If you look in the Field Guide to Birds of Australia, or one of the many other publications, pictures of Australian birds are accompanied by a paragraph explaining other features.

Their song, habitat, description of juveniles, size, location, migratory or a local population and, most importantly, the status of the birds, which can be confusing as it varies from state to state.

The Federal Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Plan Act 1999 (EPBC) is almost 25 years old and provides a framework for protection of the Australian environment, including its biodiversity. In December, 2022 the Government commenced a review of this Plan.

The Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 (TSP) also applies to King Island and is outlined in the King Island Biodiversity Plan 2012-2022 publication. The status of all birds is continually being reassessed and, generally, there has been a worrying trend as more birds become threatened.

This is happening Australia-wide, including King Island. In other words, all birds are at risk for one or a variety of reasons through no fault of their own.

The TSP specifies birds in these categories: Vulnerable (v) – species likely to become endangered;  Endangered (e) – long-term survival unlikely while factors causing it to be endangered continue; or Critically Endangered (cr) – species that face an extremely high risk of extinction. This is based on the criteria of having a very small population size, or restrictions in the range of their habitat, or human interference. 

Among the endemic Tasmanian birds are six King Island subspecies. These birds are unique as they don’t live anywhere else and all come under the TSP Act.

The status of the Dusky Robin and Green Rosella is vulnerable (v). The Yellow Wattlebird is endangered (e) and the Black Currawong, King Island Scrubtit and King Island Brown Thornbill are critically endangered (cr).

As for other birds, the Hooded Plover, a resident shorebird is vulnerable and the population of many of the migratory waders is decreasing at an alarming rate.  Many of these visit King Island in very small numbers. Fairy Tern (e) and Little Tern (cr) fly to King Island for their breeding event on sandy beaches and are exposed to the weather and tidal movements, as are the other beach-nesting birds on our coastline.

While we can’t change the weather or tidal movements, we can change our habits while visiting the coastline whether on foot or in vehicles.  

Bush birds have other challenges, such as the loss of tall trees and smaller bushes as most birds thrive amongst a mixed range of vegetation.

You might think there are lots of Green Rosella about if you have a nest in the chimney and another on the haystack in the barn, especially if they like the fruit in your garden.

Outside your boundary, how far do you have to travel to see more Green Rosella and do you know the difference between a Black Currawong and a Raven?

This can result in a false impression of the true situation.

Remember, every bit of improvement to our environment and staying clear of nesting sites, such as on beaches, can lead to much better outcomes for our birds.

The crowd in the stand, on the hill, along the rails and on the flats roared as one in the final moments of the Miners Rest Cup.

“It’s a photo!” race caller Duncan Dornauf broadcast over the cheering.

Then there was silence across the King Island Racing track as all eyes were on the judge’s box waiting for the numbers to drop.

The winner of the second running of the Miners Rest Cup was Wholesome, giving Tommy Doyle for McEvoy/Mitchell stables and Robert Keys consecutive cup wins.

The margin was a nose back to Mayoral Privileges of Henry Dwyer Racing, jockey Jamie Gibbons and trainer Jim Taylor and the race start favourite Southern Jewel – Andrew Noblet Racing, trained by Rowan Hamer, jockey Codi Jordan – came in third.

Tasmanian Racing Minister Felix Ellis and Opposition Racing Spokesman Dean Winter journeyed to King Island and mixed in with the visitors and King Island locals.

“I love racing, I’m a mug punter. I grew up around racing,” Mr Ellis said. “This is such a beautiful and unique track, on a unique island.”

Newly-appointed TasRacing CEO Andrew Jenkins had his first King Island experience and loved it. “I had such a good time, everything here is unreal, I went back and put the King Island races straight into my calendar,” he said.

Racing club president Audrey Hamer told the crowd there’s always something to do in racing right up to the start of the season and that it was great that the new TasRacing CEO helped with the day’s setup, jogged the track and marked it as good for the day.

“It was a big couple of days for the interstate visitors, starting at the King Island Hotel and a few hit the King Island Club,” Ms Hamer said.

Friday night included a Calcutta, horse auction and dining on local King Island produce with Ian Johnson at the not-yet-open-to-the-public renovated Boomerang Restaurant.

As the Maritime race day ended, the visiting racing fraternity moved to View Dining at the King Island Golf and Bowling Club.

