Christmas message from our Chair
As we celebrate this Christmas season, we reflect on another productive and enjoyable year filled with achievements and memorable moments.
One of the recent highlights has been the announcement of our newest Smartreka project – the mapping of the Wadjemup Bidi, a series of hiking trails on Rottnest Island.
We’re very pleased to have had the opportunity to work with DBCA and the Rottnest Island Authority to deliver the Wadjemup Bidi map to enhance visitor experience and understanding of Rottnest Island (Wadjemup).
Our annual Spring into Parks, sponsored by Lotterywest, was once again an outstanding success, with a busy calendar of events that reflected the interest, engagement, and support of our communities, including the Government and corporate sectors and featured more than 170 activities, across 84 parks and attractions state-wide.
Among the many :
- Foundation support for Australia’s Golden Outback Esperance Hiking Festival;
- Partnering with Off the Beaten Track to deliver an Accessibility and Inclusion Guided Hike and a Bush to Beach Self-Guided Hike;
- Nearer to Nature Birds Blooms and BBQ with Park Ambassador and passionate bird lover Eric McCrum OAM;
- Stargazing event followed by a guided walk in partnership with Wickepin Shire and StarTrack Astro Events;
- Foundation support for the evolving forest within the Scribblers Festival Sustainability Area in partnership with FORM;
- Partnering with the Kings Park Everlasting Festival for the Poolgarla Family Day;
- Partnering with Educated by Nature to deliver a Flag Making workshop at Yanchep National Park; and
- WA Gould League’s Family Days and Bird Watching events at Herdsman Lake.
We were delighted, also, by the response to our photo competition run as part of Spring into Parks. It was inspiring to see such creativity and talent on display and the introduction of an Instagram video competition created an additional opportunity to celebrate WA’s natural beauty.
Our Nature Connection Education Series is among other examples of the Foundation’s community outreach to promote the beauty, importance and benefits of Western Australia’s magnificent national parks and spending time in nature.
This immersive eight-week program, sponsored by the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group, designed and delivered by Educated by Nature, engages primary school students and their teachers in outdoor learning experiences within their local communities. It has been implemented at fourteen primary schools in the Perth and Peel regions.
Children have shared their reflections, with heartwarming comments such as:
“Nature is so much more important than we think. It provides a lot for us, so let’s provide a lot for it.”
“I feel calmer when I’m around nature… That makes me learn better. I think we learn a lot of stuff when we are outside.”
A series of videos showcasing the program’s wonderful outcomes is available on our website.
In progressing our strategic initiatives, the Foundation continues to identify collaborative opportunities in the delivery of projects and programs, and we appreciate the support received from our corporate and government partners, our Ambassadors, and members.
A special thank you to those who have donated to the WA Parks Foundation to enable us to fund our on-going activities and deliver these programs. If you wish to make a special Christmas donation please do so here.
Wishing you and your family a very happy Christmas and may the coming year bring more opportunities for your health, growth and enjoyment.
Hon Kerry Sanderson AC CVO
Chair, WA Parks Foundation
