‘Walkatjurra Walkabout – Walking for Country’

is a celebration of Wangkatja country, a testament to the strength of the community who have fought to stop uranium mining at Yeelirrie for over forty years, and a chance to come together to continue share our commitment to a sustainable future without nuclear.  It is a chance to reconnect with the land, and to revive the tradition of walking for country.

Hello walkers and all our wonderful supporters,

The Walkatjurra Walkabout is starting August 16th and this year it’s our 5th Anniversary! We have achieved so much since this chapter in the struggle for a nuclear free future started in 2011 at North Pool outside of Wiluna. We are getting extra excited this year for a number of reasons:

We’ll have a new truck! After our trusty and hardworking truck of walks past has taken a well deserved retirement, we were lucky enough to find a replacement that looks amazing and up to the task of hauling all our food and equipment on desert adventures and Ranger expeditions.

There is an online crowd-raiser happening Donate here which you are encouraged to contribute to and share with friends. We’ve already hit our target for covering some of the truck costs, but still need to buy a super strong trailer for the 800 litre water tank. Every bit helps!

NEW TRUCK WITH SOLAR SET UP!!

There has already been lots of interest in this year’s walkabout from all around the world. There is a possibility of walkers coming from Japan, including Nipponzan Myohoji monks and people from Fukushima. Representatives from Footprints For Peace, US section, are likely to come too. And rumours of old walkers returning from Canberra and the far off East Coast of Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand. It’s looking like a deadly crew to celebrate our 5th year out walking on Country together!

We starting from North Pool in Wiluna again this year! This is a reflection of the stronger connections with Indigenous community up there and concerns over possibility of expanded ‘uranium district’ in the area proposed by Toro “we have no idea what we are doing” Energy.

There are even an exciting pre-walkabout art exhibition in Perth to participate in before we get started. “Yellowcake country” exhibiton will be held at the Moore Gallery in Fremantle from 14th-31st of August. So if you are coming over to WA for the walkabout, make sure you arrive in time for the opening on Friday 14th August. We’ll be celebrating our 5 year anniversary and WANFA will hold their live auction on the night. So get your glad-rags ready and come p-ART-y with us!

There’s even going to be a new hot water urn, after the demise of the our last one due to petrol/water confusion on the 2014 walk… And because we are walking in springtime again, the wildflowers will be out! There is so much to be so joyfully thankful for and look forward to this year!

Of course we are most thankful for all our efforts successfully working to keep WA uranium mining free on our 5th anniversary. That’s EIGHT YEARS winning despite a pro-uranium state government. Our success is due to the strength of connections and community we have created together, led by committed and knowledgeable traditional owners who are standing up for their land and culture. Wangka Kutju – Wanti Uranium! Leave it in the Ground!

So, whose keen to join us this year? Remember to read the information for participants before you register. We need to know if you are coming and who you are bringing with you. 🙂 The bus is filling up and a few people have said they will be bringing vehicles, so hope to fit in everyone who wants to come.

See you in Seven weeks!

Hope to see you on the Walk..

Walkatjurra Walkabout Crew