Plants a trail to connection

Harvey Community Radio and the Naidoc Committee donated $500 worth of native plants from the Leschenault Community Nursery to the Harvey Police Station last Monday.

The selection of native plants will soon form a mini walk trail at the front of the police station facing Uduc Road.

Naidoc Committee events coordinator Janine Quicke said the idea came about through a conversation with Noongar elder, Lesley Ugle.

“After our week-long Naidoc celebration we were left with $500 worth of native plants, and Lesley and I had this idea of creating a walk-through trail of plants,” Ms Quicke said.

“The trail will meander through the garden in the form of the rainbow serpent and include an assortment of bush tucker plants.”

“We chose the garden here because it’s on a main road and has the space for us to be flexible with our creativity.”

As well as getting resident artists on board, Ms Quicke said the community-based program will be leaning on input from Noongar artists within Harvey.

“Harvey is gradually embracing this idea of collaboration, so this project will be calling on as much community input as we can get.”

Harvey horticulturalist Denis King highlighted the importance of the project for the indigenous community.

“I believe that this project will give our indigenous people that pass by the area something new to learn about,” Mr King said.

“We are hoping to include bush tucker plants that have medicinal purposes, and Lesley will be providing the correct Noongar language names so that people can come up to them and use them.”

The project is in its initial stage and will progress further once funding has been acquired.