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vice cha ncellor’s comment vice chancellor’s comment 1

northern exposure 2

solving the riddle of the world’s Welcome to Origins biggest fish 4 vc contents Atangible sense of energy marks smart skies 6 contentsbracing for the unwelcome squatter 12 the first year of Charles Darwin University’s entry into both music for learning for life 8 found in the earth mound 14 Australia’s higher education and c vocational education and training meeting marvellous marvin 9 night of a thousand stars 15 sectors. titillating the tastes 10 heroic illusions 16 We were inaugurated through We have also focussed on a vision of creating a thriving expanding the capacity of our island intervention 17 university - one that fosters the staff, our students and our courage to be different and one professional relationships - making life as a midwife 18 that cherishes and realises evolving as an accessible its geographic and demographic cultural and intellectual asset unspoken interactions 20 advantages. engaged with and relevant to the wider community. uncertain blitzkrieg 22 Through this vision we have been working hard at synthesis- It has been a dynamic process the living desert 24 ing the contributions of a number with important learnings that of former institutions into a new, will influence our future and great water rights and values 25 affordable place of learning rewards, some of which are that offers a fresh choice for recognised in this edition of knight’s folly 26 further education in Northern Origins. Australia and beyond which detecting the difference 28 includes a significantly enhanced In 2005 we will continue to thrive interaction with secondary and grow - not just because we the good oil 30 school students. are new, unique and fortunate. It will be because of our ability to Professor Helen Garnett with a piece by Frank Gohier, new roost 31 display an energy that is commit- featured in the article ‘Art mattersÕ. 2 ted to making a difference in putting practice into study 31 every aspect of life.

directions 32 Let us all challenge ourselves next year. C 3 indigenous health research boosted 33 1 Vice Chancellor, [contentscontents4 art matters 34 Professor Helen Garnett future indigenous stockmen 36

Origins is a product of Charles Darwin University’s Corporate Communication section with design and layout by Sprout Creative, printing by Colemans Printing and photography by Baz Ledwidge and contributions by Rajiv Maharaj. Opinions and views expressed in Origins do not necessarily represent those of Charles Darwin University. Reproduction of material appearing in Origins requires written permission. For further details on Origins contact Scott Walker on 08 8946 6019 or [email protected]

Published November 2004 comment northern 2 Innovation Council. Council and the New South Wales Science and Engineering Minister’s ing former memberships of the Prime tor committee and board positions includ- She has held many private and public sec- of medical diagnostic products. one of the country’s leading manufacturers is company, Bioclone Australia Pty Ltd, which the managing director of biotechnology experience. From 1985 to 1995 she was possesses significant high-tech business and a Masters in Professional Accounting, Dr Baxter, who has a PhD in Biochemistry average of six a year. off companies rising from none to an $50 million a year and the number of spin- increasing from under $10 million to over cialisation with the value of contracts growth in industry interaction and commer- In that role, Dr Baxter oversaw rapid start-up companies. including facilitation of development management and commercialisation research, consultancy, intellectual property where she was responsible for contract previously with the University of Sydney Business Development. Dr Baxter was University as Executive Director of Dr Claire Baxter joined Charles Darwin BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF NORTH x

ERN x n x x x x x x a difference. on challenges and is committed to making that dares to be different, prepared to take ensure the University develops as a place professional skills and capacity required to Darwin University continues to expand the Fresh talent for a new institution - Charles Diploma of Education from the University Mr Meehan has a Bachelor of Arts and a University of Western Sydney. Director, International Centre at the Prior to this he held the position of Deputy of UTS Australian students studying abroad. to exceed 5,000 as well a large cohort national students at the institution growing Program at UTS with the numbers of inter- period of rapid growth the International Deputy Director International. This was a national Marketing Manager and then as Sydney, initially in the capacity of Inter- Office at Mr Meehan worked in the International International. For the past seven years Dennis Meehan in the role of Director Charles Darwin University welcomes DIRECTOR INTERNATIONAL Professor Garnett said. marketing and involvement in a variety of commercial, the Northern Territory Community through nurture future returns to the university and and professional capabilities to provide one in terms of leveraging our education appointment is a significant “Claire Baxter’s functions across the university. leadership for the business appointment provides strong strategic Professor Helen Garnett said Dr Baxter’s Charles Darwin University Vice-Chancellor northerne the University of Technology, networking initiatives,” development

drawn from institutions across Australia, Professor Clark’s academic experience is national activities. and to developing promoting inter- University’s teaching and research profile enhancing the Faculty’s and the industry and community groups, to relevant government, professional, ment will be to pursue linkages with key focus of Professor Clark’s appoint- A further its business development. development and is actively trying to expanded its profile in research and Law and Music. In recent years it has Tourism, Humanities and Social Sciences, Design, Business, Hospitality and programs in Art and Education and VET Faculty includes a wide range of Higher Faculty of Law, Business and Arts. The appointed as the University’s Dean of the Professor Eugene Clark has been BUSINESS AND ARTS DEAN OF LAW, tunities for its students to study abroad. Darwin University and to facilitate oppor- profile of international students at Charles the Faculties and Schools to grow Executive, the International Office staff, Mr Meehan works with the University In his role as Director International, South Wales. Education from the University of New of New England and a Master exposure continued> x x Darwin based role. Australia and internationally to his new negotiating experience gathered from wealth of marketing, public affairs and Relocating from Sydney, Mr John brings a Communications. University as Director, Corporate John, has joined Charles Darwin Communications professional, Richard COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR CORPORATE Advisory Committee for this project. Court of Australia is Chairman of the modern society. Justice Kirby of the High research and training related to courts in Future project involving interdisciplinary He was also Leader of Courtroom the Managers and the Law. publications as well being co-author of Clark has been published in numerous Teaching Excellence Awards, Professor finalist in law for the inaugural National A Asia and online education in Australia. successful off-shore teaching programs in e-government lawyer, has established of Canberra and, as an e-business and Vice Chancellor positions at the University Canberra. He has held a number of Pro- Professor of Law at the University Professor Clark was Head of School and North America, Asia and the South Pacific. Water and the State Bank of NSW. Federal Government, Dwr Cwmru Welsh Such organisations have included the of strategic communications planning. and Australia has been the development major corporations in the United Kingdom Much of his work undertaken with and for coal industry association in NSW. coal industry as Executive Director of the search. He also spent some time in the and public affairs and senior executive consultancy in marketing communications multilateral management and marketing; service as a diplomat in Greece; senior and educational publishing, the foreign His background includes education Newcastle. Master of Arts from the University of Mr John holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Richard John Prof. Eugene Clark Dennis Meehan Dr. Claire Baxter 3 C 4 5

solving the riddle of the world’s biggest fish Image courtesy of Peter Nicholas biggest265 fishFISH

As part of the process, Ms Press catalogued “There is great conservation and financial the sharks according to distinguishing incentive. For example while a whale marks, fin and body size and their unique shark may be worth up to $US200,000 spot patterns to re-identify individuals in dead, the whale shark ecotourism industry future surveys. Once individual animals at Exmouth in Western Australia is have been identified, an attempt to match estimated to be worth $17 million annually, sharks sighted more than once will be Ms Press said. “In total we have undertaken. “Publishing this photographic catalogue Collectively, these images offer important may also assist in the tracking of individ- identified 265 evidence of returning whale sharks and uals to Indonesia where many whale

areas most frequented by these sharks. sharks are targeted for the commercial fish- individual whale ing industry as well as throughout the rest

“In total we have identified 265 individual of the world where whale sharks are found. sharks that have whale sharks that have visited Ningaloo Reef between 1992 and 2004,” Ms Press Her research findings will be presented solving the riddle of the world’s biggest fish remarked. during November. visited Ningaloo “

“Of these, we determined that 61 whale “I hope that this project will be the start of Reef between sharks have been resighted at Ningaloo a global photographic catalogue of whale Coming face to face with the gaping mouth Beneath this lies up to 14 centimetres of knowledge of the whale shark’s biology, Reef during this time. The photo- sharks to allow for a better understanding

of a 12-metre shark in the warm waters of thick cartilage tissue. These characteris- ecology or behaviour to make a deter- identification process also indicated some of migration patterns and aggregation 1992 and 2004 the Indian Ocean has been an amazing tics make whale sharks a second-thought mination,” Ms Press said. of the animals returned on several sites,” Ms Press said. C experience for Michelle Press. proposal for large sharks or killer whales. occasions and some after an incredible 12 “Ningaloo Reef is one of the few access- year absence.” Holding a Bachelors of Science in Marine “There is photographic evidence where ible places in the world where wild whale Biology from the University of West the teeth of a large shark have been sharks congregate in significant numbers.” Ms Press’ photo-identification project is part Florida, Ms Press is about to complete ripped out and remained embedded into a of a larger global tagging project headed by her Masters of Tropical Environmental whale shark’s back after an attack. The “Unproved theories of why the 4,572 her supervisor Dr Meekan and partnered Management at Charles Darwin University. whale shark lost its dorsal fin but square kilometre Ningaloo Marine Park is with scientists from the National survived,” Ms Press explained. a whale shark hot spot includes breeding, Oceanographic and Atmospheric Associ- She has dedicated her masters research a northward migration to warmer tropical ation and the University of New Hampshire. to the enigmatic whale shark, looking to Whale sharks also have the unfortunate waters or the annual mass spawning of discover whether individual whale sharks mantle of being the world’s most expensive coral in the area,” Ms Press explained. “Fifteen of the photographs used in this return each year to Western Australia's shark flesh. Sold in Taiwan at up to $US11 study were taken during a field trip famous Ningaloo Reef. per kilogram, a single average sized adult Through photo-identification research, Ms associated with Dr Meekan’s tagging whale shark can be worth up to a whop- Press is about to conclude her research project in Ningaloo reef in May 2004.” Speculated to live up to 150 years of age, ping $US200,000 - a rich day’s fishing in that will help to scope whale shark visit- the whale shark is the sole species of the any language. ation to and aggregation at Ningaloo Some of the whale sharks photographed Rhincodontidea family and is closely between March and July each year. by Dr Taylor have id tags associated with related to nurse sharks, leopard sharks Little is known about their breeding habits them for future identification and all 15 of and wobbegongs. Like their near cousins, apart from the fact that they hatch eggs “While a common research tool, until now the whale sharks photographed during whale sharks have distinctive body internally. The only pregnant female whale there had been no published attempts to use Dr Meekan’s field trip have popup archival markings which are believed to be used shark ever caught was, amazingly, photo-identification in whale shark research. tags associated with them. These tags for camouflage and visual recognition. carrying up to 300 young at various stages collect and store information about depth, However, unlike their cousins, whale of development. Three of these young “A photographic database of individual temperature and light levels of the shark’s sharks are filter feeders that predominately were subsequently raised in captivity thus whale sharks that have visited the surroundings every minute for up to nine target small prey such as copepods, krill expanding our knowledge about whale Ningaloo Reef area over the past ten years months to track their migration. and baitfish. shark growth and development. has become available through a history of images taken by a local enthusiast Ultimately, the research to determine why The huge size of an adult whale shark and “Despite this, whale sharks remain a bit of Dr Geoff Taylor, those taken by local whale sharks occur predictably at some special physical attributes means it a mystery. Although protected under ecotourism boat operators, and images Ningaloo Reef is vital if the areas has few predators. Their back is covered Western Australia's Wildlife Conservation taken by myself and my supervisor, important to sharks are to be protected in in small scales called denticles that act in Act, their status as either an endangered, Dr Mark Meekan, a Research Scientist a multi use environment that includes a similar fashion to a turtle’s shell rare or vulnerable species is contentious with the Australian Institute of Marine fishing, oil prospecting, tourism and providing an incredibly strong surface. as there is simply not enough scientific Science.” continued> conservation.

