Bush tucker and brolgas

In remote Boggabilla and Toomelah, the upgrade of the Newell Highway has led to increased participation of Aboriginal people in employment and cultural learning for schoolchildren.

Transport funded the Wirradoo bushfood and medicine garden at Boggabilla Central School, which teaches children about Aboriginal culture, mentored by Elders, and provides residents with access to traditional foods. The students and community have transformed their school with dancing brolga sculptures, mosaics, a lagoon for the Rainbow Serpent and special “learning logs”.

Community engagement included working with an Elders group, TAFE and the school and the engagement of an Aboriginal Leader to assist the delivery of initiatives. Local Elder Uncle Carl worked with Transport to develop and deliver cultural awareness training to all staff working on the project.

More than 50 Aboriginal people were employed in direct jobs, traineeships, contract and skill hire positions, including two Aboriginal school-based traineeships with both students completing Year 12. Four Aboriginal residents received formal qualifications (including Certificate III in Civil Construction).

The project exceeded its Aboriginal Participation in Construction target of 1.5% of project spend, reaching 2.2% ($3.4 million).

Elder Aunty Elaine Edwards said her niece, Kelirra Armstrong, had been employed as an administration assistant on the project, along with other young people. “We’ve never had these opportunities at all on our roads with our people,” she said in a video about the project. Kelirra said the job had given her the ambition “to become a role model for the young students”.