It wasn’t all on the track for the Miners Rest interstate trainers and stable crews, as they also swung the sticks at Cape Wickham and Ocean Dunes.

This year the King Island sporting clubs were the beneficiaries of the racing prizes and charity fundraising events. The final tally is King Island Racing Club $5000, Currie FC $8500, King Island Boat Club $6000, North FC $6000, Imperial 20 $4000, King Island Football Association $3000 and Grassy FC $3500. Camperdown Turf Club also received $5000 from the MRC Crew.

Robert (Kodge) Keys and his Gunyah stable support crew were delighted with the cup win and thanked the McEvoy/Mitchell stables, sponsor Magic Millions, for the horse and the local training opportunity.

“I’m the only trainer in the world to have won two Miners Rest Cups.”

While upbeat Kodge told racing.com that while the mainland trainers’ season input is fantastic, welcomed and the charity financial benefits are so appreciated by the clubs, businesses and wider community, the problem of aging trainers, retirement wishes, lack of young riders and island horses remains a concern.

The MRC crew and sponsors said that they will continue to support King Island racing beyond 2024.

The eight-race card, with three harness races included the much sought after Ern Chitts Bracelet (2200m) which was won by Run Callan Run for NSW satellite stable trainer Bill.

A key activity within the council’s arts and cultural program is the Artist Residency program. Artists are offered residencies from two to five weeks between 20 January and 20 December.  All Australia-based artists working in any medium and at any stage of their career are eligible to apply.

King Island Gallery is thrilled to announce an exciting year of Artist Residencies ahead with some extremely talented artists on their way.

Julie Gough is an artist, writer and curator based in Nipaluna and Hobart. Gough’s art-research uncovers and re-presents conflicting or subsumed histories, many referring to her family’s experiences as Tasmanian Aboriginal people.

(March & October 2024)

Emily Sheppard is a composer, performer and scientist based in Nipaluna, Tasmania. Emily bridges science and music through storytelling events, exploring themes of geological deep time, freshwater eel migration, and kelp forest decline. Emily will be collaborating with Rachel Meyers. https://emily.cloud

(April 2024)

Rachel Meyers’ career spans world, folk, experimental, and early music spheres. She is deeply passionate about working with stories of place, identity and personal connection, and using art as a tool for real, tangible community change. http://www.meyersandmcnamara.com (April 2024)

Mel Robson is a Ceramic Artist living in Arrernte Country in Mpartnwe,Alice Springs. Her practice encompasses functional design objects, sculptural works, installation pieces and public art. Her work centres around ideas of place and identity and how histories, stories and associations can become embedded in everyday objects. melrobson.com (May 2024)

Anne Morrison was born in Scotland and now lives with her family on Tasmania’s NW coast. Her art practice is informed and enriched by her day-to-day experience of the local coastal environment, as well as many years of travel, by exposure to foreign landscapes and ancient cultures. despard-gallery.com.au/artistprofiles/anne-morrison

(July 2024)

Judith Klavins is a contemporary installation artist living in Adelaide. Her installations include sculpture, video, photography, textiles, drawing and printmaking. Klavins creates artworks that poetically engage and speculate upon her relationship with coastal environments where she has lived, returns to and she has ancestral connections, including King Island. judithklavins.net

(September 2024)

Alana Hampton captures compelling sensate experiences of place in precious habitats and places of beauty. Photographing by day and night, utilising underwater lights and cameras to gather often surreal and dreamlike impressions, her practice is process-based and immersive, weaving together physical and metaphysical traces from the landscape that are layered in the studio, with digital manipulations of drawing, photography, painting and video. alanahampton.com (November 2024)

Aviva Endean is a clarinettist, composer and sound artist living between Wurundjeri and Dja Dja Wurrung country. She creates shared spaces for attentive listening, opening our ears to the world around us as we consider place and space. Aviva’s vision extends beyond her primary art form to expand ways in which sound can be experienced, and to discover new forms of expression that reflect the here and now. avivaendean.com

(December 2024)

THE Cataraqui shipwreck memorial and grave site on King Island becomes the first shipwreck site with a land-based element to be entered on the Tasmanian Heritage Register.

The site was nominated for registration by King Island resident and RSL Sub branch vice president Gary Barker.

While the registration process took longer than he had expected, the protection of an important piece of Tasmania’s maritime history was ultimately achieved.

