Three wins at Interpretation Australia Awards
Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife staff recently attended the national Interpretation Australia conference in Sydney and took out three major awards at the annual gala dinner and awards night.
These awards recognise and reward outstanding achievements in the field of interpretation.
Georgie Waterman Award - Winner
Jasmine Jan, Territory Wildlife Park
Jasmine has worked in a number of roles from Zookeeper, Wildlife Supervisor, Acting Curator, Marketing/ Communications and Education, Interpretations Officer, Artistic/Narrative Co-ordinator and General Manager Visitor Services at the Territory Wildlife Park (TWP). For the last 15 years she has predominantly worked in the area of education/interpretation and community engagement. She has developed interpretive displays/materials for TWP, George Brown Botanic Gardens, Windows on the Wetlands and as a private consultant been involved in the development of artwork for displays at Nitmiluk Visitor Centre, Bowali Visitor Centre and Warradjan Cultural Centre.
She has developed and managed the Artists-in-the-Park program for the last 12 years winning an award from the Zoo and Aquarium Association for excellence in community engagement. Jasmine has been instrumental in developing the interpretive art trail at the TWP. This has involved concept development and project management of numerous interpretive displays with a strong artistic theme. Jasmine has developed and managed TWP projects including but not limited to the Crochet Coral Reef, The Felted Forest, Walk the Plank, Blood Sweat and Tears Keeper Shirts (threatened species) and Keeper Shorts (weeds of national significance) and the Adelaide River Slow Stitch Quilt.
Congratulations Jasmine on this prestigious award.
Interpretation projects - Outdoor: project less than $75,000 - Winner
Yeperenye Trail interpretation project
The Interpretation team was thrilled to receive a prestigious award for a submission that celebrates the interpretive signage along the Yeperenye Trail in Central Australia – a collaboration between Parks and Wildlife, Traditional Owners and local graphic designer, Pauline Clack.
The Yeperenye Trail was developed by the Traditional Owners of Yeperenye / Emily and Jessie Gaps Nature Park which is located 10 km east of Alice Springs. The trail traverses 8.2 km of previously inaccessible country and can be walked or cycled. The trail was opened in July 2021 after months of construction work, of which local Traditional Owners were a key part.
Parks and Wildlife committed to designing, producing and installing interpretive signage along the trail to enhance the experience for park visitors and increase their knowledge of local plants and animals from a cultural perspective.
The design process was project managed by Alice Springs Park Interpretation Officer Rebecca Duncum and involved many components, including:
The design process involved many components, including:
- several working group consultation sessions to ask Traditional Owners what they wanted to share on the signage and to ensure the information accurately reflected language and culture
- procurement of artwork, from three artists, to be used to enhance trail signage
- liaising with a local graphic designer who organised print production on anodised aluminium
- working with the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics to liaise with local contractors to construct the metal sign frames and backing plates with cut-outs
- presenting the final signs to the Joint Management working group for final approval
- interviewing the artists involved for the awards submission.
At the awards ceremony, the Yeperenye Trail interpretation project was announced as the winner of this category and is a great testament to the effort and passion everyone felt in seeing it come to fruition!
Temporary Event or Display - Highly Commended
Blood, Sweat and Tears Weeds of National Significance Gardening Aprons
The Blood, Sweat and Tears Weeds of National Significance Gardening Aprons is a project that converted retired zoo keepers shorts and turned them into gardening aprons that were then lovingly adorned by local artists to highlight some of the local Weeds of National Significance. The project involved 40 artists creating 23 gardening aprons. The project was launched on National Threatened Species Day on Thursday 7 September.
This project was part of the Territory Wildlife Park’s winning submission in the Zoo and Aquarium Association Sustainability Award for their Community Arts Program and has now received a Highly Commended award in the Temporary Event or Display category of the Interpretation Australia annual awards.
The Territory Wildlife Park would like to thank all of the artist that have been involved in this project: Barbara Williams, Mary Noble, Roswyn Rennie, Lisa Thomason, Angie Soares, Nat Vidgen, Ella Barrett, Pam Hefner, Meng Hoeschle, Jenny Armour, Jill Finch, Charlotte Browne, Erin Costelloe, Alison McShanag, Libby Benson, Pirjo Ward, Doreen Dyer, Bronwyn Packwood, Elizabeth Martin, Sarah Martin, Melanie Tribe, Di Baynes, Alicia Hart, Janelle Fisher, Nicky Honan, Christine Garrett, Alison Dowell, Angela Bevan, Bev Garside, Boo Mclean, Carmel Ryan, Cherylyn Martin, Tracey Campbell, Virginia Boyanton, Daniela Eugster, Fernanda Dupal, Di Howard, Liz Short, Katie Bradley, Rachel Hand.
Judges Comment: A great project with beautifully executed works showcasing the skills of the community and demonstrating a collective concern for the environment.
