Giles weather station the venue for a reconciliation celebration

17/04/2013

The Ngaanyatjarra Land Council and Bureau of Meteorology will sign a new 10 year lease for the Giles Meteorological Office today (17 April 2013).

The Giles office is one of the most remote weather stations in the world; it lies approximately 350 kilometres west of Yulara in the South Australia and Western Australia border region, and has been in continuous operation since 1956.

Bureau of Meteorology Assistant Director for People Management, Mr Chris Stocks, said the lease had been prepared in line with the Bureau's Reconciliation Action Plan, which is committed to improving relations with indigenous Australians.

“The Reconciliation Action Plan is focused on themes of relationships, respect and opportunity. The new lease recognises Ngaanyatjarra is a dry community, and staff assigned to Giles must agree not to consume alcohol on these lands.

“The lease also provides Indigenous employment opportunities for the nearby Warakurna community,” said Mr Stocks.

Bureau of Meteorology Regional Director for South Australia, Mr Andrew Watson, said the new lease ensures the continuing operation of the Giles office for the next decade.

“Giles is an important location for surface and upper air observations, which are absorbed into the Bureau’s global weather and climate forecasting models,” Mr Watson said.

"The staff at Giles have shown tremendous enthusiasm for what can be a challenging role at times due to the remote location and demands of the job, but are always committed to working cooperatively with the local community,” he said.

Chairman of the Ngaanyatjarra Land Council, Mr Bruce Smith, spoke at the event which recognised the heritage of the traditional owners of the land on which the Giles Meteorological Office is based.

To learn more go to the Bureau’s Reconciliation Action Plan and the Indigenous Weather Knowledge Project.