The NCIE was a fitting place to launch the Murray Chapman Memorial Indigenous Land Management Scholarship, recognising excellence in the area of land management.
Tamara Murdock, a descendant of the Noongar and Yindjibarndi people of WA was awarded the inaugural scholarship at the NCIE last month.
“I’m just a girl from Geraldton, who achieved average grades and never thought I’d end up at Oxford,” she said in her acceptance speech.
Tamara is the first in her family to graduate from University, an accomplishment she is very proud of.
“If you are committed and passionate you can achieve what you want. I spent a lot of time on country, camping with family and I always dreamed of building a career that allowed me to work on country and with community” she said.
In 2011 she completed her degree with first Class Honours in a Bachelor of Science (Environmental Management) this led to a position as a Project Coordinator at Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation located in WA.
Passionate about promoting leadership within her community and building the capacity of Traditional Owners to manage their own environmental projects later, developed into a desire to learn from the conservation community worldwide.
Last year she moved halfway across the world to study at Green Templeton College, Oxford in the UK and is now in her second year of an MPhil in Geography and the Environment.
The scholarship sponsored by the ILC in memory of Murray Chapman, the ILC’s first Indigenous CEO aims to support young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at the tertiary and post-graduate level in a land management-related discipline.
“One word I think of when I think of Murray is integrity. Deep integrity” – Former Aboriginal Affairs Minister Robert Tickner reflecting on Murray Chapman
“A fitting way to celebrate Murray’s work” – Tanya Plibersek, Deputy Opposition Leader, speaking at the scholarship