Twelve Murdoch
Environmental Science students recently had what some of them described
as "the
trip of a lifetime" when they travelled to a remote Aboriginal
community near Marble Bar in the far North-West of the State. The students
made the journey to apply their "classroom theory" to the
real world - to use skills which they had learnt in their fourth-year
Advanced Environmental Science Topics course "Environmental Technology
Applications".
Under the guiding eye of Remote
Areas Development Group (RADG) Professional Officer Martin Anda, the
students set about designing a concept plan to implement appropriate
technologies to help promote sustainability in an Aboriginal community
about to undergo a technology upgrade.
Dry land Permaculture researcher
Hahn Orion, and other RADG staff also took the field trip. A two-and-a-half
day drive from Perth brought the research party to the Goodabinya Aboriginal
community where the students spent four days working on issues specifically
raised by the community elders and administrators. This involved consultation,
town planning, landscaping, housing assessment, water conservation,
permaculture, sector analysis, house and garden design, and developing
outdoor living areas.
By the end of the week they had identified a number of issues to be addressed
to improve the living conditions in the community.
A report of the results of
the study will be presented to the Aboriginal Housing Board to support
applications for funding to make the improvements.
During 2003 the focus of the
N430 Environment Technology Applications undergraduate ES student module
is a project on a Nyungar reserve in the wheatbelt region of WA. Innovative
standalone ablutions facilities are being constructed in 4 reserves.
The task of the students will be to consult with the Nyungar community
members and design constructed wetlads for the greywater treatment
and reuse.
