Sunset over barren land with one tree

Anangu Country

Tjuntjuntjara, Great Victoria Desert, WA​

Tjuntjuntjara is a remote Indigenous community, approximately 17 hours east of Perth. The women of the community wanted to “green Tjuntjuntjara” to alleviate dust, provide shade, and enhance the liveability and natural beauty of the town. They also wanted fruit and nut trees in their gardens to provide more fresh food for the community. A volunteer from the Women’s Centre contacted Carbon Positive Australia to see if we would like to be involved in this project.

In September 2021, members of our team travelled to Tjuntjuntjara along with 11 other self-funded volunteers. Over eight days, more than 250 native trees and fruit trees were hand-planted across the town. The response from the community was amazing, with everyone from the youngest to the oldest lending a hand. The volunteers and community members dug holes for the trees mainly by hand and constructed tree protectors from wire and shade cloth.

The remaining trees were planted by the local rangers over the following weeks. Future plans include working with the community to establish a larger plant nursery for propagating local seeds at the Ranger Centre.

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volunteers
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Seedlings funded
Species
Planted

Project overview

Project gallery

Mix of seedlings in seedling trays
Some of the 1,500 seedlings ready to start their 17 hour journey to Tjuntjuntjara.
People sitting around a fire with camp gear
CPOZ volunteers camping overnight en route to Tjuntjuntjara.
Sunset over the Great Victoria Desert.
Sunset over the desert en route to Tjuntjuntjara.
CPOZ volunteers and Tjuntjuntjara community members making tree guards.
CPOZ volunteers and Tjuntjuntjara community members making tree guards.
Seedlings growing in seedling tray
Some of the 1,500 trees funded by CPOZ ready to be planted amongst the community.
Hands with gloves on planting a seedling in red dirt
Planting the first tree.
Group photo under a patio
CPOZ volunteers escaping the harsh sun for a tea break.
Two men smiling for a photo with a women smiling in the background
Members of the planting crew enjoying their morning tea break.
People sorting through planting supplies in a shed
CPOZ volunteers and Tjuntjuntjara community members sorting through planting supplies.
Community members and volunteers watching on as holes are dug for the trees.
Community members and volunteers watching on as holes are dug for the trees.
man installing a hand-made tree guards
CPOZ volunteer installing one of the hand-made tree guards.
Fruit tree growing with green tree guard around it
One of the fruit trees planted to increase the availability of fresh food in the community.
Man smiling over a tree with green tree guard planted in red dirt next to a building
CPOZ Chairman, Ian Rawlings, alongside one of the newly planted trees.
9 people standing and smiling for a photo in from of a building
Some of the CPOZ planting crew.
Rows of newly planted trees with green tree guard
Rows of newly planted trees.
Sturt's desert pea (Swainsona formosa) growing in red dirt
The famous Sturt’s desert pea (Swainsona formosa).
Sunset over the Great Victoria Desert.
Sunset over the Great Victoria Desert.
Indigenous woman sitting facing away from camera wearing green shirt with text "Carbon Positive Australia - Your Footprint, Australia's Trees, Our Future" on the back. Traditional dot art painting on ground in front of woman with paint supplies to the left.
Indigenous artist Lorraine Davies creating a traditional dot painting (Photo: Spinifex Arts Centre)
Eucalyptus tree growing in red dirt out side of small building
Eucalyptus tree one year post-planting (Credit: Jeff Turpin).
Trees growing in red dirt outside of a shed
Trees in town one year post-planting (Credit: Jeff Turpin).
Eucalyptus tree growing in red dirt near a shed and two cars
Thriving Eucalyptus tree (Credit: Jeff Turpin).
Mix of seedlings in seedling trays
Some of the 1,500 seedlings ready to start their 17 hour journey to Tjuntjuntjara.
People sitting around a fire with camp gear
CPOZ volunteers camping overnight en route to Tjuntjuntjara.
Sunset over the Great Victoria Desert.
Sunset over the desert en route to Tjuntjuntjara.
CPOZ volunteers and Tjuntjuntjara community members making tree guards.
CPOZ volunteers and Tjuntjuntjara community members making tree guards.
Seedlings growing in seedling tray
Some of the 1,500 trees funded by CPOZ ready to be planted amongst the community.
Hands with gloves on planting a seedling in red dirt
Planting the first tree.
Group photo under a patio
CPOZ volunteers escaping the harsh sun for a tea break.
Two men smiling for a photo with a women smiling in the background
Members of the planting crew enjoying their morning tea break.
People sorting through planting supplies in a shed
CPOZ volunteers and Tjuntjuntjara community members sorting through planting supplies.
Community members and volunteers watching on as holes are dug for the trees.
Community members and volunteers watching on as holes are dug for the trees.
man installing a hand-made tree guards
CPOZ volunteer installing one of the hand-made tree guards.
Fruit tree growing with green tree guard around it
One of the fruit trees planted to increase the availability of fresh food in the community.
Man smiling over a tree with green tree guard planted in red dirt next to a building
CPOZ Chairman, Ian Rawlings, alongside one of the newly planted trees.
9 people standing and smiling for a photo in from of a building
Some of the CPOZ planting crew.
Rows of newly planted trees with green tree guard
Rows of newly planted trees.
Sturt's desert pea (Swainsona formosa) growing in red dirt
The famous Sturt’s desert pea (Swainsona formosa).
Sunset over the Great Victoria Desert.
Sunset over the Great Victoria Desert.
Indigenous woman sitting facing away from camera wearing green shirt with text "Carbon Positive Australia - Your Footprint, Australia's Trees, Our Future" on the back. Traditional dot art painting on ground in front of woman with paint supplies to the left.
Indigenous artist Lorraine Davies creating a traditional dot painting (Photo: Spinifex Arts Centre)
Eucalyptus tree growing in red dirt out side of small building
Eucalyptus tree one year post-planting (Credit: Jeff Turpin).
Trees growing in red dirt outside of a shed
Trees in town one year post-planting (Credit: Jeff Turpin).
Eucalyptus tree growing in red dirt near a shed and two cars
Thriving Eucalyptus tree (Credit: Jeff Turpin).
Mix of seedlings in seedling trays
People sitting around a fire with camp gear
Sunset over the Great Victoria Desert.
CPOZ volunteers and Tjuntjuntjara community members making tree guards.
Seedlings growing in seedling tray
Hands with gloves on planting a seedling in red dirt
Group photo under a patio
Two men smiling for a photo with a women smiling in the background
People sorting through planting supplies in a shed
Community members and volunteers watching on as holes are dug for the trees.
man installing a hand-made tree guards
Fruit tree growing with green tree guard around it
Man smiling over a tree with green tree guard planted in red dirt next to a building
9 people standing and smiling for a photo in from of a building
Rows of newly planted trees with green tree guard
Sturt's desert pea (Swainsona formosa) growing in red dirt
Sunset over the Great Victoria Desert.
Indigenous woman sitting facing away from camera wearing green shirt with text "Carbon Positive Australia - Your Footprint, Australia's Trees, Our Future" on the back. Traditional dot art painting on ground in front of woman with paint supplies to the left.
Eucalyptus tree growing in red dirt out side of small building
Trees growing in red dirt outside of a shed
Eucalyptus tree growing in red dirt near a shed and two cars