A former ACT Heritage Council member, Mr Barker recognised the broader significance of the site to Tasmania’s maritime history soon after arriving on the island in 2016 and the island’s 175th shipwreck commemoration committee supported his offer to submit a heritage nomination as an individual.

The basic principles and procedures to be followed in the conservation of Australian heritage places was ratified in the South Australia mining town of Burra in 1979 by the Australian chapter of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), which was founded in France almost 60 years ago.

States and Territories have adopted or refer to the Burra Charter, including Tasmania,  which established the Tasmanian Heritage Council through legislation.

Until recently there were four permanent registrations for King Island: Cape Wickham Light Station, Currie Harbour Light House, Lighthouse Keeper’s Residence (now the Museum), and the Naracoopa Jetty.

We now have one more and it was listed as a Case Study in the Tasmanian Heritage Council Annual Report 2022-23, issued by the Government last December. Titled  “A Unique Entry to the Register.”

There are 12,103 Tasmanian places listed on the Heritage Register.

Mr Barker’s interest in heritage started as a child.

“As a young child I was fascinated by steam locomotives,” he said.

“Throughout my time in the army, I would often come across old machinery and in the 1990s I restored a 1926, 10-ton steam roller.

“I was made an honorary life member of the Evandale History Society for my voluntary research work on the 1835 – 1837 Evandale to Launceston Water Supply Scheme, now listed on the Tasmanian Heritage Register.”

After leaving the army, Mr Barker became a senior lecturer in civil engineering at the University of New South Wales in Canberra, where his interest in heritage, history and research on Tasmanian topics dramatically increased but his fight for heritage sites began in the ACT.

“I was invited to become the engineering member of the ACT Heritage Council and was also the Chair of the ACT Engineering Heritage Panel, a special interest group of Engineers Australia,” he said.

“In 2005, the ACT Government closed the historic Tharwa Bridge, with plans to build a new concrete bridge. It was the first and only Allan four-span truss bridge constructed.

“With two retired ex-NSW government engineers, we lobbied at the Prime Ministerial level to retain the bridge and became the Peer Review Group to the ACT Government Bridge Design Team. Suffice to say, the Allan Truss bridge is in use.”

Former King Island Historical Society president Sue Fisher contacted Mr Barker after an ABC Radio interview when he was researching the Tasmanian Public Works Department while living in NSW.

“Sue put me in touch with Micky Barker (no relation) and Athol Hill to complete oral history interviews with them,” Mr Barker said.

“Dick Fisher and Athol showed me the Cataraqui site. I immediately wrote about the place and, in 2020, those words  formed the lead in for the site’s heritage register nomination: “The place remains largely unchanged since 1845, apart from some farm fences and memorials. Nothing remains of the wreck and the graves in the adjacent sand dunes are unmarked, as early fencing was destroyed by bushfires.

“The remoteness of the place and the wild weather still experienced there provide an aesthetic value in the beauty of nature at its wildest.  Conversely, the place provides a deep, moving, spiritual value of the fear and hopelessness that the passengers, mainly families with young children, would have experienced knowing death was imminent.  They were within two days of arriving in Melbourne.”

In 2016, Mr Barker, and local Parks Rangers were concerned with the state of the signage at the Cataraqui site, vehicles were driving on the grave sites, and a covenant had not been placed on the private property title when the Lion’s Club Monument was erected.

A property sale was on the cards and a developer had indicated a desire to build accommodation within the vicinity. Concerned, Mr Barker commenced a private submission for registration of the site by the Heritage Council. A number of criteria needed to be satisfied to prove the significance of the place.

The submission nomination was made in February 2020 and Mr Barker was hopeful that it would have been accepted in time for the 175th anniversary commemoration in July of that year. After regular emails and follow-ups, he received the news that it was going to the Heritage Council in mid-2023 with a positive recommendation.

“Seven years of pro bono work had been successful and the site is now protected by Heritage Legislation.”

As anticipated, the land previously owned by Harold Sullivan was sold.  Heritage staff contacted the new owner advising that he was able to appeal the registration but, to the best of Mr Barker’s knowledge, no appeal was made.

The Festival of King Island is now days away and the performers are packing their bags, ready to shine on the King Island stage.