6 7 access“ “ WeSimpson were flying over the Simpson Desert, smart with internet access at our fingertips. s mart skiesskies smartSMART SKIESsmartsmartsmart smartskies skiesskies SMART SKIES SMART SKIESsmart skies SMART SKIESsmart skies skies

Australian pilots could soon be flying with While less cumbersome than paper, pilots A year ago the School received a The improved long-range data communi- sophisticated electronic flight bags, thanks must still look up an index, click on appro- $220,000 cash and equipment grant from cation technology, which the University to the ingenuity of a Northern Territory pilot priate documents to select the ones they Hewlett Packard to do research in the appli- has been given by Telstra to test in the and IT professor who has been trialing need and wait for them to appear on the cation of Tablet Computers in education. aviation environment, is making the mobile “Ultimately, the name of the game is to improve Tablet PCs and new communications screen. technology even more connected. aircraft safety for both small and large aircraft.” technologies in the cockpit. “There have been several spin-offs of that With the HP Tablet PCs and software work, generally focusing on mobility “My son Michael and I were returning from Associate Professor Bob Pascoe, Head of being developed at Charles Darwin, all the issues. The present aviation package is a family holiday skiing at Mt Hotham in Charles Darwin University’s School of information the pilot requires is available one of them. I first wrote some aviation Victoria in August. We were flying over the Information Technology, regularly flies his instantly. Using Bluetooth connectivity to a software over 15 years ago, but that was Simpson Desert, with internet access at six seater PA32 aircraft from Darwin to GPS system, the Tablet computer knows only for the flight planning phase - before our fingertips. The Simpson is unbeliev- Melbourne or Sydney. He is working the aircraft's exact position at any time, the flight commences. Without tablet com- ably remote, waves of sand as far as the together with colleague Dr Andrew and can predict the flight information the puters we couldn’t walk on board with this horizon. Yet, several kilometers up, I had Finegan and research students Neil pilot will need. information.” perfect connectivity.” Crossley and Michael Pascoe. Under the old paper-based system, pilots Associate Professor Pascoe and his team Associate Professor Pascoe is not under- “Pilots carry flight bags, often including are still issued with paper updates, which are using the new X1 data connectivity estimating the issues involved however over a thousand pages of paper and must be manually inserted into the package from Telstra, and HP Tablet indicating that aviation is a conservative weighing many kilograms. These flight documentation in their flight bags. Computers to research a whole new range environment, and for good reason. bags carry essential flight information, of electronic flying aids which can be including so-called instrument approach “Where there is human intervention, there carried on board aircraft for auxiliary use “We are using electronic devices that have plates which are required for landings in is room for human error, and it is possible by pilots. a small potential to interfere with the bad weather,” Associate Professor Pascoe to misfile updates, so it is not a foolproof certified electronic instrumentation and explained. system.” “Tablet PCs have a magnificent form control systems on the aircraft. We have factor. They fit easily on my lap, and tested for this interference and believe that “Pilots can now have all that information, “I was once flying in to Sydney’s Kingsford because they do not have a lift up screen, the risk is very low.” plus more, at their fingertips with Tablet Smith airport and heard a 737 pilot on the there is no interference with the cockpit PCs. Also, with our system we use new air traffic control frequency ask for a controls.” “Certainly, we believe that we can communications technology to cheaply so-called visual approach. It appears he demonstrate that the gain in safety by update the information digitally in the air in had misfiled some documents he would He also notes that the handwriting using this technology far exceeds the most regions of Australia. It is a safer and have needed to make an instrument interface of the Tablet PCs is a much more miniscule risks. As with any new much more efficient way of flying.” approach. Lucky the weather was clear.” natural interface for pilots, who have to be technology, there are risks and we are ready to write down rapidly delivered Air taking the responsible position of

Electronic flight bags already exist but are He much prefers the safety of the new Traffic Control instructions. continued> evaluating these rather than sticking our still in a primitive form and are usually system. heads in the sand.” C used on ordinary laptop computers. m 8 student/teacher relationships.” specialist art skills and enhanced reflective teaching practices, increased an increased sense of efficacy through team-teaching and evaluation promotes programme's model of shared planning, “Participating teachers reported that the explained. numeracy teaching and learning,” Ms Tait is authentically integrated with literacy and students when intensive music education outcomes for Indigenous upper-primary “This project focuses on educational Australia Council for the Arts. funded by the Arts Partnership Initiative’ October 2002. It is an ‘Education and the since ect titled ‘Music for Learning Life’ Ms Tait has worked on her research proj- Mother of a three-year-old daughter, form their teaching practices,” Ms Tait said. the courage to embrace arts and trans- ties, and in particular the teachers who had “This award honours the school communi- schools with high Indigenous enrolments. Her research was based in Darwin urban related arts with literacy and numeracy. between skills development in music and Ms Tait’s research creates explicit links award announced in Minister’s August. as part of the 2004 Federal Education Indigenous students. She received $10,000 the and evaluated an arts-based approach to therapist, Anja Tait, has developed, trialed Musician, music educator and literacy and/or numeracy’. ‘outstanding contributions to improving have been recognised nationally for is one of five exceptional individuals that Charles Darwin University PhD student A music teaching of literacy and numeracy to ] for learning music study and her project was soon upgraded “However, she took on her post graduate ‘but I'm the mother of a very busy toddler!’” undertaking higher education was... “Anja’s initial response regarding talk of Darwin University, her co-supervisor.” Dr Neville Grady, who also works at Charles becoming her primary supervisor and on her good work with myself ‘double up’ into talk of doing a Masters so that she could “Our discussions subsequently broadened Council grant proposal she was preparing. evaluation component of an Australia one year ago to ask for assistance with the the University’s School of Education about in Anja originally came in to see ‘someone’ Remote and Rural Education, said that Falk who is the University’s Chair in Ms Tait’s primary supervisor, Professor Ian Increased involvement of families in ¥ Increased participation in classroom ¥ Improved mathematics achievement of ¥ improved reading achievement of up ¥ project include evidence of: Student outcomes from the research schools throughout the NT. urban, rural and remote Indigenous tunity to apply her skills and ideas in and Training - where she has an oppor- Department of Employment, Education School - which is part of the NT Team, with the Northern Territory Music member of the Music Advisory Support between her PhD research and role as Ms Tait’s professional time is shared community activities. learning tasks and school students’ learning and confidence to ask for help period up to 2.1 years during a nine month to 1.8 years during a nine month period for life she’ll go to uni-work too!” “She tells me that when she’s bigger that other-work,” Ms Tait remarked. asks me if I am going to uni-work or almost four years old, and each morning is now is that Liliane Marie, ‘the toddler’, “An unanticipated outcome of the research music and related arts education. care as well her current research in ture, in home, hospital, and community End across gender, generation, and cul- years of work in music therapy the Top This presentation will include Ms Tait’s 10 Top End of Australia. Indigenous health and education in the proposed topic is: Making the links: Music, be held in Brisbane during July 2005. The the World Congress of Music Therapy to Ms Tait is an invited keynote presenter for research seminars. the research at national conferences and Since then she has been invited to present her work was of significance. member, when it became apparent that to a PhD, with the support of another staff C marvin marvellous meeting Centre’s Director, Mr Bill Treacy. remote communities,” explained the this product in some of Australia's most governments to promote and implement with the Northern Territory and Federal the Centre is currently working closely developers of MARVIN, Inchain Pty Ltd, “Through a teaming agreement with the Solutions. Centre for Remote Telecommunications Territory by Charles Darwin University’s marketed and installed beyond the health and education services is being block Indigenous Australians access to solution that removes the language barrier that can local award winning IT A state agencies,” Mr Treacy remarked. product from a number of other federal and “There is also significant interest in the national long term Indigenous study. agency prior to its potential use on a project by a major federal government MARVIN is currently being used on a pilot export technology beyond the NT, “As a result of the Centre's recent efforts to developed technology. export NT and munication technology within the NT communities, promote information com- aim of providing solutions to remote Charles Darwin University in 2003 with the cations Solutions was established at The Centre for Remote Telecommuni- the learners themselves.” characters modelled on local elders or walking, talking, computer generated their languages. The onscreen result is messages and recording their voices in resources themselves, typing in their own develop the learning and training “MARVIN allows community members to Australia,” Mr Bill Treacy said. and other parts of remote areas of the NT information to Indigenous communities in their attempts to communicate important face health and education professionals in ”Language is one of the major barriers that nationally and internationally, are an issue. language and cultural differences, much wider suite of applications where MARVIN was a potential solution to However, it was soon recognised that remote Indigenous communities. tackling the issue of substance abuse in Inchain, MARVIN was originally aimed at Department of Employment, Education and Training and Services, the NT Department of Health and Community Collaboratively developed by the NT communities. NT health messages are delivered to remote that is revolutionising the way important News - is an animated computer product the Retrieval of Versatile Information and MARVIN - or Messaging Architecture for marvin C meetingmarvellous 9 10 11

titillating the tastes titillatingtitillating

Urged by his parents to take up a career “The saltier, lighter emu egg is equal to that could take him around the world and about a dozen chook eggs and when mean that he would never go hungry, prepared can serve around 28 people. It “ You need to experiment with different ingredients to arrive internationally experienced chef, Athol is pretty economical but a pricey product. Wark, has arrived as the new lecturer in hospitality at Charles Darwin University’s “But the great thing is that all of the at a dish and flavour that separates your food from the usual ” Alice Springs campus. product can be used. The white for the pavlova, the yolk for the anglaise and Bringing with him a culinary background the shell, cracked in half, can be used to that includes work in England, France and serve the anglaise from as part of a some of Australia’s best-known five star distinct touch to silver service.” establishments, the 39-year-old father of Jupiters Casino at the Surfers Paradise, “This cooperative approach has realised “This variety is also in my role at the two has carved out a niche for himself Born in Zimbabwe, Mr Wark’s family left Mr Wark was enticed to Alice Springs to better opportunities for both outlet and University. We have a superb facility in the specialising in using Australian ingredients. the country in 1980 upon the rise of the open up the new Convention Centre in the supplier as well as nurturing some cottage Desert Lantern Restaurant where as part Mugagbe government. Arriving in South role of Executive Chef. industries such as hydroponically grown of the hospitality team, I teach bars, Some of the dishes Mr Wark has prepared Africa at the age of 15, and not believing ingredients like lettuces and micro greens. butchery, restaurant and apprentices. include river mint smoked barramundi pate in the apartheid regime of that country, “Opportunities to open a new convention and semidried kutjra (tomato), bunya nut Mr Wark soon departed for England to centre only come along in Australia every “Change also keeps you hungry, so to “We also have great fun with the three used in a hummus and camel - ‘a beautiful take up his two year catering diploma at five years or so. It was one that I was not speak, and it was a case of taking hold of hour hobby type cooking classes we run lean product’ - used in a beetroot skewer the prestigious City and Guilds in south going to miss.” another career opportunity but this time every now and then.” with native currant and mango salsa. west England. His education here includ- with a difference. ed being one of ten apprentices selected With his contract up at the Centre, “It’s great to be encouraging people to “You need to experiment with different to work aboard the Q.E.II during a world Mr Wark decided to brave a new frontier “When the position came up I thought it recognise the assets they have and try

