Question Time

Flinders Ranges Ediacara Foundation

The Hon. T.T. NGO (14:53): My question is to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. Can the minister tell the council about the Flinders Ranges Ediacara Foundation's sixth birthday celebrations?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector, Special Minister of State) (14:53): I thank the honourable member for his question and interest in this area. It was a pleasure to recently attend the sixth birthday celebration of the Flinders Ranges Ediacara Foundation, held at the South Australian Museum at the end of July.

The event brought together scientists, supporters, educators and advocates, all with a shared appreciation of one of South Australia's most remarkable national treasures, Nilpena Ediacara National Park, located on the traditional lands of the Adnyamathanha people. Reflecting on that evening, it was very easy to be struck by just how far the foundation has come in six short years. What started as a bold vision to protect and to promote the Ediacara fossils has become a world-class example of collaboration between science, government, traditional owners and community.

During the night we heard about the increasing demand for guided tours, now offered five days a week by a dedicated team of three staff, visitor numbers having doubled and feedback, especially from events such as Tasting Australia and visits from leaders in academia, has been overwhelmingly positive. It was especially fascinating to hear about the continued upgrade to the park: new geological timeline, improvements to the shearer quarters and the installation of fossil bed sponsorship plaques on these projects, deepening the visitor experience and ensuring the site is well supported into the future.

It was also pleasing and encouraging to hear the integration with our First Nations knowledge and understanding, with Adnyamathanha stories and understanding currently part of the offering and looking to see how it could continue to be integrated. Of course, the star of the storytelling remains the Alice's Restaurant fossil bed, a breathtaking centrepiece in the restored blacksmith's shop, brought to life through cutting-edge audiovisuals, the name being a nod to Arlo Guthrie's famous line, 'You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant'. Indeed, that particular fossil bed gives an amazing display from deep time diversity preservation of the Ediacaran fossils.

The recent event at the Museum was a reminder that, while Nilpena may only be some hundreds of kilometres away, the story it holds belongs to all South Australians. I have been fortunate to visit the site a number of times over recent years and, while being impressed at the richness and history of the rock bed, I was also impressed by the way Adnyamathanha culture, language and stories have been intertwined into the site. The foundation work ensures that those stories are not only preserved but shared in classrooms, communities, research papers and in spaces like the Museum, where people of all ages can connect with our very ancient past.

As we celebrate six years of the Flinders Ranges Ediacara Foundation, I acknowledge the incredible vision and commitment of everyone involved. What has been built is something that will continue to be built on in the future. It is not just about rocks and fossils, it is about legacy, learning and the land. We are looking forward to the next six years of the foundation and beyond.