Lee Joachim, Tracey Benson and Martin Drury WPP2016

Lee Joachim is a Yorta Yorta man and father of 9 children. “Raised and strongly influenced by the teachings of my Grandmother, a survivor of oppression through the Aboriginal Mission system and polio. She was a strong believer in environmental socialism and had great capacity to network and influence.” Lee works in the area of self determination through active research. Since 2001, Lee has been focused on developing intergenerational research projects through the continuation of oral history. He works with researchers from the USA, Switzerland, the Pacific and Australia to share knowledge and to build linkages between Yorta Yorta culture, science and education. He is currently Manager Research and Development, Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation in Shepparton Australia.

Intercreate’s determination to engage indigenous groups in discussing the environment is here underlined by providing the airfare for his attendance. He addressed SCANZ2015 via Skype.

Tracey Benson is an artist and researcher based in Canberra, Australia. Her work focuses on notions of place and identity, experimenting with a range of media – video, online, emerging media technologies and augmented reality. She often collaborates with cultural owners and guides – working with Indigenous communities, historians, artists, technologists and thinkers. Community and audience engagement are also areas of relevance and this is echoed in her work with government on online sustainability programs. Her work has featured in many international and national emerging media festivals since 1996. Tracey has a MA from QUT, Creative Industries and a PhD from ANU, which explores online environments and social impacts in the geo-physical world.

She brokered the relationship between Intercreate and Lee Joachim, and between Intercreate and Ethos Global, an Australian indigenous advocacy organisation. She has located her own funding for flights and residency.

Martin Drury is a photographer, cartographer, bushwalker, sailor, rock climber, cyclist and general adventurer. He has traveled throughout Australia and internationally including Turkey, France, Croatia, Indonesia (Bali), New Zealand, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands.Martin has a degree in Information Technology, and works as a quality professional based in Canberra, Australia. He also holds qualifications as a Cartographer and had the enviable role of being the cartographer for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (1989-1995). More recently, Martin has been collaborating with Tracey Benson and Lee Joachim on the “Way of the Turtle” project.