Prime Minister's Indigenous Advisory Council visit

Council members at the scarred tree [photo Phil Robson]

Today the Centre was honoured by a visit from members of the Prime Minister's Indigenous Advisory Council. With the guidance of Aunty Matilda House, Council members wanted to have some direct contact with country while in Canberra for a Council meeting, and made visits to an old family campsite of Aunty Matilda's family at Flinders Way, Red Hill, and to an Aboriginal site at Pialligo, before coming to the Centre.

At the Centre, Aunty Matilda's grandson Reuben House played didgeridoo to accompany her welcome to country for us and the visitors before the group inspected the Halls Creek Aboriginal display, and the local stone artefact display 'Stones that Speak', with the guidance of curator Ken Heffernan. Members were welcomed to the Centre by Honorary Curator Alastair Crombie. Finally, the group took their minibus down to the Creek to view the magnificent Aboriginal scarred tree there.

While enjoying refreshments with us, Council members shared wisdom and experience with us in a most natural and engaging way, which was greatly appreciated. Aunty Matilda and our volunteers discussed the idea of incorporating some local Aboriginal language and voices in our display, and Andrea Mason noted that it was international year of Indigenous languages. Other Council members told us of the challenge that still remains in educating future generations about our country's Aboriginal history. As a National Council, members are naturally drawn from a number of far-flung places, including the Kimberley, central Australia, Torres Strait and Arnhem Land.

Our photo shows Council members at the Halls Creek scarred tree: Co-Chair Ms Andrea Mason OAM, Mr Djambawa Marawili AM, Co-Chair Councillor Roy Ah-See, Mr Reuben House, Dr Matilda House, Ms Susan Murphy and Councillor Ted Fraser.