ingredients to arrive at a dish and flavour cruise. for himself and take up teaching at the was a great time to share the skills I have to do something unique and wonderful that separates your food from the usual,” University’s Alice Springs Campus. gained from my experiences and train with them.” C Mr Wark explained. “This was a fantastic opportunity for a people regarding industry standards and young man. I got see such destinations as “I wanted to stay in Alice as it is a unique expectations. “It really is all about destination marketing. Durban, Kenya, Sri Lanka and throughout domestic and international destination. A guest can have eggs and bacon for Asia and gained immense personal satis- The local food industry recognises this “While each role I have had has been breakfast anywhere so you need to focus faction in meeting the needs of guests and benefits from a great Food Group.” different in terms of location, each has also on making it uniquely delicious and mem- from significant cultural diversity.” been varied in terms of style whether it be orable for the customer to make your mark.” The Group was started to bring suppliers in a la carte, banquets, 24 hour outlets, After a few senior and specialist chef and chefs together and network to work silver service restaurants, bars, etc. It is this experimentation that led Mr Wark positions which included Chamonix in out how to better source or perhaps grow Variety brings with it the challenge to meet to arrive at his signature dish - the Emu France, the Crown Casino in Melbourne ingredients specific to the region rather and exceed different customer expectations. Egg Pavlova. and the Marriot Hotel and Conrad than rely on interstate goods. continued>

12 13 Charles Darwin University's leading role in It's not a matter of trying to stop“ the toads arriving - we are too late researching the impact of the invasion of for that - but, rather, being the first to document clearly and in a cane toads in Northern Australia will be “ reasonable amount of detail the impact of such an invader in a highlighted in a feature article by the continental setting world's leading scientific journal, Nature. squatter bracingbracing for the unwelcomesquatter squatter

The international weekly magazine - the any manner of wildlife, including fish, late for that - but, rather, being the first to doc-

first media to break the ‘Dolly the cloned snakes, dogs and even freshwater ument clearly and in a reasonable amount of unwelcome sheep’ story - sent one of its senior writers crocodiles, that had the misfortune of detail the impact of a vertebrate invader in a from the United Kingdom to interview biting into its highly toxic flesh. continental setting,” Dr Brook said. “This modelling has never been done for Dr Brook said while people living in Darwin ecologist Dr Barry Brook from the goanna. It will allow us to work out what may only notice the impact of cane toads university’s Key Centre for Tropical Indeed, considering the toads were totally The field work involves monitoring popu- impact cane toads are having on the on wildlife to a negligible extent, that would Research to talk about the ground- ineffective in the first instance because lations of selected species pre-cane toad mortality rate so we can make a more not be the case for Indigenous people who breaking work being done in the Northern they couldn’t jump high enough to eat the at Adelaide River, Manton Dam and informed projection about what is likely to use native wildlife such as snakes and Territory. It is the second time the hugely pest beetles normally found feeding at the around Humpty Doo outside Darwin. The happen to the goanna population in the goanna as a food resource. influential magazine has taken an interest top of sugar cane stalks, the introduction data is mostly collected from mangrove future with increased mortality and in Dr Brook’s work. It previously reported of the species was an unmitigated disaster and freshwater goanna with the northern reduced densities,” he said. “The main impact may well be on the his paper on extinctions of species in from the outset - and one that has left a quoll also under observation. Indigenous population because they use Singapore (Nature vol 424, p 420). painful and enduring legacy as one the The status quo for now, Dr Brook said, goanna as a resource. The goanna will be country’s worst environmental disasters. “We are monitoring the demographics - was to wait, observe and record. While he reduced substantially, so people will find Dr Brook, who is also receiving significant how the populations operate, how the readily accepts the cane toad will be a them much more difficult to hunt and

attention in the international scientific By the time scientists realised something wildlife survive, and how they reproduce in ‘major problem’ for Northern Australia, he acquire and it will impact on their lifestyle,” community for the co-authored paper The was seriously wrong in Queensland, the the absence of cane toads. As this has nonetheless, maintains some optimism for he said. C Uncertain Blitzkrieg of Pleistocene seemingly indestructible cane toads with been done over the last four years, we the goanna. Megafauna (Journal of Biogeography, no natural predators to keep them in check know in a fair bit of detail how the popu- 2004), has been working in the field with the had proliferated and already dramatically lations operate, and now cane toads are “I think what is likely to happen is that help of PhD students James Smith and impacted on wildlife populations. This arriving (they are almost at Adelaide River, there will be a depression in density, but Brooke Rankmore to monitor populations of meant there was no base data to quantify 110km south of Darwin) we will be able to probably no more than a local elimination selected species - mostly goanna - before the impact, no way of accurately assessing monitor things like how the density of the population. They will be reduced a the inevitable arrival of the cane toads. how wildlife populations had altered - that is changes,” Dr Brook said. lot, but they won’t become extinct and over until Dr Brook and his team started its time, as the goanna adapt through natural The compelling and novel aspect of the monitoring project four years ago. It’s a pro- “We have radio transmitters so we can find selection, they will recover but never to research currently being undertaken by ject that has transformed the Top End of dead individuals and see whether they pre-toad numbers,” he said. Brook and his team is that the focus is on the Northern Territory into a living laboratory. have ingested toads which will give us a collecting data pre-cane toad invasion. better idea of idea of mortality rates.” “Some people expect the toad to have a This has never been done before because “It is critical to have this baseline greater impact than what might actually be when the cane toads (Bufo marinus) were information pre-cane toad together with Dr Brook, who is a specialist in analytical the case. The population might be more introduced from Hawaii into Queensland information when the toads actually arrive and computer simulation modelling for resilient than people realise, so while they sugar cane fields in the 1930s to combat so we can work out what's going to population ecology and risk assessment, may not have a major impact on the the pest cane beetle, it was never contem- happen long-term. This is the main empha- said the data collected could be used to mangrove goanna, they may have a plated the amphibians would become a sis of the field work. It’s not a matter of build a computer simulation model to see substantial impact on the freshwater biological terror that would kill just about trying to stop the toads arriving - we are too how populations operated. continued> goanna - that’s the point, we will wait and see.” 14 15

foundfound in the earth mound

thousand NIGHT OF 1131A THOUSAND STARS nightstars of a More than 630 guests attended Charles staff and their understanding of the Darwin University’s formal graduation competing demands in my life,” said ceremony at the Darwin Entertainment Ms Bat, who is a Lecturer in Education at Centre during October where 229 the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous graduands attended to receive1131 formal Tertiary Education. recognition of successfully completing their studies. “I have a real career, a real family and my study is a real part of my life. The

In total, 1,131 people graduated from Image courtesy of NT News University understood this and worked out Charles Darwin University in October a flexible approach so I could successfully Research into Indigenous earth mounds “The predominance of earth mound sites “Earth mounds occur in several of the wet- including 202 higher education graduands people living with HIV/AIDS and is current- complete my Masters,” Ms Bat explained. that are thousands of years old found in across this landscape has implications for land systems in the Territory and are still and 929 vocational education and training ly the chair of PACT Youth Theatre, the wetland environments in the Northern our understanding of Aboriginal settlement very much a part of the Aboriginal cultural graduands. most awarded contemporary youth theatre Also attending the ceremony were Tiwi Territory have been the focus of a recent patterns in the freshwater wetlands of landscape. They are a great connection company in Australia. He has co-led more Island residents Aaron Sprigg and Brian seminar series involving a select group of north Australia.” with the past and the present but it is The Ceremony featured Mr Roger Gibson, than 15 leadership development courses Cerato who received the Certificate IV European universities. unusual that we find these mounds in such a Director with Price Waterhouse Cooper’s for talented young people. Assessment Workplace Training. Earth mounds are about 30 to 40 metres in open regions.” advisory and consulting business, who Daryl Guse, an anthropologist with the diameter by a metre or so high and have presented the Occasional Address to Mother of two, Melodie Bat - who received “Completing the course means more local Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority, been built over thousands of years. They “While the archaeology of the region graduands. the Masters of Education (Honours) - residents are able to train fellow residents presented the seminars which were based contain items like stone tools and mirrors the massive changes that were provided the Graduand Response. so that local skills needed for areas like on his Charles Darwin University Masters remnants of a diet that included wallabies occurring in the landscape and the eco- Previously named as one of the top 100 tourism can be developed and expanded,”

studies undertaken in the Reynolds and turtles. They can also be a burial site logy since the last ice age, the earth Future leaders of Australia, Mr Gibson has “For me, studying at Charles Darwin was Mr Cerato, who is Transport Manager with River region around Litchfield Park south for family members. mounds show that as the wetlands grew in been the Chair of MCC Welfare Services, highlighted by the genuine interest and Tiwi Islands Local Government, said. C of Darwin. size the human population became more a charity that works with disadvantaged assistance shown by lecturers and support stable and complex.” Planning to submit his thesis for his Masters of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Mr Guse said that the opportunity to Islander Studies early next year, Mr Guse present his research in Europe was said the focus of his research is the realised through some existing contacts way that Aboriginal culture interacts with with the University of Cambridge and also its environment rather than being deter- through contact, by chance, with a PhD mined by it. student from the University of Aarhus in Denmark who is in the NT to study “Work with the Werat Traditional Owners Indigenous tourism. documented a suite of archaeological sites that demonstrate continuous occupation “Gauging from the reaction to my seminars by Aboriginal people of the region during there is a great deal of European interest in the last 10,000 years,” said Mr Guse. Australian Indigenous culture and heritage.”

