14 August 2025

Building respect and understanding through cultural immersion

Whitehaven team members were recently joined by boys from the Gunnedah and Narrabri Clontarf Foundation academies, along with local Indigenous Elders, for a Cultural Immersion Day held at the Pilliga Nature Reserve and Timallallie National Park near Coonabarabran and Baradine. This biennial event is a highlight on the Whitehaven calendar, providing a unique opportunity to learn more about the culture and history of Indigenous people in the North West NSW region in which Whitehaven operates.

Arriving at the Sandstone Caves in the Pilliga Nature Reserve, the day commenced with a powerful cultural welcome, including a Welcome to Country, song and smoking ceremony delivered by local Elders. The group was then invited to walk in the footsteps of the Gomeroi people along the Sandstone Caves walking track.

Guided by the stories and knowledge of the local Gomeroi People, the walk took the team through native forest to the striking sandstone formations that hold ancient Aboriginal rock engravings. These engravings are a powerful reminder of the deep cultural and spiritual connection the Gomeroi People have with this land.

The group then travelled on to Timallallie National Park, home to the award-winning Sculptures in the Scrub. This unique walking track showcases a series of striking sculptures created through collaboration between artists, local Aboriginal Elders, and young people. Each piece tells a story of culture, history and connection to Country.

The tour concluded with a dance display followed by a “lunch and learn”, which gave the Whitehaven team an opportunity to engage with the Clontarf boys.

Whitehaven’s Regional General Manager NSW, Sean Milfull, was among a number of senior leaders who took part and he relished the opportunity to learn more about local Indigenous culture.

“It was a privilege to be welcomed into their Country and to walk through such significant places for local Indigenous people,” Sean said.

“Hearing the Elders speak and sing about their connection to Country was an incredible experience. It gave real meaning to everything we saw on the day and everything we do on site to protect cultural heritage on a day-to-day basis.

“Engaging with local Elders and experiencing and appreciating significant cultural sites helps to build trust, understanding and respect. It’s great for our teams to hear the stories that have shaped local Indigenous communities and their history – this learning is another important step as we continue to build a respectful and representative environment across our operations.”

Luke Stahlhut, Clontarf’s Regional Manager North West NSW, said the day was a meaningful experience for the students.

“The Cultural Immersion Day was an incredibly valuable experience for our boys. It gave them the chance to connect with Country, learn from Elders, and share their culture with others. Opportunities like this help build pride, confidence and a deeper understanding of identity – core values we strive to nurture at Clontarf.”

Whitehaven has proudly partnered with the Clontarf Foundation since 2016, engaging with students from the Clontarf academies in Tamworth, Quirindi, Gunnedah and Narrabri. The Cultural Immersion Day offered the wider Whitehaven team a chance to deepen their understanding of Clontarf’s work and connect with the boys in a meaningful way. It was a great opportunity for the students to speak directly with Whitehaven employees, ask questions and gain insights into what a future in mining could look like.

Whitehaven is grateful for the ongoing support of the local Indigenous community. A particular thanks must go to everyone involved in making the day a success, specifically Merv Sutherland, Greg ‘Bulingha’ Griffiths, Dr Pete Peckham, Aunty Marg Leslie, Carlie Sutherland, Chloe Sutherland and local Gomeroi business YMG and our NSW Indigenous Engagement team, Bob Sutherland, Hollie Sampson, Carys Griffths and Kelvin Allen.

Building cultural heritage awareness and understanding is an important part of Whitehaven’s Indigenous engagement approach. To learn more about our Indigenous engagement initiatives, please visit: https://whitehavencoal.com.au/sustainability/indigenous-engagement/.

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