'Kennedy Hill'

Kennedy Hill is an Aboriginal community in the remote town of Broome in the Kimberley, in the North West of Australia. The community along with approximately 100-150 Aboriginal communities in Western Australia is part of a sweeping government policy of settlement closure and dissolution of Indigenous Australians. Aboriginal Elders and Leaders are shocked and state that closing down communities is a threat to their people. They believe the impact of such a move will be devastating. Closing down communities means losing connection to the land in which ancient stories are etched. By closing down communities, ancient knowledge that has been passed down through generations will get lost, and people will be lost because of this disconnection that nurtures them physically, emotionally and spiritually. I decided to concentrate mainly on one community – Kennedy Hill, which I feel is representative of others. There was evidence of extreme poverty; the community was set apart within the wealth of Broome, which is visited by tourists from all over the world. Since commencing my documentation, four houses, and an office were ‘condemned’ and demolished leaving only seven houses at Kennedy Hill. They are in poor condition, old and unmaintained. Essential services such as water and electricity are barely operational. The Oombulgurri community was evacuated from their country in 2014. People from there moved in with families in Wyndham or became homeless. This is an example of what will happen if other communities are closed. I believe the photographs I have taken are strong evidence of the struggle for Aboriginal communities undergoing multiple hardships arising from a long history of mistreatment. I want to show the reality of these conditions to raise consciousness and help persuade governments and Australians that things must change. Over seven per cent of the Kimberley population is homeless, and ninety per cent of this homelessness is comprised by its First Peoples. Kennedy Hill, or as the locals refer to it, ‘The Hill’ is significant to Indigenous people in the region. The presence of a large shell midden immediately adjacent to the community is a testament to this significance; It’s been a living area and a sacred place since before White Invasion... since time in memorial. Aboriginal people all over the Kimberley are now in fear of losing not only their homes but losing the significant connection to their land and sacred sites. The question now remains, which Aboriginal communities will be closed?