The region is dominated by the sandstone Mr Guse presented seminars at the plateau and escarpment of the Tabletop Departments of Anthropology and Range overlooking the extensive paper- Archeology at the University of Cambridge, bark swamps and lagoons of the Reynolds UK; University of Gothenburg, Sweden;

River, with the coast only 60 kilometres University of Aarhus, Denmark; and to the west. University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands. C 16 17

islandisland intervention Research regarding a school-based intervention program to address suicide and other serious difficulties affecting Tiwi Islands children and their families has pointed to remarkably successful outcomes.

inter The Ngarlipirliga’ajirri Early Intervention Program has been supported by research headed up by Dr Gary Robinson from Charles Darwin University’s School for Social and Policy Research.

islandven- Ngarlipirliga’ajirri, meaning ‘helping each other to clear a path’ “According to teachers’ assessments, Dr Robinson said that the measured many of the children have shown marked results of Program's outcomes are improvements in behaviour. Parents have encouraging and point to reductions also indicated improvements in the family in children’s problem behaviours and in

The study also looks at the issues situations of their children as a result of the parents’ anxiety. These improvements

of how an athletic identity can play Program's encouragement of positive and also appear to be sustained at the follow- heroic on the psychological“ well-being on assertive parenting strategies.” up stage. hero “ the individual heroicillusions The Program is run in conjunction with “If confirmed, these results will be highly schools on Bathurst and Melville Islands, significant indicators of what it is possible “ illusions located 80 km north of Darwin, and the to achieve with well targeted programs in “ i Tiwi Islands Health Services. The Tiwi Indigenous settings.” illusions Island Health Services team refer to the program as Ngarlipirliga’ajirri, meaning ‘helping each other to clear a path’.

What happens to an elite athlete’s identity “There are examples of athletes who It is expected the findings from Ms Grylls’ in a form slump or at the end of a career? struggle with their identities, including AFL research will be applied in both a theoretical ... adapting the program ... What happens when the praise and footballers that make comebacks, athletes and applied perspective in the field of to local social and cultural adulation comes to an end? How do who take risks such as using banned sport and exercise psychology, particularly circumstances. athletes cope with being dropped? How do substances (to sustain their identity) or in relation to elite Australian athletes. they cope with the sudden change of training while injured.” going from a ‘somebody’ to a ‘nobody’? “The benefits to these fields of psychology “I want to look at the athlete holistically and will be in the area of an athlete’s identity, These are some of the questions being investigate the influence of athletic identity and will generally be to those people who tackled by Charles Darwin University PhD on Australian athletes, exploring the effect deal with these athletes, such as, The $790,000 Program - which has been “Dr Robinson explained that the establish- psychology student Elizabeth Grylls. factors such as, age, nationality, personality, coaches, managers, the social group of jointly funded by the Commonwealth and ment of the program for the Tiwi Islands achievement, ability and social network the athletes and also to the athlete Northern Territory governments, Beyond required adapting the program and Ms Grylls, 32, has interviewed 153 has on an athlete’s identity.” themselves,” Ms Grylls said. Blue and the Cooperative Research research instruments to local social athletes from the amateur and professional Centre for Aboriginal Health - was adapted and cultural circumstances. ranks including AFL footballers, state She said a further aim of the study is to “It is hoped that the findings can help from ‘Exploring Together’, a school-based netballers and 44 elite international examine the extent to which an athlete will assist athletes from developing any parenting program for at risk children “Just as importantly, the program also competitors. try and maintain an athletic identity, psychological stress by ensuring that the between the ages of 6-12 years. The needed the recruitment and training of through risk taking (banned substances), athlete does not engage too much adaptation of this program was an indigenous staff. Their work with parents The working title of her thesis is ‘The Role and continuing in sport either by extending personal energy into developing and initiative of the former Tiwi Health Board. and children and their role in grounding Athletic Identity Plays on Australian their career or participating in an alternative maintaining a strong and solitary identity.” the program in the local community Athletes’. role in the sporting area. “Children with conduct disorders or context is central to its success.”

Ms Grylls expects to complete her thesis observed behavioural difficulty manifest in “I chose the topic of athletic identity “The study also looks at the issues of how at the end of 2005. C school or other settings are referred to the The current Program was completed because I kept reading newspaper an athletic identity can play on the psycho- Program by teachers and family recently with a final evaluation report of

articles, and hearing about athletes that logical well-being on the individual, after members,” explained Dr Robinson. the Program due out before the end were not the best player in the team or such factors as retirement, burnout, stress of 2004. C who were struggling to make the grade and injury, or de-listing from a club and “Six to seven children, each with a parent even though they had given up as much non-selection come into play.” or caregiver, attend the Program on a as the best player in the team, and yet weekly basis for two hours for a school they were always going to struggle,” Ms Ms Grylls has a degree in human move- term. Evaluation of parents’ well-being and Grylls said. ment from the Royal Melbourne Institute of parenting and of children’s behaviour is Technology. She has been a keen sport conducted at the start and end of the term “I wanted to know what happens to this fan for as long as she can remember and and again at a six month follow-up.” player if he or she doesn't make it.” currently works part-time as a tennis coach at the Darwin Tennis Centre. 18 19

making life as ababies born each year midwife3800inbabies the Northern Territory 3800

The Northern Territory’s high birth rate presents midwifery students, Mandi Smith “The Educator on the maternity ward is Further to the academic aspect of the and Anika Bernau, with one of the busiest fantastic and given Darwin's multicultural course is a clinical placement component and most diverse training grounds in the mix, we also learn a lot from the other mid- of 880 hours which is conducted in a country. wives we work with who come from a variety of settings, both within health care variety of different backgrounds.” facilities and in the community as a whole. With a background as a palliative care Clinical placement is undertaken three nurse and a surgical nurse in Adelaide, The University’s Midwifery Coordinator, days a week with a dedicated clinical Mandi Smith moved to the Territory three Bev Turnbull, said that there have been educator based within the health care years ago in search of a sea change. more than 30 graduates from the facility. Graduate Diploma in Midwifery since it “I had always promised myself that I would began in 1999 and that there are about 20 “Remote students come into either Darwin go back and do postgraduate studies. students currently undertaking the course. or Alice Springs for clinical practice, but Upon moving to the Territory I began work can also undertake part of their practicum at Darwin Private Hospital and learnt that “Our nationally recognised course, which in areas such as Katherine or Gove. Given they were offering scholarships in the mid- was introduced as the result of a comm- that clinical places are at a premium wifery program - a career I hadn’t contem- unity needs survey in 1999, has some dis- allover the country, interstate students can plated previously,” Ms Smith explained. tinct advantages and within the context of also undertake practicum in their own the current national shortage of midwives state where possible,” Ms Turnbull “I didn’t get a scholarship but got a job on “I had been studying nursing in Western “For me, one of the great things about the our graduates are finding employment explained. the ward where I have been for the past Australia since leaving secondary school course at Charles Darwin is the strong readily,” Ms Turnbull said. two years and decided to take up the and had always wanted to have a career in focus on Indigenous health encompassing “Unique to this course are remote clinical Graduate Diploma of Midwifery at Charles midwifery,” Ms Bernau explained. cross cultural health - an area which is Ms Turnbull said the course is designed to placement requirements where students Darwin University.” covered more extensively here than in meet the needs of remote, rural and urban are encouraged to work within an With her first child due in early 2005, other courses that I am aware of.” students and that the external nature of Aboriginal community to enhance the “I started out with the intention to complete Ms Bernau is completing the course on a the program offered opportunities for theoretical cross cultural learning.” “With a strong Indigenous population in the course full time during one year but full time basis and said that a career in The Northern Territory has the highest students in other states who would other- the Territory, the opportunity to learn from became pregnant and changed my study midwifery offered many choices. birth rate of any Australian State or wise not be able to access midwifery In the NT, remote clinical placements both health care professionals and com- to a part time basis. My son is now 10 Territory with about 3,800 babies born programs because of distance factors. occur in cooperation with Territory Health munity members in remote settings is of months old and I am looking to “It’s a whole different specialty area to the each year. With about 700 births annually and includes remote communities such as great value.” complete the course in January 2005.” rest of nursing and can also open up at the Darwin Private Hospital, both “As well as having students based in the Tiwi Islands, Galiwinku and Palumpa. alternative career paths. If you wanted Ms Smith and Ms Bernau agree that the Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs, This distinctive aspect of the course “Remote placement is a very unique Ms Smith’s classmate, Anika Bernau, to work with the Royal Flying Doctor environment is a great place to work and about one third of our students are located recognises that Indigenous births account cultural experience which is of undoubted

moved to Darwin from Perth in January Service for example, you would need to learn. continued> in either South Australia, Tasmania, New for more than 40 per cent of newborn value to the program learning outcomes,” this year and began work in Darwin have completed studies in midwifery,” South Wales or Queensland.” Territorians. Ms Turnbull stated. C Private Hospital’s maternity ward. Ms Bernau remarked. 20 21

“Change is part of the dynamic. The interactive dialogue is not as lively as unspoken it once was, so my work is also changing.”

unspokenunspoken interactionsinteractionsunspoken interactionsun interactions.spoken

The suburban use of a wasteland located “For the young men and boys in the prime This proves of great delight to her, as does Earlier in 2004 the NT government put up on the edge of the Northern Territory of their suburban warrior hood it’s a place the idea that the cars are not ‘waste’ but a hefty locked gate to the main entrance to capital has proven a successful muse for to spin out in old cars, or stolen cars, have an ongoing life as works of art with or the Swamp. Bronwyn has a key but the Charles Darwin University lecturer 4WD's or on motorbikes. without her involvement. Each of these young men’s playful traffic has almost Bronwyn Wright. cars she names, and records the changes ceased. “Plenty of active ‘circle work’ - donuts and to their surfaces and substance over time. The artist-photographer, and her two burnouts are part of the energy of “Change is part of the dynamic. The inter- dalmatian dogs Coco Donut and Hot the Swamp. The Swamp is littered with the A vital dynamic of the Swamp as an arena active dialogue is not as lively as it once Chips, have a 14 year long association wreckages of disintegrating, abandoned for making art, is Bronwyn’s tenuous was, so my work is also changing. I am with The Swamp on the edge of Darwin’s cars. These blackened, crumpled metal anonymity. Without any kind of personal making work from my huge archive of northern suburbs. Her photographic work bodies provide me with an opportunity.” exchange, indeed because there is none, images taken in the Swamp over the last here has taken Ms Wright across Australia Wright has managed to activate art seven years.” in a number of recent high profile She takes a minimal approach to her own gestures in the hoon observers connected exhibitions and competitions. interventions in the Swamp, transforming to her own interventions in the site. “My current work ‘Carscapes’ combines abandoned car bodies, which she painting in acrylic on large canvases and Earlier this year Ms Wright was one of only surreptitiously embellishes with spray- Unalloyed to any kind of conventional art silk screened photographic images. eleven artists to be invited to participate in paint and other materials. The painted context, the hoon’s play is evidence that Recent digital experimentation involves the Australian Centre for Photography’s object, the car stays in the land and the urge to alter and connect through art is low resolution mobile phone images and 30th Anniversary Exhibition, Zeitgeist. The continues its own journey of transfor unbounded. I am in the process of developing a new

graphic design lecturer was the only NT mation and decay. series of digital camera works that include based artist to be participating in the “The response of the young guys to the human figure as protagonist.” C Sydney based exhibition. “Revitalisation may take place through anything I do is raw, unknowing, innocent marks made by me or by persons of the art world.” Her participation in Zeitgeist further unknown to me. The object, the site and develops Ms Wright’s reputation. In 2003, human participators are constantly The whole question of ‘knowing’ being Ms Wright won first prize of $20,000 in the revitalised by the changing weather. This deleterious to art seems like a contradiction, ENERGEX Arbour Contemporary Art Prize is process. This is the continuum.” so grounded is art in the idea of and earlier this year exhibited her works in communication. the Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art. The photographic record reveals that through engagement with the car surface, However, in the case of the Swamp, as a “My work in The Swamp has links to the she often finds, unexpectedly, rhythms shared arena for private agendas to stealth associated with graffiti artists and and resonances with existing natural interact, the art possibilities multiply the flamboyant play of the theatre. It is forms of the Swamp. continued> exponentially in a context of open- based on intimacy with the site, daily endedness, in contrast to consciously visits, observations of seasonal variations shared collaborations which necessitates and an anonymous interaction or dialogue compromise. with a youth sub-culture.” 22 23

