Traditional Owner Consultation on new Strawberry Hill centre

Local Aboriginal families and National Trust volunteers will have their say on a revamped visitor experience at WA’s oldest farming settlement.

Work started on the construction of Strawberry Hill’s new visitor centre in late February, while National Trust staff met with traditional owners this week to develop a new approach to storytelling as part of a broader visitor engagement program.

“The new building, with extensive glazing provides visitors with a wonderful opportunity to contemplate the complexity of a site like Strawberry Hill,” National Trust chief executive Julian Donaldson said.

“Menang recognised this as a strategic location and it did not take white settlers long to also realise how important the water source and protected location was.”

A National Trust spokeswoman said the trust was keen to ensure traditional owners had the chance to maintain links to a culturally important site and guide ways in which visitors could appreciate its significance.

“Capturing these important themes through a range of storytelling and exhibition techniques will prove exciting and challenging for the team,” Mr Donaldson said.

We are thrilled to have the guidance and support of those who have such deep and ongoing connections to the place.”