Staff and students from the Strong Futures program visited Katarapko National park to learn on Country. This park, situated between Berri, Loxton and Winkie, enables the conservation of more than over 9,500 hectares of black box, red gum and lignum covered floodplains and wetlands alive with aquatic bird species. It is a special place because of its cultural and ecological value and preservation of threatened species. 

Ellee Eleftheriadis, Communications and Community Engagement Officer for the Department for Environment and Water showed us the improvements that have been made to the floodplain to improve fish passage, increase native fish numbers and to manage water to create a more natural cycle of flooding and drying.
Shara Coulthard and Michael Boon spoke with us about the conservation and management of cultural sites and local plants and animals in the park and told of their journeys to become park rangers at Katarapko.

Uncle Barney Lindsay and Daniel Giles led the students in stories of the river, the importance of caring for the land, and the opportunity for deep listening. We also spent time underneath the Berri Bridge sharing knowledge of local stories of Ponde and the Mulyawongk.

Martine Turnbull - Aboriginal Education Teacher