uncertain blitzkrieg for the final and concluding paper to be pub- lished in Biology Letters, the British journal of the Royal Society. For Bowman, 46, and Brooks, 30, this is nothing short It was a remarkable discovery and most of a star turn before the international unexpected: Two Charles Darwin University scientific community. scientists working in the sweltering heat and humidity of Darwin develop a theory that The theory, as Bowman explained, is simple. presents a very plausible explanation and mathematical model to shed light on why “The theory of uncertain blitzkrieg is that we the world’s large animals became extinct. have been able to show a biologically plausible reason whereby wherever The term used for these large animals is humans go, with whatever level of technolo- megafauna. Put simply, these are very big gy they can get their hands on, there will be animals - gigantic bison, sabre-tooth tigers a corresponding inevitable extinction of and beavers the size of grizzly bears. They animals because of the capacity of humans disappeared and no scientific theory had to change the environment and outstrip the been able to explain with any real authority animals’ capacity to adapt,” he said. why they became extinct. It was an enduring Brook, who is skilled in population “We discovered there are many different “The mathematical models are based on puzzle that provoked intense discussion from “We have been able to provide a biologically modelling, and Bowman then created a ways to extinction - you can do it by quite sound biological principles. The specialist and non-specialist alike for the plausible mechanism where previously, computer model using complex over-hunting, being incredibly wasteful, model we used looks at the balance of better part of the last 150 years. while it was said there was a mathematical algorithms so they could destroying habitats with fire and making uncertainties and gives you a probability of coincidence of extinctions where humans calibrate settings to see what inputs were the animal populations whither, you could what happened. We can, therefore, verify Finding out why the giant birds, reptiles and go, it was never elaborated. We have been needed to produce the empirical evidence do it by fixating on big animals as trophies. humans did have a role in extinction which mammals became extinct in the late able to flesh out an ecological mechanism they had before them. The problem they There's a lot of different ways you can provides a more fundamental explanation Pleistocene - about 10,000 years ago from for this to happen. The blitzkrieg is that it had is best exemplified by the analogy of a impact the capacity for the big animals to of what happened.” the end of the Ice Age in North America, and happens fast and it’s uncertain because student given a basic arithmetic test. While survive. There may have been some about 45,000 years ago in Australia - is the extinctions can happen for a lot of different the student might be told the end sum of environmental disturbance, climate The over-riding message, Brook and holy grail of paleobiology. The debate reasons, but humans are always in the mix.” the equation is, say for example, the change, drought. There’s a 101 ways you Bowman said, is that extinctions couldn’t between advocates of the two main theories number four, he or she then needs to can do it - that’s why it’s called the have occurred without the intervention of - climate change and overkill by humans - Bowman and Brook looked at the profile of decide the conceivable ways the number uncertain blitzkrieg,” Bowman said. humans, and even if there were other factors can politely be described as robust. But extinct animals and worked out individual was arrived at - that is it could be a case of that drove these extinctions, or influenced while the climate change idea seemed less body mass from skeletal remains. Over two two plus two, or two multiplied by two, or The point, now proved by Brook and the rate or magnitude of the extinctions, “it likely (negated by the fact many big animals years of painstaking research, they compiled one plus three and so on. On an infinitely Bowman, is that while humans alone were remains an inescapable fact that it wouldn’t survived the Ice Age), the overkill proposition literature from around the world, looking at larger scale, this is what Brook and not necessarily solely to blame (or, indeed, have unfolded without humans being there”. remains volatile subject matter. Indeed, the animals that had survived and those that Bowman did with their mathematical conscious of what they were doing), South Australia’s Tim Flannery is routinely had become extinct. These animals were model. They knew the end profile of the the were a factor nonetheless when the The pair agree their theory supports maligned for his seminal best-selling book then ranked according to increasing body dead animals; the computer model extinctions took place. This work is the idea that human impact on the The Future Eaters (1994) which argued that mass. The findings convinced the pair there revealed the variations that could have unprecedented. In the context of the environment must be taken very seriously. the arrival of humans in Australia had a pro- were onto something of considerable come into play to produce such an scientific argument and debate (including

found and invidious impact, leading to rapid significance. outcome. the attack on Flannery) that purports other “The impact of humans can result in major

or ‘blitzkrieg’ mass extinction of species. factors - specifically excluding humans - ramifications that echo through evolution- “What we saw was not a step, that is you got were at play in the extinctions, the ary times. These great lineages of animals It is into this contentious field that Charles uncertainto a certain size and then you were dead - blitzkrieg uncertain blitzkrieg theory is an iron-fisted have been wiped out forever, and there Darwin University’s Professor David we know that's not true because elephants The impact of rebuke. Flannery wasn't far off the mark - are many more lineages of animals and

Bowman and Dr Barry Brooks have entered exist. What we saw was a really nice he just didn't have the empirical data and plants that will soon also be wiped out for the fray to leave an indelible mark with their sweeping curve so the bigger the animal, humans can result in mathematical formula to silence his critics. good,” Brook said.

paper, The Uncertain Blitzkrieg of the more likely it was to go extinct but there “ Pleistocene Megafauna (Journal of wasn’t any threshold so little ones went major ramifications “While there are a number of scenarios “The big animals,” Bowman said, “are Biogeography, 2004). The pair published an extinct, medium ones went extinct, but more where both humans and other factors probably not going to make it in many earlier instalment of the theory in 2002 in bigger ones went extinct. This was pretty “ came into play, there are no plausible environments now, because humans have blitzkriegthe prestigious Proceedings of National exciting for us as it was a new piece of that echo through scenarios where just other factors came more powerful technology - AK47s are a Academy of Sciences of the United States empirical evidence that we had discovered,” into play and humans didn’t play a role as lot better than running around and killing uncertainz journal, and they are awaiting peer review Bowman said. continued> evolutionary times. other people have argued,” Brook said. an animal with a spear.” C uncertainuncertain blitzkrieg

24 25 C

The creation, ownership and use of know- ledge sourced from the world's most strikingly beautiful landscapes heralded Charles Darwin University’s second symposium for 2004: The Living Desert.

“The desert is a European idea, and is the living desert often equated with wilderness, a waste- living desert land, no mans land,” Symposium con- venor and Charles Darwin University’s rights“As water rights and management and is in a “This Projectvalues provides significant Chair of Desert Knowledge, Professor period of flux in Australia, the situation for resources to Aboriginal people to do this,” Donna Craig explained. desert Indigenous people is unclear. There is a explained Lucas Jordan, a Research need to distil from International and Associate with Charles Darwin University, “Yet the world’s deserts are populated, FREE SYMPOSIUM: National law, what are the actual respon- who will spend the next three years work- some for tens of thousands of years, some sibilities of governments and to see ing on the project following similar cultural by millions of people. They are culturally THE LIVING DESERT whether there is a generic way forward heritage work on Cape York Peninsula. and environmentally rich places albeit with that suits the many Indigenous Nations uncertain futures.” within Australia,” Chief Investigator and “The first stage is a collaborative effort to lecturer in resource management, establish what cultural values of water “In a globalising world, how should Dr Naomi Rea, said. means to Indigenous people in the knowledge be used, owned, gathered and water Anmatjere region and how they would like archived in desert regions? How can such “Concerns about water - whether it be to participate in regional water issues,” knowledge help community development, wrightswater and values poor water quality or supply, over use, Dr Rea explained. cultural priorities and environmental desecration of sacred sites or lack of protection?” consultation - being expressed by “Concurrently, an Indigenous Water Rights Indigenous people and landowners are Report is being prepared that provides the Held at Alice Springs’ Araluen Centre, widespread across the Territory.” formal backing for recognition of values. the symposium took place on 9 and 10 The second stage is a negotiation phase November. “It is now recognised that consideration of between all partners and government with cultural issues with regard to water the aim of instating cultural values of water Hosted by ABC journalist, Justin Murphy, resource management has much room for and traditional and contemporary rights

The Living Desert attracted an exciting improvement. This project is timely and into institutional structures and Natural array of local, national and international can place cultural values, laws and rights Resource Management procedures.” C speakers to discuss the important intellec- into clearly articulated mechanisms that tual and institutional issues related to enable Indigenous people to express their learning and research in desert regions.

Mr Sopan Joshi, from the Centre for Science and the Environment in India, presented international insights into build- ing the knowledge economy with the world's desert regions. Mr Joshi is also Deputy Coordinator with the New Delhi publication Down to Earth which covers energy politics, Indigenous people, land and water management and agriculture. experience in Indigenous intellectual and Politicians increasingly talk about invest- All Australian governments face a chal- views and wishes, engage in decision cultural property, genetic resources, ing in human capital, and childhood has lenge to achieve water policy and making and have improved autonomy over Learning from the visions of great uni- bio-prospecting, micro-credit and banking moved to the forefront of Australian management that accounts for regional how surface and groundwater is used on versities of the desert was the focus of in remote areas. domestic economic and social policy. social and cultural factors and meets traditional lands.” water Native American educator Octaviana Scientists and scholars are asking: Why is international and national commitments Trujillo's presentation. A director of Applied Alice Springs born Harold Furber this intense interest in children arising and policy. Of the scattered work across The Project, which also involves the Centre Indigenous Studies at Northern Arizona provided focus on the meanings of univer- now? What is the idea of intervention? the country about Indigenous connection for Environmental Law at Macquarie water University, Professor Trujillo has extensive sity based on their historical evolution. What are the meanings of child develop- to freshwaters, little was produced and University, the Central Land Council, the experience in education program A board member of the Desert Knowledge ment and family functioning in multicultural approved by the custodians or traditional Anmatjere Council and the Department of As water rights and management is in a development for minority and multicultural Cooperative Research Centre, he holds a and postcolonial society? How do these owners and little was used to build Infrastructure, Environment and Planning, populations - particularly Native Americans varied background as an administrator become significant for families, for the capacity or improve the outcome with is focused some 200km north of Alice period of flux in Australia, the situation was the first woman to serve as chair of and an educator in Indigenous issues. He sustainability of child-centred interventions regard to the management of freshwater. Springs in the Anmatjere Region. the Pascua Yaqui tribe in Arizona and has has won many awards including a Central and programs, and for research? for Indigenous people is unclear. received fellowships from the Fulbright, Australian of the Year NAIDOC Award. As a consequence, a Charles Darwin Irrigated agriculture is firmly established Kellogg, Smithsonian and Rockefeller The 2005 Charles Darwin Symposium in University led team has commenced a around the township of Ti-Tree and is foundations. More information on the speakers and Alice Springs wants to bring an inter- $340,000 Commonwealth Government slowly extending up and down the Stuart the Living Desert program is available at: national debate on childhood to the funded three-year project to explore how Highway. The 2002 Ti-Tree Water Robynne Quiggin, a descendent of the www.cdu.edu.au/cdss Northern Territory and invites the public, Indigenous water rights and values could Management Strategy states that the Wiradjuri people from NSW, discussed practitioners, policy-makers and intellectuals be formally recognised. The majority of cultural and environmental significance of valuing, understanding and protecting Looking ahead, next year’s Charles to engage closely with specialist funds are from Land and Water Australia ephemeral streams, swamps and water- Indigenous knowledge. A former solicitor, Darwin Symposium at Alice Springs will be scholars attending from the USA, UK with the Desert Knowledge Cooperative holes are currently unknown and Childhood: Children, Culture and Our Ms Quiggin is a law lecturer at the held between 20 - 22 September in the and Australia. Research Centre matching funds provided recommends surveys to determine these Community. University of Technology Sydney, a Araluen Centre under the title of Imagining for the participation and training of values as part of the management of water researcher at Jumbunna Indigenous Indigenous people. resources in the region. House of Learning and has a depth of 26 27

knight’s knight’s folly knight’s folly k folly The hundreds of artefacts recovered so far offer evidence of the various site k occupants but the most prolific material evidence relates to the second house.