Darlinghurst is a Golden Guitar Award-winning act from Melbourne and is fully booked during the Tamworth Country Music Festival and Awards and will leave the stage and continue on to King Island. 

Originally a four-piece, it was announced in December that they were moving forward into 2024 as a duo comprised of original members Cassie Leopold and Pagan Newman.

Darlinghurst created a new sound in the Australian country sphere that is as accessible as it is unique. Grounded in refined songwriting, a keen ear for melody, relatable lyricism and exceptional performances, Darlinghurst has broad appeal that has been reflected in the success to date. 

Their debut album  

Darlinghurst entered the ARIA Australian Country Albums Chart at Number One, earned them the Golden Guitar Award for New Talent of the Year in 2022 and they have played major festivals and support to some of music’s biggest names, including The Corrs, The Black Sorrows and Jon Stevens.

The first taste of the new Darlinghurst landed on January 5 with the brand-new single Unapologetic. Co-written by all four original members along with producers M Squared, the song is uplifting and anthemic while capturing a whole new feel that is surprising yet exciting. It’s a surefire hit that will please the loyal Darlinghurst followers and capture the hearts of new fans.

Unapologetic, is about, not being sorry for being who you are and making sure that people know that it’s OK to be different,” Ms Newman told King Island Radio.

As the band evolves the sound is more rock with some country flavour, she said.

“I think especially in the live shows that comes across.

“We love to perform, and we love to be on stage, and it’s a little bit edgy, and that’s what we like.

“When we write, we just write for ourselves so that whatever comes out is what comes out

“We want to show people that they can have just as much fun as we are having.”

Island Breeze Motel owners Mark and Lisa (Erickson) Goode may now live in Alice Springs but, when possible, they return to King Island.

This January’s trip had more than a business and friend catchup reason.

For the past 10 years, the couple have been searching for a striking sculpture, a visual first impression, which could be positioned in front of the motel. They installed the sculptures last week.

“We have wanted to steadily improve Island Breeze Motel and have been looking for a sculpture to put out front [of the motel] for over 10 years. We have tried to find artists for many years without success,” Mark said.

Lisa held senior executive positions within international hotel chains and, while working on the island, she used her large project management skills before investing in and later redeveloping the Island Breeze Motel with Mark.

On leaving the island, Lisa returned to international hotel management in Alice Springs. Mark has a project engineering and consulting background, including State and Local Government, and was the General Manager of the King Island Council.

In between return visits to King Island, Mark continues travelling to projects around the country.

“While working in Deniliquin, in southern NSW on a building and airport runway and retirement village projects, I learned of a local scrap metal artist, Stu Taylor. We chatted and I commissioned this original artwork. It took about a year and a half from concept to installation.

“The sculpture is one of two; the other smaller piece is up the back near the motel rooms and fish pond. We wanted to provide a visual first impression for guests and those travelling past. We wanted a feature that would greet visitors as they entered Currie,” he said.

Deniliquin-based award-winning artist Stu Taylor’s signature style is repurposed scrap metal. His works are part of The Long Paddock’s iconic ARTback outdoor sculpture series, which is located across the touring route from Moama over the Victoria/NSW border to Wilcannia, in western -central NSW.

After her first performance in 2018, Tasmanian singer/songwriter Ange Boxall, can’t wait to return to the Festival of King Island.

“We had an absolute ball, from the moment we arrived”, says Ange. “As soon as we left, we were sad.

“We felt quite rock and roll, and it felt really cool. And then the way we were treated by everybody was just so beautiful. And it definitely has that sort of small town feeling, where everybody knows one another and everybody’s kind to you and wants you to be comfortable. I just felt really nurtured and welcomed and appreciated. And then the festival itself was just such a blast. It was heaps of fun.”

Although Ange Boxall spent a lot of time overseas during her career, working in places like London and Nashville, Tasmania has always been home. She finds it an inspiring place to write music and she can write music in different styles, and over a long period of time.

“My music changes depending on where I live,” she said.

“I feel a deep connection to things and to places where I live. When I first started writing music in Tasmania, my music was pretty raw and wild, and you wouldn’t really have classified it as country.

“And then I moved to London, and my music sort of took on a more pop and passive sound.

“About halfway through, about five years or six years into living in London, I started spending half my time in Nashville, and that’s where my country roots came out.

“When I came back to Tasmania, I started getting my writing juices flowing again. I noticed that it went back to the start – that more sort of raw and wild sound.

