About Us

The Wyemando Harper Sisters Aboriginal Bequest is a Philanthropic Trust created on 18^th July 1994. 

Nan, Cecilie and Sue Harper were granddaughters of Charles Harper of Woodbridge, Western Australia.  MLC, pastoralist, naturalist and farmer, Charles was one of the founders of the co-operative movement in WA. and also the Founder of Guildford Grammar School.

Nan, Cecilie and Sue inherited the family love of the bush and its people. They all trained as nurses and worked for many years in rural areas as community nurses. Nan and Sue’s later home was called Wyemando, named after a lake on the Harper Murchison property.  They established the Bequest because of their love and care of the Aboriginal people.

They strongly affirmed the principle that all people have a right to maintain their culture, language and traditions. Therefore the income of the Bequest is to be used specifically for the encouragement of an understanding of Aboriginal language, traditions and culture to Aboriginal children in those areas of Western Australia where these are still in use.

Preferences are given to projects that can communicate to others in a sustainable way, for example a media publication.

The Committee

 Noel Harding FCPA (Taxation), FCIS

The Principal of Harding & Associates, Noel has been instrumental in the provision of training facilities for accountants in public practice and for treasurers in charitable and religious entities in WA for many years.  He now specializes in the provision of advice on taxation and legal structures for the Sector. The Harper Sisters became his clients through a close friend, who was one of their cousins.  As a result, Nan, Cecilie and Sue Harper asked Noel for his assistance in establishing the Wyemando Harper Sisters Aboriginal Bequest.  Consequently, Noel has been involved with the Bequest since its inception in 1994 and is currently the Chairman.

 Marjorie Marsh

Marjorie graduated from the University of Sydney with a BA Degree focusing on anthropology, linguistics and education.  After further study she joined the Australian Aborigines and Islanders Branch of the Summer Instititute of Linguistics in 1967.  In 1970 she married James Marsh and assisted him in language work in the Jigalong area of Western Australia until 1998.  Now retired, she keeps contact with the Martu Community by phone and through visits. 

Dr Matt Byrne        

Matt Byrne is a lecturer for the School of Education at Edith Cowan University. He is currently lecturing in the Bachelor of Education Kindergarten through Primary Course. Matthew is an experienced teacher and teacher educator.  He is involved in Aboriginal education and research and the development of cultural competency within the university, public and private sector. His PhD thesis investigated the challenges teachers face when working in low socio-economic primary schools in Perth. Matt’s most recent experience includes working on the five year longitudinal project Keeping kids on track: An initiative developing the resilience of Aboriginal students during a critical transition phase funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council; Effective science program delivery for remote area schools funded by Scitech, Effective test literacy strategies for Aboriginal students funded by the Aboriginal Education and Training Council WA, and the Review of Aboriginal and Islander Education Officer Program for the Department of Education and Training Western Australia.

Cameron Tero MA (Community Development), BA (Education) & BA (Theology)

Cameron works as a researcher and writer, presently working in the School of Social Science at Murdoch University, and at a school project for alienated students in Belmont in Western Australia. In the past he has worked as a teacher in a remote Indigenous community, a government school chaplain, and as a parent educator.

Lesley Radoff

Lesley Radloff is currently the Executive Officer and Manager of Community Capacity Building Program for the WA Aboriginal Education and Training Council as part of her secondment from the Department of Education. 

Previously Lesley has had an extensive working history with Department of Education in Human Resource Management and also in consultant and management roles with Aboriginal Education in the Midlands and Canning Districts of WA .

Lesley is originally from Townsville, Queensland and moved to Perth in 1995 to be a consultant with the UWA.  She has been a lecturer in indigenous affairs nationally at universities and TAFE colleges in Queensland, NSW and WA, and internationally in the Pacific region and Canada. 

Lesley’s qualifications are MA (Indigenous Sector Management), Advanced Diploma in Indigenous Leadership and Certificate IV in Train Small Groups and Workplace Assessment.

Lesley is married with adult stepchildren and is a volunteer member of various indigenous and non-indigenous Boards and groups.

Cath Trimboli (The Producer)

Cath is an experienced film and television producer, having worked with the BBC for four years on WANTED DOWN UNDER and the ABC on CAN WE HELP. She’s worked on countless independent and corporate productions, including an educational series exploring the Wangkatha language of the Goldfields.
 
After gaining her degree in Film and TV and Journalism from Curtin University, Cath worked as a video journalist in the Kimberley. She then went on to produce the kids show SATURDAY CLUB for GWN broadcast throughout regional WA.
 
With four years as a school teacher also under her belt, Waabiny Time is her latest project currently screening on Foxtel which marries together Cath’s love of working with children, her dream of bringing stories to the screen, and her fascination with different cultures.

Cath's career objective is to fulfill her passion for film and television production by making a meaningful contribution to the Australian industry in a creative and organisational capacity.