“For example, numerous intact beer bottles, a naval button, 1940s coinage and a few bullets, hundreds of nails and other fastenings. Nineteenth century artefacts are infrequent, but locating two tiny opium bottles and a 19th century Minié bullet for a top end loading rifle were welcome finds,” Ms Mastin explained. An archaeological excavation of a grand Bay Gaol, Court House, Police Station and Unfortunately Knight’s house was destroyed Moorish style building designed by one of the reconstruction of the Government by fire in 1933 with a second house Ms Mastin, who has undertaken similar the Australia’s leading 19th century Residence,” Ms Mastin explained. constructed on the same site in 1938 which historical excavations in the last seven architects is creating a history portal stood until devastated by Cyclone Tracy in years, wants the ‘Knight’s Folly’ site to be between the old Darwin CBD and the city's “He even constructed a fenced swimming 1974. This house, also two storeyed but left open for assessment and interpretation. soon to be constructed $600 million dollar pool at the end of Fort Hill that allowed for smaller, was constructed of fibro cement waterfront development. the high tidal fluctuations.” with louvre windows and elevated on short “It is a wonderful landscape that looks out concrete piers. During World War Two the upon Darwin Harbour. There are mature Historical archaeologist postgraduate “The home he erected in Darwin in 1884 house was requisitioned by the Navy and shady trees, sea breezes and an student, Julie Mastin, is excavating the was below Government House and occupied from 1943 until 1960. atmosphere that lends itself to having a site of the former home of Government nestled against a cliff face with panoramic picnic area for people to sit and learn Resident, John George Knight, as part of views of the waterfront. The house was “This excavation is exciting as well as something about the old Darwin.” her Master of Arts degree at Charles known by different names - generally as being frustrating. Knowing that two houses Darwin University. ‘Knight's Folly’, the ‘Mud Hut’, or in have occupied the same site, the amount “It’s going to be a wonderful thing for correspondence from Knight himself, of concrete slabs unearthed in such tourism - a link between Darwin’s admin- Knight, who arrived in Melbourne from Mudville on the Sea.” varying depths is a puzzle. The answer Julie Mastin with former resident of Knight’s istrative centre and the new waterfront England in 1852, designed a number of to the puzzle, is finding how to link these development. I want the site to be there for public buildings in Victoria including The building was Darwin’s first two-storey slabs to cover the known occupants Folly and former Northern Territory the people. This man did so much for Melbourne’s Parliament House, Melbourne house, and its construction was possibly that lived here.” Administrator, Austin Asche. Darwin and I’d like it to be retained as a Customs House and several other the first use of concrete in the Northern memorial for him,” she said. commercial buildings and many private Territory - this is at a time when the One definitive known feature from Knight’s houses. Australian use of concrete in houses home is the embedded pillar in the cliff As this excavation season nears comple- was at an embryonic stage. Knight was face. This is verified from photographic tion, and the analysing of the artefacts In 1873, Knight relocated to Port Darwin and fascinated by building materials and had evidence showing the pillar as a support begins, Ms Mastin is looking forward to the settled into a life of distinguished public hoped that his home would eventually part of the upper storey verandah that second archaeological season next year service, holding a variety of government become a museum. The architectural style surrounded the house. and to build on the features that have been positions, the final one being that of of his residence, reflected his knowledge located so far. Government Resident. He died in the of flow through ventilation, large “Excitement mounted when we located Government Residence on 10 January 1892. verandahs to keep the inner core cool and two levels and also three steps constructed It is envisaged that after next year’s the entire house painted white to reflect of roughly dressed porcellanite rocks. This excavation, all features will be left “Knight has been described as a remark- the sun. masonry work there is unlike any other exposed, with interpretive signage able man and designed many of early feature on the site, and writings of the time installed which offers the visitor the Darwin's - then Palmerston - culturally “He was referred to as an eccentric man, state that Knight used at least one local opportunity to step back into the past. important buildings, including the Town but he sounds to me, practical and inno- prisoner from the gaol skilled in masonry

Hall, Brown’s Mart, the Infirmary of Fannie vative,” Ms Mastin remarked. to construct his home.” continued> “This is Northern Territory’s history shaped by a man of vision.” C 28 29

detecting the differencedetecting the detectingdetecting the the differencedetecting differencedetecting the difference the differencedetecting the differen detecting detectingthe difference the difference detectingdetecting the the differencedetecting differencedetecting the difference the differencedetecting the difference detecting detectingthe difference the differen detectingdetecting the the differencedetecting differencedetecting the difference the differencedetecting the difference

detecting the difference difference “Thus it was determined not only who shot “It is tragic how the consequences of this “Recent voice identification first, but the chronology of shots and how hearing loss affect the personal, social and d many time each shooter fired their gun, as educational potential for so many children cases that I have been well as the time between shots.” in the Territory.”

In that instance the defendant shot first “Indigenous Australians have the highest involved in include the and the threat of a criminal case against incidence of hearing loss compared to any d authenticity and voices of the the police officers evaporated. other population. On Bathurst Island more than 50 per cent of the children have “In a civil case, a disgruntled employee actively draining ears with consequent alleged Osama bin Laden surreptitiously recorded her employer. Not hearing impairment as well. Enough happy with the lack of incriminating hearing loss so that hearing their friends, audio recordings...” evidence, the plaintiff tampered with the their family members and their teachers is tape-recorded evidence. Dr Yonovitz nearly impossible.” produced a very damaging report (against To: Al Yonovitz, Making sense of the confused conver- and Shell Oil Company. His work has also people that the two did not like. the plaintiff), at which time the case settled “Our Indigenous population comprises 28 sations of a suicide cult, the desperation of included various United States agencies, Subsequent arrests of innocent people and the trial was called off.” percent of the Territory and owns over 50 …Well, you missed (as you were in an emergency call and evaluating the including the Federal Bureau of sought to have their voices compared, as percent of the land and yet we face this Australia) my graduation from medical authenticity of ‘lost’ recordings by the King Investigation, the Drug Enforcement they knew they were not parties to those Other cases only involve tape-recorded nexus in health and education from a school, my research fellowship at the of Rock and Roll or terrorist broadcasts Administration, the U.S. Customs Service, made-up transactions.” evidence indirectly, as Dr Yonovitz also country that inspired the world with the NRC, and my two space flights and walks. can all be in a day’s work for Dr Al the Internal Revenue Service and the deals with linguistics, phonetics, acoustics, bionic ear.” BUT, I have always wanted to tell you how Yonovitz. Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Dr Yonovitz got ‘eliminations’ of the noise measurement and analysis. important those years in your lab and your Firearms. exemplars - the defendants were not on His research and teaching includes friendship has meant to me. In fact, you Holding a doctorate in psychological the taped evidence. The court compelled “One case involved the authenticity of working as the Unit Head in Ear Health are part of the equation for my audio recordings alleged to be that of Elvis and Education at the Menzies School of acoustics, Dr Yonovitz is a psychology “Recent voice identification cases that I Dr Yonovitz to send his data to the FBI success...and I THANK YOU! I hope that Presley. In addition to voice/speaker Health Research and the District Manager lecturer at Charles Darwin University and have been involved in include the authen- and, before trial, the U.S. Government we can get together some time in the near identification via singing, research and for Australian Hearing. has been involved in the area of forensic ticity and voices of the alleged Osama bin dismissed the entire case against all future. Besides, I think I owe you some analyses of the old taped medium was audio and video for over 25 years. Laden audio recordings and, more co-defendants. money (from my poor college student gruesomely, the Islamic beheadings of helpful in the authenticity analyses.” Interestingly, his credits also include days)… Dr Yonovitz’s involvement in forensic American civilians captured on video and “In another criminal case, a hotel room having mentored the first African American audio and video analyses was fortuitous. placed on the World Wide Web via Islamic was rigged by local police to record both Despite the exotic attraction of ‘crime- Astronaut to ‘walk in space’. Bernard Harris As a lecturer and associate professor at websites,” Dr Yonovitz remarked. audio and video a drug transaction. But busting’, Dr Yonovitz believes that the the University of Texas Medical School, he the buy and the video equipment went challenge of a court case and establishing a “Like many students that I am mentoring at After flying his inaugural space mission in already had the academic background and He explains that there is no ‘typical’ awry, as gunshots were exchanged scientific basis for truth is as exciting as an the Charles Darwin University, Bernard 1993, Dr Harris flew as payload credentials to analyse and testify about forensic case although some are more between the undercover officers and the academic pursuit in applied or basic science. walked into our hearing research commander for the first flight of the joint the forensic analyses of tape-recorded intriguing than others. defendants.” laboratory in Houston, Texas as a second Russian-American program in 1995. evidence. Various law enforcement At Charles Darwin University, Dr Yonovitz’s year University student interested in During this mission, he visited the Mir agencies and criminal defence attorneys “In one recent criminal case a suspect left “However, the acoustic percussions of the primary research is in the area of providing hearing science.” space station, conducted more extensive would seek his assistance in cases that a message on the answering machine of gunshots were incidentally recorded, the best possible hearing for Territorians research on humans in space and had tape-recorded evidence. His ‘big the decedent. The voice on the answering and it was critical to know whether the with a focus into better hearing for both “Bernard needed a job and a friend as well conducted a five-hour space walk outside break’ was a very high profile murder-for- machine was compared aurally and defendants or the police officers fired the Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. and the funds raised from a few acoustic the shuttle Discovery thus becoming the hire case, after which he gained much spectrographically with a known exemplar first shot.” forensic cases paid for Bernard's work first African-American to walk in space. attention to this unique area of the forensic of the defendant. Such evidence was used As a clinical audiologist as well, he eventually led to significant publications in sciences. to gain a first-degree murder conviction.” Dr Yonovitz determined that because the continues to inform about the difficulties hearing aid studies.” “I hope that at some stage in the near defendant and the police officer had children and adults experience with future that Bernard can visit Australia and, Since then he has been involved in the “In another criminal case, an informant different calibre handguns - and hence hearing impairment. His research with When Dr Yonovitz came to Australia for through the work I do in remote high profile David Koresh/Branch Davidian was paid marked money to buy illicit drugs yielding different acoustic ballistic Indigenous children has inspired a key work in Indigenous hearing they lost touch Indigenous communities, we can both (Waco, Texas) criminal case and provided and surreptitiously tape record every signatures - then it was a matter of reveal- element within the NT Department of until their friendship was reunited with an realise a dream of helping to inspire analysis of tape recordings for Fortune transaction. However, the informant decided ing the acoustics of each shot and Employment, Education and Training e-mail: Indigenous and non Indigenous youth