“I live on the coast, and it can be wild and raw, and I’m affected by the elements and the weather and what I see around me in the ocean.”

During the Covid time, Ange said her performing almost completely disappeared. It was a downtime for many musicians. It was also a time where Boxall decided to write a new album, called Skipping Stone.

Her fourth album has become her most successful.  The album reached number one on the Aria Country Charts and number seven on the All-Australian Albums list.

“I was totally surprised and chuffed. It was an awesome result”, says Ange. “It’s so nice when you know you’ve worked so long and so hard and you put every bit of passion, energy, and soul into something and then you actually do see the results. It’s great”.

A lot of the songs on the new album will hit the FOKI ground on Friday, February 2 at 8.45 pm, when Ange Boxall gets on the stage together with her band.

Six years ago the crowds loved her music. This year it promises to be even bigger.

SECURE FOKI MERCH EARLY

It’s now countdown days until the Festival of King Island on Friday, February 2 and Saturday, February 3.

The festival merchandise is on the island and available for sale at the King Island Post Office.

The ever-popular hoodies sell out each festival and this year they are available for sale pre-festival weekend for those who have purchased a festival ticket.

Festival tickets can be purchased from the links on the FOKI website foki.com.au or links on social media pages. While there checkout the FOKI 2024 performers’ bios and get the full festival program guide and performer times.

FOKI kicks off on Friday 2 Feb at 4.30 pm and goes into the night.

On Saturday start your festival day at 9.15 am with some gentle, get into the groove, yoga, at the school.

The kids are not left out. Starting at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday at the FOKI site overlooking Currie Harbour, there is a Dance Competition with DJZ – just for the kids.

The King Island bohemian style and FOKI throwback are embraced in 2024.

Wear your best festival hippy gear or pull out those old FOKI hats, t-shirts, hoodies and hats and creatively put them on show on Saturday and win prizes.

A reminder that dogs and BYO are not permitted on the festival site, children and students have free entry. Guardians and parents are requested to supervise.

Ticket and merchandise sales will be available on-site.

DAY
TICKETS  

–
Friday
2nd Feb: $30 
 

–
Saturday
3rd Feb: $40

–
Friday + Saturday: $60

Go to foki.com.au and avoid the queues.

SpaceX launched its first set of six mobile phone-connecting satellites in early January.

A week after launching the satellites from California’s Vandenberg Space Force base, SpaceX posted on X that it had sent and received the first text messages through its new mobile connection satellites. 

In Australia, Optus and SpaceX are pioneering brand-new connectivity and are working to bring mobile coverage to 100 per cent of Australia, including King Island. 

Once the service is activated customers will be connected “nearly everywhere they can see the sky and in most cases with the phone they already have,” an Optus spokesperson said, adding that dead zones would become a thing of the past “even in the most remote locations”.

Optus managing director of revenue and marketing Matt Williams said mobiles, laptops and wearables such as smartwatches would be able to connect to the service.

“What’s really important about this is that it’s not using any special devices and doesn’t require a new satellite phone; it doesn’t require any particular software, it’s just using your standard mobile phone that is in your pocket right now,” he said.

SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said via X that “satellite connectivity direct to cell [mobile] phones will have a tremendous impact around the world, helping people communicate wherever and whenever they want or need to.”.

Starlink is the name of the satellite network developed by SpaceX to provide low-cost unlimited internet to remote locations and many King Islanders have left the Telstra and NBN Sky Muster network to use Starlink at their fixed address.

“Mobile networks cover approximately only one-third of our land mass. In planning to cover 100 per cent of Australia, including Bass Strait and King Island, Optus is collaborating with SpaceX to pioneer a type of connectivity never before seen in our country,” an Optus spokesperson said

“The service will complement our existing mobile networks, allowing customers to connect to the SpaceX Low Earth Orbit satellite-based network from their mobile phone when outside the coverage area of our terrestrial mobile network.”

 Last year Telstra announced its own deal with Starlink. Telstra is set to sell broadband and voice services for rural and remote customers powered by Starlink. This is vastly different to the Optus plan to use Starlink to deliver mobile-to-satellite services using the Starlink satellite constellation. The Telstra relationship is aimed at the improvement of satellite-based internet services for rural homes and businesses. The Optus deal relates to direct-to-mobile coverage, specifically to eradicate blackspots and cater for no-mobile coverage Australia-wide.  The providers and SpaceX companies will “extensively” test the satellite-to-phone service.

