The Kimberley Project

10.00am – 4.30pm daily, free entry

The Kimberley is one of five large wilderness areas left on Earth and is home to many unique species that exist nowhere else. This naturally beautiful region is facing a variety of threats, from indiscriminate burning, mining, cattle grazing and introduced pest species (including cane toads), to climate change.

Since 2006, Conservation Ark staff have been conducting wildlife surveys of reptiles, birds, frogs, bats and terrestrial mammals in the north Kimberley, to establish baseline data on species distribution and diversity. This information is helping to identify areas that are particularly rich in species, as well as priority areas for conservation. Two potentially undescribed species of rodents and several undescribed reptile species have already been discovered through this work.

In 2010 - 2011, Conservation Ark obtained a Federal Government grant which expanded the project. This grant enabled Zoos SA and its partners to: continue wildlife surveys; undertake an aerial survey of key conservation areas; undertake four educational camps with students from the Kalumburu Remote Community School – two in the Kimberley and two in South Australia; and provide work experience and trainee opportunities to Kalumburu community members. The project ended serendipitously with a community arts project involving the Kalumburu Remote Community School and local Kalumburu artists. Conservation Ark staff facilitated a Culture Week at the school which encouraged community members to join in classroom painting sessions to talk about their knowledge of flora and fauna whilst sharing their artistic skills. Locals also created their own artworks for this exhibition, in support of continuing cultural activities with the Kalumburu School.

The Santos Conservation Centre is showcasing these wonderful works, which are all for sale, with all proceeds returning to the Kalumburu Cultural Committee for future cultural and art activities.