A unique partnership between a mining company, the WA Department of Sport and Recreation and the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) has helped Aboriginal Western Desert communities hit sporting paydirt.

Five communities and three townships in Western Australia are guaranteed to have an Indigenous sports development officer working with them over the next three years.

The employment of a dedicated officer has come about through a groundbreaking partnership between Newcrest Mining, the State Department of Sport and Recreation and the ASC, which provides funding to the WA department to support the program.

Although the position is not new, Manager of Programs with the WA Department of Sport and Recreation Neil Thompson said the partnership had helped to overcome some of the difficulties the department faced in attracting and retaining people in the role. These included working in isolation, time away from families, lack of facilities and vast distances to travel — up to 800km on gravel roads to reach some communities.

‘Through the partnership with Newcrest we can provide the network, information, resources, salary, vehicle and on-costs while Newcrest will fly our person in and out, provide them with accommodation, meals, office facilities, any additional travel, and considerably top up the salary on offer,’ Thompson said.

‘It goes a long way to making the services we provide through the position more dynamic, flexible and in the long-term, more sustainable.’

ASC Manager of Indigenous Sport Carl Currey said the partnership allowed sports deliverers to be more responsive and reactive. ‘It’s a way of adding value to the position. It’s a very important partnership because Newcrest has seen that sport is a great vehicle for social, emotional and physical change. There’s no doubt that a healthier, better engaged community benefits everyone in the area.’

Former Collingwood Australian Football player Tristen Walker has recently been appointed to the position. He said the partnership had provided his role with an immense amount of flexibility.

‘There’s support coming from all angles. I couldn’t ask for anything more. The Martu people who are the people we service are getting the best that we can possibly give them.’

Walker said there was no doubting the value of sport to the community in relieving monotony and promoting wellbeing. ‘Football, softball and basketball are big out there and when you turn up and start pulling out a footy or a softball, the majority of the community turns up and everyone wants a turn. Their hand–eye coordination is exceptional.

‘We’re also introducing a game called floorball which is kind of like a hybrid ice hockey game and can be played in air-conditioned halls that some of the communities have, and we’re looking at other sports like handball.’

He said facilities and climate often dictated the time and type of sporting activity that could be run. ‘You’re talking about red dust ovals, no grass, and temperatures of 50 degrees sometimes. Some of the basketball courts have lights for night games when it gets cooler. You have to a bit creative in what you can do.’

Walker said the role was challenging but ‘incredibly fulfilling’. ‘It has grown on me, it has been a real eye opener but I can’t imagine doing anything else.’