Circular Head fieldwork update

So here we are, two days into our fieldwork for the Northwest Community Futures project. We are sitting in the Marrawah Hotel, having a cup of hot chocolate, warming our bones by the fire, and reflecting on our time here so far.

We have met some really fabulous people over the last two days, and had some really interesting conversations. What we have come to realise is that there are so many ways in which the marine and coastal environment contributes to the wellbeing of those communities that live near to, or make use of, these environments. There are those aspects that we most commonly think of such as livelihoods, but we are also finding that these places are important for health, for community, and even for the memories of our children growing up.

Even more so, it is so important that we are able to capture some of these more nuanced ways in which we experience these places, because we believe that they are really not captured when decisions are being made about how we should use the oceans and coasts. But maybe they should be? This is really what we are interested in. Is this even possible? Well, we won't really know until we understand what wellbeing in these places looks like. So that's why we are out here trying to get people to fill in our survey.

It really is so great to get back in the field.This is why we do what we do.