The HEAL Western Australia (WA) Communities of Practice (often referred to as Seasonal Yarns) operate at Local, Regional and State Levels and are central and foundational to the operation of the HEAL Network in WA (Diagram 2 below).
The HEAL WA Network consists of a range of people working at the intersection of health, community, and climate change. Members include policy makers across government and non-government organizations, researchers, service providers. community organizations, people with diverse lived experience, and Aboriginal Elders and Community members.
A key function of the Network is the establishment and continued support of Communities of Practice (referred to as Seasonal Yarns). These yarns occur at local, regional and at state level and enable network participants to come together regularly to share knowledge, discuss, build collective capacity, and respond to the impacts of climate and environmental changes.
The HEAL WA Network is guided by an Aboriginal Steering Group and supported by the HEAL WA Project Team.
Upcoming Event
HEAL 2026 HUB Session: Western Australia
| Date | Thursday 29th October, 2026 |
| TIME | 9.00-10.30am AWST |
| Location | Teams |
| Delivery | Online via TEAMS Click here to join the meeting Meeting ID: 448 666 602 542 Passcode: KhgexG |
| Conveners | Prof Aunty Mara West and A/Prof Brad Farrant |
HEAL WA Hub Priorities
- Aboriginal Sovereignty
- Community-led change
- Relationship-building
- Centring Aboriginal knowledge and cultural practice
- Redistributing power
- Co-decision making
- Social justice
- Youth agency
- Healing Country.
Western Australia Aboriginal Steering Group
The HEAL Network is grounded in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander science, culture, knowledge, and wisdom.
The HEAL WA Aboriginal Steering Group provides governance to the HEAL WA Communities of Practice and HEAL WA more broadly to ensure the respectful weaving together of Aboriginal knowledge, science, culture and wisdom with the best of western science.
The purpose of the HEAL WA Aboriginal Steering Group is to provide cultural advice, leadership, governance, and recommendations to the HEAL Network; to accelerate research knowledge exchange into policy and practice that will bring measurable improvements to our health system and the environment.
HEAL WA Aboriginal Steering Group Priorities include:
- Developing opportunities for people to learn from Elders and work on Country
- Expanding Aboriginal ranger programs
- Privileging grassroot initiatives.
Hub Co-Leads
Aboriginal Steering Group Members
WA Community of Practice Members
Linked Projects
- “Healing People, Country and Climate – Cultural pathways for Change”
- “Changes to Country: The role of Aboriginal cultural practices in protecting Social & Emotional Wellbeing as Country & climate change”
- “First and Last” – National Disaster Ready Fund grant
- Inclusive community planning for a just transition to net zero emissions
- Climate Justice and Disaster Resilience Toolkit
- Climate Change and Youth Mental Health
