When the Earth to Table cultural foods booklet was launched in Geraldton earlier this year, it was intended as more than a recipe collection. It was a celebration of Yamaji cultural knowledge, stories and traditions, brought together through partnerships between community members, Elders, dietitian students and local organisations. Today, the resource is already helping local health and nutrition services connect with Aboriginal families in new and meaningful ways.
Developed by the WA Centre for Rural Health (WACRH) in partnership with the Geraldton Sporting Aboriginal Corporation and guided by Yamaji Elders and community members, the booklet combines traditional foods, personal stories and nutritious recipes that reflect both cultural practices and contemporary family life.
Since its launch, copies of Earth to Table have been distributed and used by local health and nutrition services as a practical nutrition education resource. Health workers have welcomed the booklet’s culturally relevant approach, which makes conversations about healthy eating more relatable by drawing on foods, stories and experiences that are familiar to local families.
For WACRH Indigenous Lecturer Lenny Papertalk, seeing the booklet being used in the community is exactly what the project set out to achieve.
“When people see their own foods, stories and experiences reflected in a resource, it creates a different kind of connection,” Ms Papertalk said.
“The booklet gives communities something that belongs to them. It’s a way of sharing knowledge, celebrating culture and supporting healthy choices at the same time.”
The project grew over several WACRH student dietetic placements. What began as conversations around food and nutrition evolved into a collaborative resource shaped by local knowledge and lived experience. Students worked alongside community members to document recipes and food traditions, while learning about the cultural significance of food, family and Country.
For many Aboriginal families, food is about much more than nutrition alone. It is connected to identity, connection, sharing and cultural continuity. By bringing together traditional ingredients, family recipes and stories from community members, Earth to Table offers a strengths-based approach to health promotion that respects and celebrates Aboriginal knowledge.
The booklet’s early success has also highlighted opportunities for future growth. WACRH’s dietetic and Aboriginal health teams hope to continue building on the resource by expanding the availability of nutrition information featuring local cultural foods. Future initiatives could help document additional recipes, food practices and nutrition information from communities across the region, ensuring that cultural food knowledge remains accessible for future generations.
Mrs Papertalk said there is strong interest in continuing this work.
“There are many more stories and food traditions that communities would like to share,” she said.
“We hope this is just the beginning. By continuing to work alongside communities, we can create more resources that celebrate cultural knowledge while supporting health and wellbeing for future generations.”
As Earth to Table continues to find its place in local health services and community settings, its impact reaches beyond the pages of a booklet. It demonstrates how community-led partnerships can strengthen health education, preserve cultural knowledge and support better health outcomes by putting local voices and lived experience at the centre of the conversation.
Two innovative and community-driven programs are tackling the vast distances and limited services that shape health and daily life in Read more
The Early Intervention Healthy Ageing Program, funded by the Australian Government and delivered through Northern Territory Primary Health Network (NT Read more
During 2025 NAIDOC staff at Northeast Health Wangaratta (NHW) had an opportunity to participate in a group weaving activity. This Read more
Nestled along the Great Southern Railway line, Brookton is a small Wheatbelt town home to less than 1000 residents. Its Read more