The Leadership WA Signature Pilbara Field Trip 2024

For the past 20 years, Leadership WA is proud to have taken our Signature Leadership Program cohorts to the breathtaking Pilbara region. The 3-day Field Trip provides a memorable opportunity to deepen our participants' understanding of this vital region of WA.

It was an incredible opportunity to have met and heard from people who make a difference across the region and participants were given insights into operations at sites such as Rio Tinto, Roebourne Prison, the St John WA Ambulance Sub Centre in Karratha and given cultural insights at the Red Earth Arts Precinct.

The trip began at Nganjarli - Murujuga National Park where the cohort learnt about the famed rock art and then visited the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation Headquarters. Participants heard Amy Stevens, Heritage Research Manager and Kim Wood, their CEO, talk about the work being done towards obtaining World Heritage status.

When the group visited the Karratha & Districts Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KDCCI) & Pilbara Development Commission (PDC), they heard from Sarah Whelan, CEO of KDCCI who discussed equity and diversity within KDCCI, and from Simon Taylor, CEO of PDC, who shared his passion for sustainability and how he values government departments that collaborate for common goals.

Participants also travelled to the Ngarliyarndu Bindirri Aboriginal Corporation and listened to unique insights from the team about the work they do to support their community such as, creating opportunities, training and support for First Nations people and the wider community.

The cohort also heard from Adrienne LaBombard, Director of Policy and Advocacy at The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia, who provided participants with an insight into regional economics around the resource industry, from the perspective of the chamber.

During the evening of day two, Tabitha McMullan, CEO of FORM - Building A State of Creativity, spoke to participants about the work they do in regional WA and highlighted the importance of regenerative tourism and collaborative working.

The final day of the trip began with a bus tour of Karratha which was guided by Simon Kot, Director Strategic Projects and Infrastructure, City of Karratha, who shared insights into some of the key development projects in the city including the hospital, leisure centre and city centre.

When we visited Empowering People In Communities (EPIC), we were welcomed by their Chairperson, Shanine Ryan and Peter Long, Acting Deputy Chair of Regional Development Australia (Pilbara). The cohort learnt about EPIC’s services, vision, and challenges they face and heard about the economic significance of the area and the political landscape in Regional WA.

We concluded the trip by hearing from our final speaker, Dr Alistair Pinto, Director Corporate & Commercial, City of Karratha, who spoke about the city’s ‘What We Make It’ campaign and how it involved working with the local community to improve the area. During the campaign, they worked with First Nations, aged care and other community groups to research what the community want from the city.

Acknowledgements

Thank you to the generosity of our Field Trip Partners for your support. In our 20th year, we are delighted to welcome back Rio Tinto as a Major Partner, whose support has enabled the continuation of the Pilbara visit.

We would also like to acknowledge and thank the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation, Ngarliyarndu Bindirri Aboriginal Corporation, St John WA, WA Department of Justice, WA Country Health Service, Empowering People in Communities, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development WA and Karratha & Districts Chamber of Commerce and Industry.