunch break, and it’s a place where people can mingle.”

21 Photos from the Shire of Ashburton archive.

Karijini National Park – Natural History story and photography by Tess Ingram

ncompassing one of the most diverse sections of the Hamersley ranges, Karijini National Park is not only breathtakingly beautiful but it’s also historically rich. Karijini boasts gaping gorges, unbelievable colours and abundant wildlife and it’s an international mecca for both tourists seeking rugged Australian beauty and outdoor adventure. You’ve probably been to the park, had a swim in Circular Pool after trekking through Dales Gorge and maybe even camped the night. But have you considered how Western Australia’s second largest national park came to be in the middle of such a mining dominated region? Karijini National Park first came to life as the Dales Gorge Nature Reserve in 1956. Over the next few years surrounding mining reserves were granted and then in 1969, thanks to lobbying by private individuals, conservation groups and scientists, the Hamersley Range National Park (later renamed Karijini) was gazetted. Karijini is one of the few national parks in the country that runs under a joint management scheme. In this case between the Department of Environment of Conservation (DEC) and the Karijini Park Council. The Council consists of the three Pilbara language groups; the Banjima, Innawonga and Eastern Guruma people. Allisdair MacDonald is DEC’s Regional Manager for Karijini and surrounds and says that

the joint management arrangement is vital to ensure the park is around for years to come. “It’s important that we manage the park in collaboration with Indigenous people. There are a lot of cultural sites on the reserve, the land is important for Aboriginal people to return to, so obviously we want to involve these people in management decisions that we make and share with them the challenges and successes of that.” The park’s boundaries are not static. In the past, areas such as Hamersley Gorge and Mt Meharry were included in the park and in 1990 the park was split in two by the excision of the Marandoo Mine site. But Mr MacDonald says that due to Karijini’s high profile and popularity, it’s unlikely that the park will come under pressure again. “I doubt that there would be any possibility of further excisions in the park in the future. The land in the park is rich in terms of minerals but timing was fortunately on our side when the park was protected in the earlier years and I’m sure that the community and the world understand the importance of it being retained for future generations. “Karijini holds important biodiversity values, some very significant geological features in the form of the gorges and obviously it holds great recreational values for people around the world to come in and enjoy its natural beauty and adventure. It is a very unique and special place in the Pilbara.”

Being There For The Kids by Rebecca Parish

anging out, learning to play music and getting involved in community events are all important events in the lives of young people – and without the dedicated efforts of the crew at the Tom Price Youth Support Association (TPYSA) many local kids would miss out. The TPYSA was formed in 1986 as a notfor-profit organisation. It invited local kids of all backgrounds to drop into its Youth Centre to get involved in activities or just hang out and have a chat. Since then countless teenagers have walked through the doors, almost all touching the heart of Youth Centre Manager Maz Hearne. Maz has been working at the Youth Centre since 1992 and this year marked her 20th year of service. Sitting down and talking to Maz, you can sense her passion for her work. She explains “Young people learn through the mistakes that they make and by pushing boundaries.” In the early days of the Association, the Paraburdoo Youth Centre fell under the banner of the Tom Price Youth Support Association, but in 1998, the two centres split. When Maz arrived in ’92, there were two staff and she worked on a voluntary basis. Within two months both staff left, but Maz continued to open the doors, and as she puts it: “The rest is history.” With many things on offer in town for younger children, and with older people working, Maz says

Photo courtesy of the Tom Price Youth Centre

there is a group of teenagers and simply nothing for them, other than the Youth Centre. As well as being a place to go after school, it offers activities and weekend events, and young people are encouraged to help out with community events when they can. “We have discos, film nights, and structured life-skills programs, and there’s even a chance for young people to learn how to DJ and take part in music programs.” Asked what the Youth Centre means to Tom Price, Maz said: “The youth of today get a bad rap, but the truth is, our youth are involved and productive and the association is recognised within the state as a highly valued organisation.” The Centre is in close communication with the Department of Corrective Services, the Department for Child Protection (DCP) and Centrelink and also offers young people the opportunity to be involved in community action through the state-wide volunteer network of Local Drug Action Groups. At a recent celebration in honour of Maz’s 20

years of service people came in droves to thank her and she was presented with a book signed by the people who have been around her both personally and professionally. The words on its pages included “valued, respected, passionate” and one that fits Maz perfectly, “humble.” Humble is the Manager who says that it is not about the medals or the celebrations of what she does, but that what counts is: “knowing things are good for the young people who have passed through.” In 2011, the Association came full circle and once again took over management of the Paraburdoo Youth Centre. Maz says that although this means there is a lot more work to be done, “if we hadn’t done something, there would be no place for the youth of Paraburdoo to go.” The Tom Price Youth Support Association now has six staff in Tom Price and one coordinating the Paraburdoo Centre. Maz hopes that both communities will continue recognise the role that the TPYSA plays and embrace what it has on offer.