CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Gareth's career has afforded him the experience of working with a variety of amazing people in some spectacular and remote locations. Through this he has become equally proficient and comfortable with remote helicopter airborne sacred site surveys, marine site mapping and long-haul solo vehicle based research trips to remote communities and locations.
Complimenting his work Gareth is an avid photographer who enjoys engaging with latest technologies. He uses digital camera, audio, GPS and video equipment to maximize data capture for both work outputs and to provide recordings as future resources for the communities and agencies he engages with. Gareth is particularly interested in investigating how these technologies can ensure that data capture practices and methods can contribute to traditional forms of cultural maintenance and land management activities.
Below are some of Gareth's career highlights and more notable projects. Where appropriate, these items are linked to more images or information.
Jim Jim - Twin Falls sacred site survey, Kakadu National Park
This project was a consultancy undertaken via AAPA for Kakadu National Park. It surveyed the iconic Jim Jim – Twin Falls area with traditional owners to record and register sacred sites and provide sacred site management advice to the Park for tourism access, activities and potential infrastructure developments.
Kenbi and Bynoe harbour sacred site mapping, Darwin region
Initiated as an AAPA Authority Certificate project for the Inpex liquified natural gas project in Darwin, this site mapping and management project developed into a joint project with NLC to finalise sacred site mapping ahead of the settlement of the long standing Kenbi land claim.
Bootu Creek sacred site desecration court case
This landmark 2013 case against OM Manganese at the Bootu Creek mine near Tennant Creek saw the successful prosecution of the company for desecrating a sacred site. Gareth worked for AAPA on this matter recording and presenting evidence in court of the damage caused by this tragic event and its devastating impacts on the site and its Aboriginal custodians. In 2017-18 Gareth has worked with NLC on developing a compensation package from OM Manganese for traditional owners and site custodians.
Jawoyn Sickness Country mine-site rehabilitation and protocols, Kakadu
From the late 1990s Gareth worked in this culturally sensitive area of Jawoyn country in what is now southern Kakadu National Park, with senior Jawoyn land owners. Initially working on a rehabilitation project for abandoned uranium mines, Gareth has continued working for NLC and AAPA in the area on various projects, surveys and sacred site registrations and the development of access and management protocols for this part of the Park.