Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board
“Every day, as members of the Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board, we recommit to healing ourselves, each other and the communities we represent, to co-creating alongside our fellow Australians, allies and family a culture where each person feels seen, heard, and supported.
We acknowledge, respect and celebrate differences and commonalities.
We work vigorously for freedom and justice for Aboriginal people and, by extension, all people.”
The Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board is one of nine regional Landscape boards that administer the new Landscape South Australia Act 2019 as of 01 July 2020.
Board members are all respected leaders from across the AW region, recognised for their leadership skills and standing in the community.
The new board places a strong emphasis on engaging Aboriginal people in effective soil and water management and weed and feral animal control.
The AW Landscape Board has nine Aboriginal voting members, all of whom have an interest and expertise in landscape management (caring for Country) and Indigenous issues.
For more information about South Australia's landscape boards please see landscape.sa.gov.au.
Our Role
The AW Landscape Board is the only all-Aboriginal board operating in this capacity in Australia. The board is unique in that it can advise on landcare-related issues affecting the communities and culture of the region.
They also support effective ways of communicating and working in partnership with organisations, agencies, communities, traditional owners, elders and individuals for mutual benefit ‘ngapartji ngapartji’.
The board is responsible for the development and delivery of the Management Plan for the region. This plan, like the AW Landscape Plan is developed in partnership with the community and stakeholders and aims to ensure that there is a balance between the needs of the community and the environment. Both plans set targets for the environment in the region, and are delivered by the AW team through a diverse range of programs and projects across the region.
Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Plan
The AW team works together with the community to manage our environment in a way that achieves a balance between our collective need for resources and the needs of our environment. Our work aims to achieve the targets set out in the region’s Management Plan.
Our Charter
A ROADMAP for AW Landscape Board governance for our community, partners, investors and for us.
The Alinytjara Wilurara Board Charter provides a broad description of the elements of governance and the processes that will ensure the Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board (the Board) operates effectively and efficiently in fulfilling its functions as defined in the Landscape Act 2019 (the Landscape Act).
Our vision
Our vision for the region is for ‘a healthy and valued region, managed responsibly now, for the future benefit of people and country’.
Meet our board members
Michael (Mick) Haynes
Presiding Member
Mick was appointed to the Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board in February 2020 having been a member of the AW NRM Board since 2013 including as Presiding Member from February 2019 to February 2020. He was appointed Presiding Member (Chair) again in 2023.
Mick is a descendant of Kokatha and Mirning tribes and currently resides in Ceduna.
Mick represents the Far West Coast areas on the Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board. He has a solid history of governance roles including Acting Deputy State Manager and Ceduna Regional Manager of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission between 1986 and 1997. He retired in late 2017 as the CEO of Ceduna Aboriginal Corporation, where he reported to an all Aboriginal Board.
Peter Miller
West Coast
Peter was appointed to the Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board in 2020, having previously served as a member of the AW NRM Board since 2016.
Peter has been and remains actively involved in the community as both an Elder and Community Leader. His past roles include Chairperson of various boards locally, and a role in the Executive Aboriginal Health Council. Peter has a vision for better socio-economic outcomes for people of the Far West Coast through the various Indigenous Land Use Agreements and Co-management of Parks. Peter believes that opportunities for Far West Coast members, places the community in a stronger position for the future.
Peter has been Executive Chairperson of Aboriginal Health Council of SA, and signed the first Framework Agreement between the State and Federal Government in Australia in 1996 in relation to Aboriginal health problems in the state. He has had a role with the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, National Rural Health Alliance, and Ceduna Koonibba Aboriginal Health Service. Peter is Chair of Ceduna Aboriginal Corporation.
In 2022, Peter was named NAIDOC SA Male Elder of the Year.
Julieanne Campbell
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands
Julieanne was appointed to the board in 2023. A Traditional Owner born in Alice Springs, her ancestral Country covers the Mimili, Fregon, Watarru and Mintabie areas, where she has been involved in looking after the traditional lands for most of her life.
A previous member of the Mimili Community Council and a board member of the APY Lands Executive, Julieanne has experience in business administration as well as fire and weed management, feral predator surveys and managing the health of rockholes and cultural areas.
She is keen to extend and share her knowledge of natural resource management to benefit the wider community as a member of the board.
Peter Burgoyne
Far West Coast
Peter was appointed to the board in 2023. Born at the Koonibba Mission, Peter has always had an interest in respecting and caring for traditional lands in the Far West Coast region.
A former Chief Executive Office of the Port Lincoln Aboriginal Community Council, Peter is a former member of the State Alternative Care and Family Preservation Committee, the South Australian Aboriginal Aquaculture Fishing Forum, Sydney Olympic Games Organising Committee and Tauondi Aboriginal Community College, and former Chairperson of the Port Lincoln Aboriginal Community Health Service.
With a Diploma in Management Practices, Bachelor of Arts Degree in Aboriginal Affairs & Administration and a Masters degree in Aboriginal Affairs, Peter also has experience in revegetation and land management.
