Badjeebup Tourism Enterprises

Bringing history back to life

BAC's strategic plan identified Cultural Tourism as a priority with two areas of action for 2019/2020:

• To identify the true Aboriginal Heritage and story of the area.
• The formation of local business and community partnerships to develop ideas and detailed plans.

The Aboriginal Place Name Project

The Katanning Noongar Leadership Group and CANWA are currently collaborating on the Aboriginal Place Name Project. During the project, which took 18 months to complete, several place names in and around Katanning were decoded. (link to blog post)

The Project has unearthed the Dreamtime story of the "Giant Man and his body parts" which will be "launched" at the Katanning Bloom Festival in September 2019. Local Elders have been engaged throughout the process and have given their permission for the story to be told. Katanning schoolchildren will make body parts for the story and develop a welcome dance for the festival. The Aboriginal community, Shire and local business are excited and supportive of leveraging the outcomes of this project towards an echo-tourism enterprise.

From programs to opportunities for all

The Healing the Land and other Ngoolark works programs are integral to developing a tourism venture that links the Badgebup Reserve, the Dreamtime story and the sites of significance with dance, arts and bush foods. A detailed business plan will be developed in 2019/2020 to determine the income generating capacity of this enterprise using Badjeebup Tourism Ventures as the product brand.

Cultural Heritage 

BAC's proposed tourism enterprises will also support the community and environment through cultural heritage programs. By strengthening Aboriginal community links to land and culture, the community benefits in social and economic wellbeing will drive the prosperity and quality of life of Aboriginal residents in the region. Aboriginal Tourism enterprise are particularly innovative and represent opportunities to attract more people to the region as international and domestic partners and visitors.

Land restoration, habitat renewal and restoration of biodiversity not only protects the Great Southern's unique habitat and environment but also can support eco and cultural tourism ventures. Healing the Land and Healing the Community through enterprises that create jobs, are inter-related goals of BAC's work and vision for the region.