About

Although my home is in Darwin, my office is the Australian outback — on Country.

At Ethnotracking, we work in accordance with the dictates of First Australians, maintaining strong and respectful connections to Country. Our work goes beyond research; it is about partnering with people and organisations to achieve meaningful outcomes.

We honour deep relationships through integrity, trust, and honesty.

Working alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and the agencies that support them, we use ethnographic methods that respect long-held knowledge systems — watching, listening, participating, and learning from Elders and knowledge holders.

Blending ethnography with lived experience, Ethnotracking delivers deep, actionable insight.

Grounded in applied anthropology, I support organisations in navigating cultural and legal complexity, making informed decisions, and delivering lasting, respectful outcomes.

My career has been dedicated to working alongside Traditional Owners, providing culturally informed research, dispute resolution, and strategic project management. I specialise in Native Title research, cross-cultural mediation, and stakeholder engagement, with a strong focus on protecting sacred sites and facilitating meaningful dialogue between Indigenous communities, government agencies, and industry.

I am recognised for translating complex cultural, legal, and heritage frameworks into clear, accessible information that supports informed decision-making around land access and cultural heritage protection.

Central to my work is genuine, respectful engagement with Traditional Owners and Native Title holders. I bring a deep understanding of Indigenous cultures and provide expert anthropological advice at all levels.

My work includes managing Indigenous conflict through recognised conciliation and conflict-resolution practices, and ensuring compliance with relevant legislation to safeguard culturally significant places.

It has been a privilege to bridge Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives, often acting as a cultural interpreter to foster understanding, collaboration, and sustainable outcomes.

Throughout my career, I have led multidisciplinary teams, managed large-scale projects in remote environments, and delivered outcomes aligned with both cultural values and legislative requirements.

From documenting ceremonies on the Tiwi Islands, to negotiating heritage protections during mineral exploration, to mentoring the next generation of anthropologists, I bring a strategic, respectful, and hands-on approach to every engagement.

This approach underpins my commitment to leading, collaborating, and initiating work that is both culturally respectful and effective.

Central to my work is meaningful engagement with Traditional Owners and Native Title holders.

I bring a deep understanding of culture, provide expert anthropological advice at all levels, and support all stakeholders. This includes managing Indigenous conflict through recognised conciliation and conflict-resolution practices, and ensuring compliance with relevant legislation to protect significant places.

It has been a privilege to bridge Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives, often acting as a cultural interpreter to foster understanding, collaboration, and sustainable outcomes.

Throughout my career, I have led multidisciplinary teams, managed large-scale projects in remote environments, and delivered outcomes aligned with both cultural values and legislative requirements. From documenting ceremonies on the Tiwi Islands, to negotiating heritage protections during mineral exploration, to mentoring the next generation of anthropologists, I bring a strategic, respectful, and hands-on approach to every engagement.

Qualifications and Experience

Consultant Anthropologist

Central Land Council, Tiwi Land Council, Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority, Northern Land Council (Oct 2022 – Present)

Apply traditional knowledge frameworks to guide fair, culturally appropriate resolutions of land and resource disputes.
Document cultural ceremonies and practices to support cultural preservation and strengthen intergenerational knowledge sharing.
Undertake fieldwork and community consultations to identify recognised cultural authority and decision-making for affected areas, including regions impacted by mineral exploration.
Facilitate open and respectful engagement between Traditional Owners, mining companies, and government bodies.
Support the protection and ongoing care of sacred sites in partnership with relevant government and non-government organisations.

Anthropology Manager / Senior Anthropologist

Northern Land Council (Aug 2019 – Jul 2022)

Provided expert anthropological advice across all levels of the NLC and to government agencies.
Led consultations with Traditional Owners and Native Title holders on land tenure and cultural matters.
Managed the Anthropology Branch, including budgets, staff, and complex fieldwork logistics.
Facilitated and mediated high-stakes meetings and reviewed critical anthropological reports.
Led a culturally informed dispute resolution project over four months, using traditional methods of community memory.
Oversaw COVID-19 safety planning and compliance across remote operations.

Anthropologist

Central Land Council (Jan 2009 – Aug 2019)

Conducted fieldwork and research across Central Australia, supporting Native Title and heritage matters.
Managed field teams, project logistics, and community engagement in remote environments.
Mentored and trained anthropologists in applied fieldwork techniques.
Supported major infrastructure projects (Tanami and Jemena Gas Pipelines), ensuring cultural protections.
Built and maintained long-term relationships with Traditional Owners and community groups.

Anthropologist

Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority (Feb 2008 – Jan 2009)

Researched traditional ownership and sacred site protection in remote and challenging environments.
Supervised consultants and critically reviewed anthropological reports.
Provided cultural heritage advice to support site protection under Northern Territory legislation.

Services

Expert anthropological reporting

My professional work includes preparing anthropological reports for a range of Aboriginal land councils and statutory bodies, including the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority, the Central Land Council, the Northern Land Council, and the Tiwi Islands Land Council.

Native Title research and reporting

I have experience working on a Central Land Council team that delivered successful native title research across multiple pastoral leases in the Northern Territory.

Sacred sites & cultural heritage

Throughout my career, I have worked with Traditional Owners, Native Title Holders, and custodians to conduct sacred site surveys that protect places of cultural significance and their ongoing role within the living landscape.

Repatriation

In my role as an anthropologist with the Tiwi Land Council, I have also contributed to repatriation efforts through research and the collation of historical material on past Kulama ceremonies, supporting the revitalisation of contemporary practice.

Meeting facilitation

Many of the meetings I have helped to deliver have been bush meetings, often involving complex logistics due to the remoteness of locations and the distances people travelled to meet in their country. These meetings typically required organising food, transport, and accommodation for 50 to 100 participants.

Dispute management

I design and facilitate structured processes that support meaningful engagement between disaffected Traditional Landowners and key stakeholders. This work includes mapping pathways toward resolution, critically reviewing anthropological reports to inform culturally appropriate approaches, and facilitating discussions to build shared understanding and consensus. I also take care to incorporate mediation methods that are embedded in the social and cultural norms of the communities involved.