Acknowledgement of Country

Doordook Birrit (Lifeline WA) operates on Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar and we acknowledge the Mooro people as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we gather.

Our office has been built between Galup (Lake Monger) where families maintained their home campfires, and Kooyamulyup: a campground abundant with kooya (frogs). We recognise the historic and ongoing relationship to the land and waters of this beautiful place and pay our respect to Ancestors and Elders.

We commit to engaging with an open heart to walk with First Nations peoples and create a community of hope, support and connection.

This Acknowledgment of Country developed by Lifeline WA's RAP Working Group with translation assistance from Professor Len Collard and support from Acknowledge This!

Artist acknowledgment:

Acacia Collard, Acacia Cultural Designs

Artist acknowledgment:

Acacia Collard, Acacia Cultural Designs

Reconciliation Artwork

Acacia Collard, Acacia Cultural Designs

Acacia is a Badimia Yamatji – Balladong Noongar woman. She comes from two large families in Western Australia and currently lives in the south of Perth. Acacia specialises in contemporary Aboriginal artworks and designs through digital art and canvas mediums. As an artist Acacia has worked with a large number of organisations, schools and community groups to create designs for Reconciliation Action Plans, websites, documents and running interactive workshops.

The inspiration for the artwork was Lifeline WA’s core purpose to prevent suicide, support people in crisis and reduce the stigmas which can be a barrier to seeking help. The centre of the artwork features a help seeker alone in darkness, with the ripple effect of their struggle coming out into the surroundings. Sitting around this person, is a ring of Crisis Supporters inspired by Lifeline WA’s logo. They are surrounding this person with support, pulling them into the light. Branching out of this circle are pathways providing a strong network. Within each section there are more ripple effects, this time symbolising the positive impact the support of Lifeline WA makes to help seekers. The footprints leading out of the circle represent a help seeker’s journey upwards, out of crisis with their individual story being told along the edges of the pathway as they travel. The pebbles and hands around the artwork symbolise the WA community and recognises that each person has a story to tell of their own journey or that of someone close to them. Community is a strong foundation of Aboriginal people’s lives and wellbeing, and that community will always put out their hand to support people in need. Like grains of sand, the many individual pieces come together to form something beautiful.