The Foundation for the WA Museum are thrilled to announce 2021 Impact Circle grant has been awarded to one of five incredible WA Museum finalists.
Hosted in the stunning Hackett Hall under ‘Otto’ the blue whale at WA Museum Boola Bardip – the inaugural Impact Circle Voting event saw partners, friends, guests, and of course donors of the Foundation come together to hear from some of the brightest minds from the WA Museum who took to the stage to share their bold visions for new Museum projects in a bid to be granted the green light for funding.
‘Dawson’s Burrowing Bee’ Education Project, which was presented by Director of Regions, Jessica Machin was voted the winner on the night and will now be brought to life as a collaboration between the WA Museum’s regions and the Science/Collections departments courtesy of the funds so generously donated by the Impact Circle donors.
The Dawson’s Burrowing Bee is big hairy, solitary, ground-nesting species native to the Gascoyne region often called Mungurrgurra or sometimes Jurrabarri. Females burrow into bare clay flats to make their nests and like many other ‘solitary’ bees, exhibits gregarious tendencies. An active nesting colony may contain up to 10,000 burrows and can provide one of the most exciting entomological experiences.
The project will allow the Gwoonwardu Mia Gascoyne Aboriginal Heritage and Cultural Centre to develop a legacy education program, focusing on the bee by working closely with Dr Terry Houston, Research Associate at the Department of Terrestrial Zoology (Entomology) and Antoinette (Toni) Roe, Operations Manager of Engagements and Events and the cultural knowledge keeper for Gwoonwardu Mia.
This is a rare opportunity for these two experts to join forces to create content that links both Indigenous knowledge, and the scientific research around these unique specimens and the Impact Circle support means that generations of children will be able to share, enjoy and learn from the program.The voting event was an exciting initiative for the Foundation. Philanthropic giving groups are gaining popularity as donors can see their donation going further, and creating a larger impact through the power of the collective and with over $100,000 raised by the Impact Circle in its first year, it is a very pleasing way to begin. 80% of this total amount will go towards the winning project, and the remainder will go straight into the Foundation’s Discovery Endowment Fund. The purpose of the Discovery Endowment Fund is to provide long-term funding to the WA Museum to realise its vision of becoming a world class, state-of-the-art institution, giving our future generations the knowledge and context they need to succeed.
All five WA Museum finalists presented visions that were unique, captivating, and educative in front of a live audience, leaving eligible voters struggling to decide where their votes should be cast. In the end though, it was the largest and most handsome of Australia’s native bees that reigned supreme.
To read more about the other four projects, presented on the night – please click HERE.
A big thank you to our event sponsors Heyder & Shears, PAV, Gage Roads, Vasse Felix, Kelly Pilgrim-Byrne 7 to 1 Photography and Sue Lewis Chocolatier.
To view all of the event photos, please click HERE.
To view the raffle winners, please click HERE.