500 companies including the Motorola to go in cahoots with a friend, pocket the matching it with the known gun. Literacy and Numeracy Strategy. about the possibilities that life can hold,” Corporation, United Parcel Service, Inc. money, fake a transaction and implicate continued> Dr Yonovitz said. C 30 31 beneficiaries. pus will all be Palmerston cam- Palmerston the University's well as students from the Palmerston area,the Palmerston as Other sporting in groups

newroostnewnew roost roost roost A $2 million Northern Territory Government grant is funding the new home ground for Photo courtesy Scabies Laboratory, Menzies the Palmerston Magpies football team at School of Health Research Charles Darwin University’s Palmerston “For the students at the Palmerston Campus. campus, it will mean greatly enhanced access to a good sports ground-it is some- The grant forms the basis for a partner- thing that will be available to other ship between Palmerston’s Australian sporting groups in the city of Palmerston. Rules Football team - which plays in the We have undertaken consultations with NT Football League - and the University. the surrounding community to ensure that the new developments will harmonise with “Partnerships such as this are the way of community expectations.” the good oil the future for the development of sports facilities in the Territory,” NT Minister for “We will also continue to work closely with Sport and Recreation, John Ah Kit, said. the Palmerston Magpies in developing detailed plans for improvements to what “It gives greater economies of scale and will be a joint venture between the OIL greater capacity to leverage improve- Palmerston Magpies and the University.” ments and expansion through joint construction projects, volunteer and The funding will go to the University, which sponsorship commitments. Other sporting is committed to expanding sporting Tea Tree oil is being used as an effective Successful community based ‘healthy groups in the Palmerston area, as well as facilities for students on the Palmerston treatment for people suffering severe skin’ programs involving mass treatment students from the University’s Palmerston campus. It is expected the $2 million will scabies at Royal Darwin Hospital as a of all residents with permethrin has been campus will all be beneficiaries.” go a long way towards priorities such as result of research undertaken at Menzies introduced in a bid to reduce the preva- providing improvements to the oval, and School of Health Research - a Research lence of scabies. Vice Chancellor Professor Helen Garnett the construction of a fence, scoreboard,

School in Charles Darwin University’s said that the partnership was an important change rooms and kiosk, as well as car Institute of Advanced Studies. Dr Shelley Walton from the Menzies step forward for the Palmerston campus. parking and limited spectator facilities. C Scabies Laboratory says there are only a Laboratory studies found tea tree oil to be few effective treatments for scabies, and highly effective in killing the scabies mite, it's feared the scabies mite, like head lice, leading researchers to believe it may help will become highly resistant to them. putting practice into study the problem of the mite’s increasing tolerance to current standard treatments. “We have evidence of increasing tolerance putting practice into study of the scabies mites to permethrin, the A new virtual reality based learning The Practice Firm is a learning centre virtual salaries. They will also learn other Up to 60 per cent of children in remote current treatment used in community con- environment focused on the travel where students can complete a Certificate important skills like work and business Aboriginal communities in northern and trol programs, over the last five years. We industry has been opened at Charles one and two in Business and Certificate ethics, skills that might otherwise sound central Australia are infected with scabies have also recently reported the first Darwin University’s Palmerston Campus. three and four in tourism. The University’s very abstract coming out of a text book,” - a skin disease caused by a tiny evidence of resistance to oral ivermectin. School of Tourism and Hospitality is head- Ms McGrath remarked. burrowing mite. It is further estimated 300 This is of great concern as ivermectin is The Travel Gateway Practice Firm is a quartered at the Palmerston Campus. million people worldwide suffer from the treatment of choice for crusted simulated business environment where The Travel Gateway Practice Firm scabies at any one time. scabies, a very severe and debilitating Charles Darwin University business and “It's the ultimate learning environment complements the highly acclaimed form of the disease.” tourism students ‘virtually’ sell travel pack- where theory meets practice,” Head of the Crocodylus World Practice Firm that has Scabies causes intense itching, resulting ages to the Northern Territory and Borneo University’s School of Tourism and operated at the University’s Casuarina in skin damage through scratching. These “With limited effective drugs available for as well as Royal Brunei airfares. The Hospitality, Morag McGrath, stated. “In Campus for the past seven years. A sores often become infected with secondary the treatment of scabies, it is important to practice firm is a result of a newly forged addition to learning how to run a business partnership between the University and bacterial infections which can lead to life avoid the development of drug resistance partnership between Charles Darwin from a textbook or conventional classroom, Crocodylus Park, the Crocodylus World threatening illnesses such as in scabies mites,” she said. University and Northern Gateway Pty Ltd. students run a virtual business.” Practice firm was recognised with a kidney and heart disease. Some Judges’ Encouragement Award during the remote communities in the “In order to extend the effective Dr Walton and the Scabies lab team are “Tourism is one of the Territory's biggest “While no money or products are actually Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in

Northern Territory have the life of the available treat- now extending their studies to identify the industries,” Northern Gateway Chief exchanged, the students market and sell Community and Business Partnerships highest rates of kidney and ments, we've been looking for scabies mite genes involved in the Executive Officer, Penni Tastula, said. travel products, keep accounts, negotiate this year. C heart disease in the world. alternative therapies to development of resistance to existing “Reality based training for students is a contracts and post profit and loss complement the existing treatments. It is hoped their work will help fantastic opportunity for us to help grow statements in a virtual environment that Preventing the spread of drugs, and laboratory studies avoid the current global problems of the professionalism, capacity and repu- reflects the actual business operations of

scabies has now become a show tea tree oil to be an resistance to treatment observed in other tation of the Territory’s travel industry into Northern Gateway. The students make priority for many communities. effective treatment,” she said. organisms such as head lice. C the future.” hard business decisions and are paid 32 33

Jill Byrnes gaining a great deal of experience with departments, preparing culturally appro- Completing a Master of Development Indigenous organisations and government priate training/information materials, and Management at the University in 1993, I departments. writing funding submissions and annual established a management consulting reports. Last year I moved to the Hervey business, specialising in non-profit, My work includes community development Bay area of Queensland, and have

community-based organisations. I moved to facilitation, corporate governance training continued the consultancy business which I Kununurra in 1994 and continued the and facilitation, strategic planning, conduct- find very rewarding and worthwhile. C >directions>> directions consulting business there for nine years, ing consultations on behalf of government

LEFT - RIGHT Herbert Howell Charleston Wang Grace Fombad (far right) Vince Champion Jill Byrnes (back row, far right)

Herbert Howell challenge, especially in the areas of Asylum For example, in Timor Leste we, the Graduating in 1999 with studies in Teaching and the Torture Convention. My practice volunteers, organised clean up campaigns English to Speakers of other Languages allows me the opportunity to professionally and provided trash bins for the streets and from Charles Darwin University, I spent the compare the human right conditions in also bedding for the maternity ward of the indigenous health researchresearch boosted rest of the year at Warburton Ranges, a various parts of the world and to use U.S. national hospital. We also organised monthly remote Indigenous community in Western immigration law to help people escape consultations and feeding for one of the Australia's Gibson Desert which had been persecution and torture. The comparative many orphanages in the country. boosted Professor Kerin O’Dea said the program For example, little is known about how my home since the 1960s. law study at Charles Darwin certainly has indigenous health will pull together leading Australian these conditions develop over time in improved my ability to help my clients for Vince Champion research teams in diabetes and renal different populations. Probably the When the year was completed my wife and which I am grateful. At age 30 I decided to return to school. As research boosted disease among Indigenous Australian greatest knowledge gap is in the area of I shifted to Esperance where I took up a I hadn't completed year 12, I needed to do a populations in a collaboration between effective interventions - both to prevent teaching position in a non-government all I now live in Cincinnati with my wife, Shirley, tertiary bridging program and was very Menzies School of Health Research, diabetes, kidney and heart disease in Indigenous school. Wongutha CAPS is a and we are the proud parents of Vivian, thankful I had completed that course prior to University of Queensland and the young people, and to treat existing cases Vocational Education and Training school 21 who studies at Stanford University, and doing degree studies as it prepared me University of Melbourne. effectively. for years 11 and 12 students most of whom Arthur, 17 who attends Sycamore High brilliantly for what was to come. The skills come from the Kimberley region with School in Cincinnati. I learned during that one semester made the A research team led by Professor Kerin “We have assembled a multidisciplinary According to Professor O’Dea, the aim of several coming from the Eastern Goldfields, subsequent six years of study more O’Dea, Director of the Menzies School of team of experienced and talented the research is to better understand the the Pilbara and a small number from the Grace Fombad enjoyable, less stressful, and more success- Health Research (MSHR) has been researchers with strong and diverse back- development of chronic disease across WA's south west. I teach a Scaffolding As a 45 year old medical doctor (G.P), ful. I completed a BA in 1999 majoring in awarded over $7 million over five years to grounds in Indigenous health in an effort to the lifespan, and to guide the development literacy program (known as Accelerated I completed a Master of Public Health with anthropology with a double in psychology. address the serious health problem of reduce the impact of chronic diseases of diet, lifestyle and clinical interventions. Literacy in the NT) as our students are all Charles Darwin University's Menzies diabetes, kidney and heart disease in occurring in epidemic proportions among English as a Second Language speakers School of Health Research this year. I gained employment as a psychiatric Indigenous people. Indigenous Australians.” “Our research will continue to study and most have very low literacy levels. My choice of Charles Darwin was rehabilitation worker with TEAM Health. This patterns of disease and seek to identify influenced by the fact that they offered community based mental health organisation The prestigious program grant, funded by “The program will focus on diabetes, major determinants and casual pathways It is very encouraging to have students mixed mode of studies which allowed me to were very supportive of me undertaking Australia’s National Health and Medical kidney and heart disease all of which occur to chronic disease in Indigenous popu- increase their literacy levels, in some cases work and pay for my course and ultimately, further studies and I undertook and com- Research Council (NHMRC), is the at a much higher prevalence and earlier lations from many communities and dramatically, as they are all in their last my studies have allowed me to expand my pleted Psychology Honours in 2000. biggest ever grant awarded to MSHR, a age of onset among Torres Strait Islander regions across three states and territories.” years of school and are considered ‘at risk’. continued interest in and contributions to research school in Charles Darwin and Aboriginal people than among the I really appreciated the studies I completed the United Nations. Clinical staff at TEAM Health are fortunate University’s Institute of Advanced Studies. broader Australian population,” she said. in Darwin and have now commenced a to receive clinical supervision from a senior Masters in Applied Linguistics and trust this Married with four children, I have served as psychologist at Top End Mental Health indigenous health Relative to the overall Australian will also help the students at the school in MD in my home country of Cameroon for 14 Services (TEMHS). It was therefore easy population, Indigenous Australians have the long run. years and also as a UN Volunteer medical for me to adapt that work supervision to the 15 - 20 years shorter life expectancy. “We will also be looking at the most effec- doctor in Timor Leste for 23 months. For the formal two year supervision required to Diabetes and related conditions, such as tive community based interventions - both Charleston Wang past three months I have been working with complete my registration as a psychologist I completed my LLM in Comparative Law the UN peace keeping force in Sierra with the NT Health Board, which occurred heart disease and kidney disease, are to prevent diabetes, kidney and heart from Charles Darwin University in May Leone, a place of current conflict but also in 2003. major contributors to this reduced longevity. disease in young people, and to treat exist- 2002. I chose the University because of its great hope, where I am currently serving in ing cases effectively. Most importantly, unique program in South East Asian Law the capacity of Medical Officer and admin- I am now the psychologist to the ‘Adult Disturbing statistics reveal Indigenous these interventions need to be simple, which includes the Islamic law of the region. istratively assisting the Chief Medical Team’ at TEMHS outpatient clinic at the people experience up to four times greater effective, acceptable to Indigenous people I earned my first law degree, a Juris Doctor Officer in his absence. Already, we have Tamarind Centre - a job which I love and prevalence of cardiovascular disease, and sustainable over the long term.” from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law, had to live through an outbreak of Cholera which allows me to further develop my more than 10 times the prevalence of Northern Kentucky University in 1982. I also and Lassa fever. skills. I provide psychological intervention diabetes in the 20 - 50 year age group, and “We are hoping the results of our research hold a MBA in International Business from into a broad range of mental health issues develop end-stage renal disease at up to will inform policies in areas such as Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio (1979). With the United Nations I have the as well as clinical input into the psychiatric 30 times the rate of non-Indigenous people. quality and affordability of the food supply opportunity to assist those who have gone inpatient unit at the hospital. I plan on one in remote communities; infrastructure to Since graduation, I have continued to through periods of agony and are in need. day undertaking a Masters in psychology While these chronic diseases are known to promote physical activity; and provision of practice U.S. immigration law and am I treat local staff working with the UN while on an external basis to complete cause suffering and premature death high quality primary health care focussing

