24 Year 3 students and their teachers from Kambalda West District High School had a unique, hands-on experience at the Museum of the Goldfields Aboriginal Bush Food & Medicine Garden on Wednesday, 14 May 2025.
The Aboriginal Bush Food & Medicine Garden was established in 2022 to preserve and share Aboriginal knowledge. A major three-year partnership between gold mining company Gold Fields, the Western Australian Museum and the Foundation for the WA Museum is enabling the Museum of the Goldfields to expand the garden to incorporate a greater variety of plant species.
The expanded garden has been thriving since December, when staff members from major partner Gold Fields helped to plant 75 new native plants in the expanded garden.
Last Wednesday, 24 Year 3 students and their teachers from Kambalda West District High School had the opportunity to plant a further 54 plants, including species like the Karkurla, Emu Bush, Maroon Bush and Goldfields Bottlebrush. The students were also the first to see the newly installed fire pit, featuring a design inspired by the Karkurla (Silky Pear).
As part of the three-year partnership with Gold Fields, the Museum of the Goldfields is also expanding its educational programming to align with the new garden. During their visit, the Kambalda West District High School students got the opportunity to “test drive” the new education program, which will be available to all schools from July.
The education program is a hands-on exploration of the garden, focusing on six plants which are particularly significant to the Goldfields. All of the students’ senses were engaged as they looked at, touched, smelled and even got a taste of the plants. They learned about the traditional uses for each plant, explored their life cycles, discussed sustainability, and created a native herb bouquet to take home and cook with, enabling them to share the experience with their families.
The students were joined by staff from Major Partner Gold Fields as well as by Rangers from Goldfields Aboriginal Community Services, who helped answer the many questions from the students and assisted with the planting.
Regional Manager Kirsty Brooks explained, “Our Bush Food and Medicine Garden education program immerses students in Aboriginal knowledge systems, fostering intercultural understanding through hands-on learning, cultural respect, and the exploration of traditional plant uses for cooking and healing. The program is designed to connect students to Country and showcase sustainable practices, supporting outcomes in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures, while encouraging environmental responsibility and respect for traditional knowledge."
Tara Schmidt, Principal of Kambalda West District High School, confirmed that the excursion was an important addition to the school’s curriculum. “Our students were able to make a meaningful and real-life connection between Two-Way Science, Language and Culture, as well as engage with our local community.”
Gold Fields’ Vice President External Affairs Australia, Claire Walker said: “We are proud to play a part in connecting students with the rich history and culture of the land they live on in a fun and engaging way and we’re excited to see the program expand and become available for all schools from July.”
Images: Chuck Taylor
