Aboriginal cultural experiences part of future Sydney Zoo plan

THE new Sydney Zoo in Blacktown and a cultural and education centre for Aboriginal people in western Sydney are partnering to bring Aboriginal cultural experiences to visitors.

The CEOs of Sydney Zoo, Jake Burgess and Muru Mittigar, Peter Chia with Minister for Tourism Stuart Ayres meeting animals at the launch of the SydneyZoo/Muru Mittigar partnership. Picture: David Swift

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THE new Sydney Zoo and a cultural and education centre for Aboriginal people in western Sydney are partnering to bring Aboriginal cultural experiences to visitors.

Sydney Zoo CEO Jake Burgess said the alliance with Muru Mittigar, in Castlereagh, should “enhance both the visitor experience at the zoo and the financial capacity of Muru to broaden their own community outreach programs”.

The zoo, at Bungarribee Super Park, will work with Muru to train Aboriginal people for fulltime roles as rangers to deliver Aboriginal cultural tours, bush regeneration and animal care — and has set for itself an employment target of 10 per cent Aboriginal employees.

“The motivation to expand Muru’s social enterprise businesses is our way of providing meaningful employment for Aboriginal jobseekers,” Muru CEO Peter Chia said during Friday’s announcement.

The event featured a traditional Aboriginal smoking ceremony and animal visitors including by Bluegum the koala and an as-yet unnamed wallaroo, both from Shoalhaven Zoo. Mr Chia and Mr Burgess signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the day.

Smoking ceremony with Uncle Wes at @MuruMittigar pic.twitter.com/BBo8CYiVrn

— Penrith Press (@PenrithPress) August 5, 2016

Mr Burgess said together they would “integrate the Aboriginal story with the natural Australian heritage in a way that demonstrates the amazing sophistication and depth of culture of the Aboriginal people and how they looked after the land ... for school kids, families and international tourists alike”.

Mr Chia said ranger training would occur on all of Muru’s “contracted and community spaces” across Sydney and NSW.

“With the historical partnership support of Penrith Lakes Development Corporation, the Penrith Lakes site has been a long-term home base for Muru Mittigar’s ranger training program for over seven years,” he said.

“In more recent years, Muru has diversified its capacity for government and non-government clients and partners, expanding meaningful employment and upskilling opportunities for our target community.”

Muru Mittigar’s current culture educator, Kyle Nicholls is putting his policing dreams on hold to join the ranger program.

The 21-year-old felt it may create an opportunity to join the NSW Police Force’s dog or horse units later in life.

“I think it will be great experience to take a new path and to work with animals,” Mr Nicholls told the Penrith Press.

“The employment, the eduction, the training this (alliance) creates — it’s all positive.”

Tourism in NSW is worth over $29 billion in economic activity, Minister for Tourism and Penrith state Liberal MP Stuart Ayres told the gathering, which included visiting students from Japan and Minister for Defence, Senator Marise Payne.

“It (tourism) represents an opportunity to employ hundreds of thousands of people right across our wonderful state, but Western Sydney has immense tourism opportunities as well and I do want to thank all of the board directors and the investors involved in Sydney Zoo for your unwavering commitment to this wonderful part of NSW,” Mr Ayres said.

“I’m a very strong and passionate advocate of our local Aboriginal communities. I’ve been able to work with many of the people here at Muru Mittigar since I’ve been an MP and, in fact, long before that as well.

“The opportunity today to announce the new Memorandum of Understanding between Sydney Zoo and Muru Mittigar I think is a fantastic way of demonstrating Sydney Zoo’s commitment not just to Western Sydney, but also the strong rich and deep cultures that we see have inhabited these lands for thousands and thousands of years.”

@stuartayresmp says NSW tourism industry wld be a significant beneficiary from Sydney Zoo Aboriginal ranger program pic.twitter.com/SBoiMKzgaG

— Isabell Petrinic (@IsabellPetrinic) August 5, 2016

When completed, Sydney Zoo will cover 16.5 hectares and will boast more than 30 exhibits, while providing visitors with a safari-like experience.

News of this alliance follows a $25,000 State Government grant towards Muru’s Turning Point program, which supports incarcerated Aboriginal women by equipping them with the necessary financial skills to ensure their transition into the community is not impacted by debt.

Mr Chia has an idea for Muru to also be part of the Aboriginal Centre of Excellence in Western Sydney, for which funding was allocated in the 2016 State Budget.

“Muru is in a consortia bid with Western Sydney Institute of TAFE, Western Sydney University, KPMG and other stakeholders,” Mr Chia said, adding “it doesn’t roll out to 2018.”

“Muru has a specific and unique delivery model to partner with industry and infrastructure contracts within, and hopefully exceeding, the indigenous procurement targets set last year,” he said.

Peter Chia and Jake Burgess at Muru Mittigar Aboriginal Cultural & Education Centre. Picture: David Swift

ABOUT MURU MITTIGAR

■ Muru Mittigar seeks to advance Aboriginal culture and in particular Darug culture, improve the economic and social capacity of Aboriginal people, and empower meaningful participation to enhance their role as traditional Custodians of Country

■ It currently employs 40 fulltime equivalent staff

■ The centre has helped about 750 job seekers since it was established in 1998

■ It has had more than 150,000 visitors attend, seeking a cultural awareness experience

■ As part of its planning for the future, Muru has extended its services to an office space in Penrith CBD