17past horizons Discussions were held about the best way to manage Marbaleerup, both in terms of visitor impact and to monitor change. Everyone agreed that the best way to protect the site as a whole was to allow controlled access to visitors only under the supervision of the custodians themselves, who will also keep an eye on the condition of the rock art and report any change or damage. To this end, the Traditional Owners are developing a range of walk trails and will provide people with information about how stories were passed down through generations and the part rock art played within their communities. The active involvement of Traditional Owners in the planning, implementation and supervision of the Mount Ridley project was integral to its success and this approach will be adopted in the foundation's next project, an Applied Heritage Management Field School. continued ? ?

past horizons18 The programme includes visits to some of the south coast region's most significant archaeological, cultural and ecological sites. South Western Australia contains one of the most remarkable archaeological landscapes in the world. The field school provides a glimpse into this archaeological heritage by describing human interaction with the environment over the past 50,000 years. The region is also one of the world's biodiversity hotspots, and students can witness evolution in action among coastal cliffs, estuaries, lakes, wetlands, granite domes, offshore islands, forests and outback woodlands. Through grant funding it is the goal of the Gabbie Kylie Foundation to research and survey 10 accessible islands in a systematic manner and document the archaeological and historical heritage as well as the associated biodiversity. The final report will include archival research, field data and oral histories to deliver a public report and video that will celebrate the heritage of this unique environment. Participants in the field school will be offered the opportunity to take part in this archaeological survey of the Recherche Archipelago on board the STS Leeuwin, developing practical skills and gaining a real cultural experience, while exploring this spectacular natural landscape. The Recherche Archipelago, located off the coast of Esperance, comprises over 100 islands. These islands were inhabited during the last Ice Age when they were still connected to the continental mainland. With rising sea levels, drifting sands swept across the hundreds of granite domes and outcrops that characterise the archipelago today, preceding the great flood that inundated the area and created the present- day coastline and spectacular Bay of Isles. These islands are places of unspoilt beauty, with significant natural and cultural heritage values that remind us all of the need to respect, preserve and manage our natural environment, in the footsteps of the Traditional Owners. Field schools enable high school pupils, university students and members of the broader community to undertake on- ground conservation work, while receiving instruction in archaeology, geography, restoration ecology, heritage conservation and landscape management. It also provides a platform for a real cultural exchange that will stay with you forever. Laura Colman works for the National Trust of Western Australia. David Guilfoyle is the project archaeologist for the field school and ' Doc' Reynolds is a Traditional Owner working in partnership with the Gabbie Kyle Foundation. The field school will run from 19 January - 15 February 2009 and will be delivered by Traditional Owners and specialists from across Australia and overseas. If you would like to find out more about the work of the Gabbie Kylie Foundation or would like to register for the Field School, please go to: www. naturalheritage. org. au/ Gabbie_ Kylie_ Foundation. html ? Tel: (+ 61) 8 9321 6088 STS Leeuwin