admitted before the Federal and Ohio state living under the same conditions they do my registration with the Australian in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander on early intervention and care of people at bars. Given the turbulence in the world, and with my salary, I sometimes go into the Psychologists Association. continued> communities, there remain knowledge gaps. risk of chronic disease,” she said. C immigration law gives me little rest and great communities for philanthropic activities. 34 35

“Earlier this year, in March 2004, another same people who, ironically, can also be so spirited venture, which continued Gohier’s important acquisition was made of a brutal and merciless when the call arises,” involvement with the tuition of printmaking painting by Franck Gohier - a Darwin- Mr Gohier explained. skills to Indigenous communities, later based artist and printmaker. It is not only extending this to prisoners at Berrimah Jail. visually compelling, but represents an French born Gohier graduated with a BA historic link with Northern Editions.” (Fine Arts, majoring in printmaking) from In April 2004, the Charles Darwin way flowers do, to die an honourable this University in 1991, where he also University Art Collection acquired, by Createddeath in December 2003, Falling the worked as a studio printmaker/lecturer donation from the artist, 79 poster prints between 1993-96. by Mr Gohier dating from 1997-2002, , (as shown on page 1) is a power- emanating from the pioneering printmaking fully resolved work in acrylic on aluminium During this time, Mr Gohier co-founded studio of Red Hand. pop rivet, inspired by the artist’s interest in (along with Leon Stainer and George the hidden history of war. Mr Gohier said Watts) a series of ground-breaking print- “They comprise a significant component of he was intrigued by the fact that ‘civilisa- making workshops involving Indigenous the University's holdings of locally-inspired tion’ and the development of the artists from remote communities through- prints and posters, alongside a consider- humanities usually arise from an affluent out the Top End and Desert regions of able range of other art works by Gohier, culture where its people are strong and North Australia. either as principal artist or printer/ secure. This position of advantage is collaborator at the University Printmaking usually achieved via politics, economics “The important links forged by this team of Studio.” and war. He said that the Japanese, dur- printmakers, between the University and ing World War II, called their pilots who several key Indigenous art communities, With temporary exhibitions from the died in combat ‘Falling Chrysanthemums’. formed the foundation of Northern Editions collection having already been staged Printmaking Studio, recently described by during 2004 in conjunction with University “In this painting, I was trying to capture the former Chancellor Nan Giese as ‘the jewel events, future exhibitions on highlights of poetic side of humanity, even in war. It is a in the crown’ of Charles Darwin University,” the collection are planned and promise to homage to all men and women in the world Ms Angel explained. provide important insights into the

who have an artistic and poetic element in University, the Northern Territory and the their nature, people who have arrived from In 1997, Mr Gohier co-founded Red Hand region in which we interact. C all the great civilisations and cultural back- Print Studio together with Shaun Poustie, grounds that history has recorded - the an ideologically radical and independently

art matters

Anita Angel has dedicated most of 2004 to Ms Angel, who is currently completing her its predecessor print making studio discovering, cataloguing and assessing doctorate in Art History and North workshops from 1993 to the present. aart matters many of the 1200-plus art works that Australian History at Charles Darwin art comprise one of the Northern Territory’s University, said that with re-assessment of Ms Angel said that future acquisitions to A art most significant art collections. the collection well underway, the collection the collection are assured, via the is gaining increased notice. generous on-going donation of workshop Appointed Curator of Charles Darwin proofs of limited edition prints from University’s permanent art collection in “Many art works, formerly in storage, have Northern Editions. February, Ms Angel was confronted with a now been displayed throughout the collection that was fairly scattered, its University's Casuarina Campus, with “In recognition of the collection’s LEFT Painting by George Ward Tjungurrayi (2004) scope and depth little known in the plans for other works to be re-hung at the importance to both the University and the Northern Territory and beyond. Palmerston Campus and displayed in broader community, the University BELOW Alice Springs, as well as other campuses Foundation recently sponsored the Large fish trap by Jack Marnbarra (2004); two small fish traps by Bonnie Burarn.garra (2004) “Established as a ‘University Collection’ in of the University. A number of art works acquisition of two significant paintings by 1989, it drew together the disparate are also currently on temporary loan to Pintupi artists Bobby West Tjupurrula and collections of the University’s precursor Government House in Darwin.” George Ward Tjungurrayi, represented by institutions: the University College of the Papunya Tula Artists Pty Ltd, Alice Northern Territory, the Darwin Institute of The Collection comprises approximately Springs. George Ward Tjungurrayi was Technology and the Darwin Community 200 paintings, works on paper, sculptures, the recipient of the Wynne Prize for College,” Ms Angel explained. ceramics and a number of textiles and landscape art this year at the Art Gallery mixed-media works by non-Indigenous of New South Wales.” In late 2003, management of the Australian and South East Asian artists. collection became the responsibility of the There is also a small collection of early Other recent acquisitions include three University’s Northern Editions Printmaking Indigenous bark paintings, sculptures and woven fish-traps and a stunning fibre fish Studio - the largest publisher of artefacts, contemporary Indigenous fence by artists from Maningrida Arts and Indigenous prints in Australia - and, paintings and works on paper as well as a Culture, and a fine painting by Fiona shortly afterwards, the University’s significant archive of more than 1000 Sivyer, a promising artist and post- Vice-Chancellor, Professor Helen Garnett, limited edition prints by Australian graduate student in the University’s accepted the role of Patron. Indigenous and several South East Asian School of Fine Art and Design. continued> artists produced at Northern Editions and 36

are often unable to train new employees in developing and perfecting their skills in basic skills such as horse riding because marking cattle. The students were given of the busy mustering schedule. Added to the opportunity to travel to nearby this, safety concerns for unskilled riders Newcastle Waters for some on-the-job prevent them from hiring people who may training and skill building. They were be keen to work but have never had the engaged in basic station skills including opportunity to gain proficiency in these mustering/walking cows and calves, most basic requirements. marking, branding, tailing weaners, and fence repair. All of the students loved the “Due to this vicious cycle, stations such as practical work experience and profited Newcastle Waters and Hayfield encour- from the exposure to real-life work. aged the Rural College to deliver this training and offered to take on some of the “After the two weeks were over, the students when they gain basic students expressed a desire to come to competency,” Dr Heim explained. the Rural College for more training as well as participate in further offerings in the Though it took some time to get the project Elliott community. A trip up the Stuart off and running, the results were well worth Highway to the College in Katherine is the efforts. Strongly promoted by local being scheduled for the near future and training consultant David Green, the work is also commencing to develop project took on a life of its own and further opportunities for training in Elliott eventually included assistance from the and in other remote locations.” Elliott community, the NT Department of Business, Industry and Resource Plans are being laid for more training in Development, Newcastle Waters Station rural production and also in areas such as and Consolidated Pastoral Company, business, computer information systems, Hayfield Station and many community automotive and small engine repair, and volunteers and helpers. other areas through Charles Darwin's Katherine Regional Centre in concert with The project is just the start of what is the Rural College. These opportunities are expected to be a tremendously successful being extended into other remote locations

indigenous futurestockmen indigenousfuture stockmenSTOCKMEN s

The shipping yards in the small Northern program across the Territory. Conducted including Lajamanu, Beswick, Hodgson Territory town of Elliott, located half way over a two-week period, the students Downs, Timber Creek and Barunga. between Katherine and Tennant Creek, started their first week learning the basics were the focus of a busy two weeks when of horsemanship under the guidance of “We have a tremendous opportunity to a group of nine Indigenous students, Rural College lecturer Sam Tapp and offer training in numerous areas not only including two future stockwomen, began Alister Trier from DBIRD. As the week limited to rural production,” Dr Heim said. training under the tutelage of lecturers progressed, they moved out of the from Charles Darwin University’s Northern confines of the shipping yards in Elliot and “Collaborative efforts involving the Territory Rural College and local into the bush for more adventurous riding University, relevant NT government Indigenous stockmen. and experience. departments and community groups result in a win for all parties, most especially “Organised through the efforts of many, In the second week, the students were led at-risk youths who desperately need the the training was particularly successful,” by Rural College lecturer Alison Haines chance to develop a lifelong skill.” Director of the Katherine located Rural who was assisted by well-known College, Dr Brian Heim said. Territorian Bill Fordham. As would be “We look forward to continuing and expected, each of the students began expanding these programs and thank all of

Potential jackaroos and jillaroos are often showing talents in various areas. After the participants and supporters who have frustrated by a lack of basic level skills that gaining confidence in their riding skills, made this become a reality.” C are needed to gain employment on a some of the students showed real promise cattle property in the Top End and stations in horseshoeing while others began