Gnarla Biddi

Gnarla Biddi

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Gnarla Biddi Aboriginal Engagement Strategy

The Gnarla Biddi (Our Pathways) Strategy is our long-term commitment to embed genuine engagement with the Aboriginal community across our program of works.

In December 2018, the strategy was endorsed by the Whadjuk and Gnaala Karla Booja Working Parties and renamed ‘Gnarla Biddi’ to reflect the ongoing pathways and connections the projects are creating throughout Perth.

Read the Gnarla Biddi Strategy and the Gnarla Biddi Strategy Summary.

The Gnarla Biddi Strategy is supported by a framework of five engagement streams, which allow for cultural, business, job and land access outcomes for the Aboriginal community. The streams are:

  • Noongar cultural recognition
  • Noongar cultural input into place making
  • Aboriginal procurement
  • Aboriginal employment
  • land access and sites management.

If you are a registered Aboriginal business, or more than 50 per cent Aboriginal-owned, we encourage you to complete our Construction Business Register to have your business listed as interested in METRONET work opportunities.

Noongar Place Names

The Noongar Place Names Initiative acknowledges the traditional and ongoing connection of Noongar people to Country, and celebrates and includes Noongar language across our program of works. 

Noongar place names educate the community about theological or spiritual significance, endemic plants and native animals to the local area. 

Noongar consultants were engaged to help identify the place names and their meanings by reviewing existing information and consulting with the METRONET Noongar Reference Group. Where appropriate, these names were then confirmed with local community groups. 

As each place name is identified, it will be considered for inclusion in METRONET projects through:

  • public art
  • architecture
  • landscaping
  • structural design
  • materials and finishes
  • interpretative signage. 

The Noongar Place Names Initiative addresses the Gnarla Biddi Strategy engagement streams one and two – Noongar Cultural Recognition and Noongar Cultural Input into Place Making.

Station/Location and Noongar Place Name Phonetic Spelling Narrative – Description
Alkimos Station – Kyleeup Kylee-up ‘Place of the Kylee (Boomerang)’
Bayswater Station – Biraliny Birr-al-in ‘The track where the Merenj (food plants) is located’
Beckenham Station – Djarlgarra Djarl-gar-ra ‘Place of abundance (Canning River)’
Bennett Springs East Station – Ketinup Ket-in-up ‘Place of the freshwater mussel’
Byford Station – Beenyup Been-yup ‘Place for digging for the warrain (native potatoes)’
Cannington Station – Karakaliny Kar-ak-al-iny ‘Place of the red cockatoo’
Carlisle Station – Djoorolup Djoorol-up ‘Place of the Jarrah trees’
Claremont Station – Katabirup Kart-a-bir-up ‘The place where the track to the top of the hill is located’
East Perth – Boodjamiyalup Boodja Miyal-up ‘Place where we come to see each other’
Eglinton Station – Wilgarup Wil-gar-up ‘Place of the ochre’
Ellenbrook Station – Karla Gnara Karla Nara ‘Firestick farming or consumption (eating) by fire’
Greenwood Station – Kwelyup Kwel-yup ‘Place of the river Sheoak’
Karnup Station – Karnup Karn-up 'Place of the milkmaids flowers'
Kelmscott Station – Goolamup Goolam-up ‘The place of the young men’
Lakelands Station – Yaakanap Yark-an-up ‘Place of the Yaakan (turtle)’
Malaga Station – Oordal Kalla Oord-al Ka-lla ‘Clan of Yallagonga’
Mandurah Station – Mandjoogoordap Marn-joo-goord-ap ‘Meeting place of the heart’
Midland Station – Mandjanup Marn-jarn-up ‘The place where meetings take place for trade and exchange – an important meeting place’
Morley Station – Weeip Wee-ip ‘A leader, Birdiyia, of the Upper Swan region’
Nicholson Road Station – Waitj-biddi Waytch-biddi ‘The emu tracks’
Noranda Station – Bohrnup Bohrn-up ‘Place of the native chilli’
Oats Street Station – Mundee Mun-dee ‘Leader of the Djooral Kalla clan’
Queens Park Station – Boree Boree Bor-ee Bor-ee ‘The large flat plain and land of Joobaitch’
Ranford Road Station – Mandjakarlup Marn-jar-karl-up ‘The place to come together’
Whiteman Park Station – Wirrinup Wirrin-up ‘A place with strong spiritual presence situated here’
Yanchep Station – Yanchep Yan-chep ‘A native flax or bulrush’ (Yanchep is derived from the Noongar word Yanget)

Read more about the Noongar Place Names on the fact sheet.

METRONET Noongar Reference Group

Established in 2019 with nominated representatives from the Whadjuk and Gnaala Karla Booja working parties, the METRONET Noongar Reference Group provides cultural input and advice on the METRONET program of works.

Working with key stakeholders, the Group delivers valuable input, advice and support for the Noongar cultural recognition and cultural input into place making engagement streams of the Gnarla Biddi Aboriginal Engagement Strategy.

Core activities include:

  • reviewing and verifying Noongar cultural context documents to provide cultural input into projects before the design and development phases 
  • guiding cultural awareness training and cultural recognition activities
  • providing cultural input into how projects interpret and apply information from Noongar cultural context documents
  • providing cultural input to identify and validate the Noongar Place Names Initiative.

Engagement Outcomes

The five engagement streams of the Gnarla Biddi Strategy apply to each METRONET project, with targets set under each stream. 

Noongar Cultural Recognition

Noongar Cultural Input into Place Making

Aboriginal Procurement

Aboriginal Employment

Land Access and Sites Management

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