The Gascoyne is a vast region in the north-west of Western Australia, stretching from Shark Bay through Carnarvon towards Exmouth, and inland into river and range country.
Yoda has spent a significant amount of time around Carnarvon over the years. Like many good things in his life, his relationship with the region began with surfing.
Yoda’s earliest memories of the region are salt-soaked ones. He would travel north with friends and spend weeks near Carnarvon, most of his days in the water. Life was shaped by the weather, the swell and the simple rhythm of waking, surfing and doing it all again.
Those journeys began with the coast, but over the years his relationship with the Gascoyne has deepened. What started as an appreciation for its raw beauty has grown through friendships, shared experiences and time spent listening to people whose knowledge and stories are inseparable from this place.
In recent years, Yoda has had the privilege of working alongside Aboriginal hospitality students at Jardilunji Mia, the training café within Gwoonwardu Mia in Carnarvon. Hosted on Yinggarda Country, the centre celebrates the culture and stories of the Gascoyne’s five Aboriginal language groups—Yinggarda, Bayungu, Malgana, Thadgari and Thalanyji—and has become, for us, one of the places at the heart of Carnarvon.
One of the many incredible experiences at the centre is Burlganyja Wanggaya: Old People Talking — Listen, Learn and Respect, its nationally award-winning permanent exhibition.
Working with Gwoonwardu Mia, Tristan McKenzie and Jesse Britten spent a week interviewing nine people from different language groups. In the resulting films, each person shares stories of family, Country, strength and resilience in their own words.
When we spoke with Tristan, he described the Gascoyne River as “the cultural linchpin that holds the region together”. His words stayed with us, not only because of what they said about the landscape, but because they captured something of the role Gwoonwardu Mia plays in holding and sharing the region’s stories.
He also spoke candidly about the responsibility of being behind the camera when people entrust you with personal, cultural and family histories. His approach centred on listening, giving people time and creating an environment where they felt comfortable enough to speak openly.
Perhaps that is true of experiencing a place, too. We understand more when we slow down, listen and allow a landscape to reveal itself on its own terms.
One of our most treasured memories from the region came last year, when the Fervor team spent time on Country with Renee from Wooramulla Eco Cultural Journeys. Over the years, their friendship has grown into one that means a great deal to Yoda. She generously shared her time and knowledge with us, giving the team a deeper understanding of the region’s cultural heritage and the connections between its people, plants and landscapes.
Experiences such as these remind us that travelling through a place and understanding it are not the same thing. Understanding asks more of us. It asks us to be present, to listen and to recognise how much we do not know.
This August, Yoda will return to Carnarvon to work alongside Mark Attard and the Jardilunji Mia hospitality students as they prepare for Fireside Yarns: Land, Sea & Story at Gwoonwardu Mia. As they approach the final chapter of their training journey, the students will play a central role in delivering the evening. Bringing together local produce, native ingredients, storytelling and contemporary dining, the event will celebrate their work and the skills and confidence they have developed along the way.
If your own travels bring you to this part of Western Australia, make time for Gwoonwardu Mia. Spend time at the centre, explore the region with people who know it deeply, and allow yourself to travel slowly enough to listen.
The Gascoyne is visually unforgettable. But, as Tristan’s work so beautifully reminds us, its deepest impression comes from the stories held within it. To learn more about Tristan’s experience filming in the region and the responsibility of capturing stories of Country, read In Conversation with Tristan McKenzie.
