IERCApril 2022 Newsletter![]() ![]() Research shows Gardening can soothe the soul Gardening offers a wealth of mental health benefits. It lowers levels of cortisol (the body's primary stress hormone), improves attention span, plus reduces feelings of anxiety and depression. IERC staff on the Cairns Campus are very proud of the garden they have created and invite students to help themselves to the fresh herbs and vegetables growing there. Read more about the benefits of gardening Indigenous ranger's quest to preserve Simpson Desert knowledge and 60,000-year-old history of his peopleABC: Sunshine Coast: Bruce Atkinson Don Rowlands is a descendent of the Watti Watti family and is a Wangkangurru Yarluyandi elder living in Birdsville on the edge of Munga-Thirri National Park, which is also known as the Simpson Desert. "From Birdsville to Poeppel Corner to Dalhousie Springs way over in the west there are stone tools, stick humpies, mikiris [native wells], grinding stones, fighting shields, fire places and burial grounds," Mr Rowlands said. Work is underway to gather and preserve Aboriginal knowledge and stories about the Simpson Desert. ![]() JCU Indigenous Winter School![]() ![]() IERC welcomes new Staff Members![]() Jess is a JCU Social Work graduate who was previously working with Townsville City Council as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Liaison Officer. IERC is pleased to welcome two new staff members to our team. Jessica Ward has joined the Townsville team at the Bebegu Yumba campus as an Indigenous Student Support Advisor and Nik Lilo is also an Indigenous Student Support Advisor at the Nguma-bada campus in Cairns. ![]() Nik is a recent JCU graduate completing the Bachelor of Business in 2021 Daintree properties returned to Eastern Kuku Yalanji Traditional OwnersNational Indigenous Times: Giovanni Torre Three not-profit organisations met in the Daintree on Wednesday to hand ten properties over to Eastern Kuku Yalanji people for conservation. The Stronger Together partnership, a collaboration between Rainforest 4 Foundation, Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation and HalfCut, has collaborated to buy freehold land in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest and return it to Traditional Owners. ![]() ![]() JCU Alumni AdvantageWith JCU Alumni Advantage you can receive a 25% discount on tuition fees for eligible, full-fee postgraduate courses*. This advantage can be used with the upcoming roll-out of the Graduate Certificate (Indigenous Studies). Stay tuned for more details. JobsTownsville City Council are seeking an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Liaison Officer ![]() We want to hear from you! Whether you are a graduate of James Cook University and landed that perfect job, a current student who has just completed a deadly placement, a proud parent, grandparent or caregiver, a teacher who just wants to share how passionate you are about seeing our students strive for excellence, or a community member who Our community is important to us and your input, conversations |