Gnarla Biddi

Gnarla Biddi

Home> Strategies>Gnarla Biddi

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. 

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

Back To Top