Peter’s current roles include being a Director of the Far West Coast Aboriginal Corporation’s Investment Board and a committee member of the Iluka Mine Liaison Committee.
Julie O'Toole
Tallaringa
Julie was appointed to the Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board in February 2020.
Originally nominated by the Antakirinja Matu-Yankunytjatjara Aboriginal Corporation she had been a member of the AW NRM Board in 2018. She is also a current member of the Breakaways Conservation Park Co-management Board which includes management of Tallaringa Conservation Park. In this capacity she is an active member of the Tallaringa Healthy Country Planning Group.
Having an in-depth knowledge of Country around the Coober Pedy area and traditional knowledge of culture and fire regimes she is a valued deputy member of the Outback Bushfire Coordination Committee.
Duane Edwards
Yalata
Duane was appointed to the Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board in June 2022.
He has extensive experience as a community leader. He is Chair of the Yalata Aboriginal Corporation and is also a member of numerous boards and organisations, including the Far West Coast Aboriginal Corporation, Maralinga Piling Trust and Tullawon Health Service, and is a past member of the Maralinga Tjarutja Council.
Duane has been involved in Healthy Country Planning for the Yalata IPA, and has been involved in cultural water protection and management and establishing primary production in Colona and Pintumbie areas of the Yalata Lands.
He lives in Yalata and works towards caring for Country, making it a better place for his people into the future.
Debbie Hansen
Tjuntjuntjara Community
Debbie was appointed to the Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board in February 2020 having been on the AW NRM Board since 2015.
Debbie lives in Tjuntjuntjara Community in the Great Victoria Desert, Western Australia and represents the Oak Valley Community and Maralinga Tjarutja lands. Debbie has a strong interest in land management particularly; playing a leading role in connecting natural and cultural heritage management; speaking for community and connection to community and government in order to influence policy directions around natural and cultural heritage management; ensuring there are opportunities provided for young people of the Alinytjara Wilurara region in working in and looking after country; learning and leading in governance and leadership, passing this information onto younger community members; ensuring that looking after country is done by both men and women on both sides of the border that divides the Great Victoria Desert.
Debbie’s experience with Boards and Committees also includes: Director, Pila Nguru Aboriginal Corporation; Chairperson Spinifex Art Project Aboriginal Corporation; Director, Maralinga Tjarutja; Member Co-management Board, Paupiyala Tjarutja Aboriginal Corporation.
Jeremy Lebois
Oak Valley Community
Jeremy was appointed to the board in 2023. He has strong connections to Country through his grandparents and father, who were all born on Country.
As a Traditional Owner of the Maralinga Tjarutja Lands, Jeremy has extensive experience working on feral animal and weed control, managing rockholes and soaks, marine animal and fisheries and revegetation work.
He also has a solid track record of board roles, including as Chair of Maralinga Tjarutja, Maralinga Piling Trust, and the Mamungari Conservation Park Co-management Board.
Wanda Miller
Far West Coast
Wanda was appointed to the board in 2023. She has a long history of advocacy and involvement in community affairs, with the aim of improving the health and wellbeing of her people.
She served on the Aboriginal Heritage Board in the 1980s, was the only woman elected to the newly established Far West Heritage and Park Management Consultative Committee in 1990, and is a former member of the ATSIC Regional Council, Western Eyre Peninsula NRM Board, and the working group for the Far West Coast Aboriginal Corporation’s Healthy Country Plans in 2015 and again in 2021 when plans plan to include FWCAC land and sea ranger program were added to the Healthy Country Plan.
Wanda has been a member of the working group for Iluka mine negotiations since 2005 and was Chair of the Yumbarra Conservation Park Co-management Board from 2015-2022. She also ran her own cultural awareness training business for five years – it was mandatory that all mining personnel completed the training due to the sensitive areas at the mine site.
Wanda lives as Scotdesco, where water has always been a big issue. The whole community always knew that water resource management was crucial to live here, including desalination plant trials, storage tanks, dams and water quality testing.
Wanda was born on country and her interests and concerns have always been Aboriginal issues and wellbeing, in particular, members of the FWCAC footprint of the northern and western areas of SA.
Tapaya Edwards
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands
Tapaya was appointed to the Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board in September 2022.
An Anangu man who lives in Amata, Tapaya has experience in various roles connected to caring for Country and his people. He has worked as an interpreter with various groups, spanning anthropology, health, education and the arts.
Tapaya is a Traditional Owner and member of the APY Land Council and has sat on many other boards, including the Central Land Council and National Museum of Australia. With experience in conservation and biodiversity, land management, planning, administration and Aboriginal heritage, Tapaya is also well known as a performing artist.
Tapaya’s aim is to be a strong leader and an example to young people that they can have a voice in making things better.
Nominations for the Board
Expressions of Interest are sought on an ongoing basis.
The AW Landscape Board is seeking applications from Traditional Owners who either live within the AW region or elsewhere, and have proof of their connection to Country within the region.
Click here for more information about board nominations.
Board members are community members that are appointed by the Minister for Environment and Water. For further information please contact us.