“The service will complement our existing mobile networks, allowing customers to connect to the SpaceX Low Earth Orbit satellite-based network from their mobile phone when outside the coverage area of our terrestrial mobile network,” the Optus spokesperson said.

“Our landmark collaboration will aim to provide the entirety of the continent with SMS coverage from late 2024, followed by voice and data from late 2025, so you can be more confident about connecting.”

The same SIM cards that a phone uses to connect to a satellite could also be used by households for home internet. That will only come into play if the capacity is high enough because home internet usage is typically much higher than mobile phone data

 “We anticipate the service will work with most existing 4G VoLTE capable mobile handsets, meaning an upgrade should not be necessary,” Optus said.

WHILE arguments rage around the nation about celebrating Australia Day on January 26, King Island Mayor Marcus Blackie is sticking with the traditional date.

King Island’s Australia Day 2024 activities will be held in Grassy and include the announcement of the Australia Day local hero awards, and the address will be delivered by the visiting Australia Day Ambassador to King Island, Dr Christina Henri.

“As Mayor, I cannot wait to announce this year’s King Islander of The Year Awards – again we have really hit it out of the park,” he said.

“We may also have Australian citizenship naturalisations making a welcome return to the program, as well as the usual range of great live entertainment and traditional activities.

“Event details will all be confirmed and promoted closer to Australia Day.

“Being a public holiday, I naturally encourage all locals and visiting tourists to attend our Australia Day event in a spirit of thanksgiving and King Island solidarity.

“We still live in the best state in the best country in the world and should never forget it,” Mr Blackie said.

Tasmania’s Australia Day program is delivered by the Department of Premier and Cabinet which works with local government to promote Australia Day..

While calls to change the date continue and the federal government said that it is not changing the Australia Day date, many now refer to it as a First Nations ‘Invasion Day.’

Notwithstanding disagreement about dates, increased emphasis on communities and other issues, changes around January 26 have already taken place.

For the first time, Tasmanian government employees will have the choice of moving their Australia Day holiday to a different date. In a recent amendment of the State Services Act, an employee can now substitute the holiday with pay for another day – usually within a four-week period of January 26.

 Federal public servants will continue to have a choice whether to work on Australia Day.

Large companies, big retailers, and professional practices such as legal firms have allowed staff to work the public holiday or choose to substitute it with another day.

Local councils already hold citizenship ceremonies throughout the year and citizenship ceremonies no longer must be held on Australia Day and can now elect to hold citizenship ceremonies between January 23 and 29. 

The Tasmanian government change was proposed during the bargaining period for a new award, led by the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), and accepted by the Tasmanian Industrial Commission before Christmas and public servants, more broadly, were starting to disagree that January 26 be retained as the national holiday.

“It was raised by a lot of our members when we put together a list of claims for our last bargaining around – and it was something that was embraced by the Liberal Government…I think the corporate world is starting to realise that employees in the private and public sectors have a right to express their disagreement,” CPSU Tasmania assistant secretary Tom Lynch said.

Australian Education Union (AEU) Tasmanian president David Genford said the change to the Tasmanian award was about being respectful toward those who didn’t want to celebrate January 26.

“We tried to make sure that while we allowed for people who wanted to show respect for not celebrating Australia Day on January 26, there was no interruption to student learning,” Mr Genford said.

Kmart dropped Australia Day-specific merchandise in 2023 from its stores in a bid to be more inclusive and Aldi has joined Woolworths and BIG W to drop Australia Day merchandise who cite a decline in sales over recent years.

“While Australian flags are sold within BIG W all year round, we don’t have any additional themed merchandise available to purchase in-store in our supermarkets or BIG W ahead of Australia Day…there has been a gradual decline in demand for Australia Day merchandise from our stores over recent years.

At the same time there’s been broader discussion about January 26 and what it means to different parts of the community.” a spokesperson said.

In past years, Woolworths was the major sponsor of the Australia Day Ambassador program which commenced in 1990. This sponsorship attracted criticism regarding a large retailer commercially sponsoring and displaying banners on a national day. The company now has a strategic focus that includes a corporate Indigenous reconciliation plan.