Our Story

About The Keeping Place

We are an Indigenous owned, not-for-profit company and registered charity.

The Keeping Place is entirely owned and controlled by the Traditional Owner groups that use the software. When an Aboriginal Corporation subscribes to the software, they become an owner-member of our company.

"The Keeping Place is important because it means we now have a program that can keep hold of our knowledge, language, and stories. The information can be looked after by our corporation and preserved for future generations"

Brian Tucker

Nyiyaparli Traditional Owner

Our Story

Throughout the decades, significant repositories of information on Aboriginal culture and history have been collected.

But much of this information has been locked away in the archives of resource companies, government agencies and academic institutions.

Even with well-intentioned consultation, vast and valuable cultural information has remained inaccessible to Aboriginal communities. Protected but separated from the Traditional Owners.


Working together, First Nations people guided the design of The Keeping Place.

It was built to protect cultural knowledge and strengthen connections between people and Country.

The Keeping Place uses the latest digital technology to create an intuitive, practical tool. With cultural protocols at the heart of software, knowledge can be shared between generations in a respectful, appropriate way.

Our future will continue to be shaped by First Nations organisations, our member-owners.

We invite native title organisations, Indigenous ranger programs and Aboriginal land councils from across the country to join us as subscribers and member-owners.

Building on the combined experiences of member-owners, the platform will continue to evolve to meet the varied needs and aspirations of groups across the country.

In 2016, a bold commitment paved the way for rightful ownership and control.

A landmark pilot project was created between two native title groups and three resource companies in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. With a shared vision, they set about creating a safe and meaningful way to digitally return cultural and heritage information back to the rightful custodians.

The pilot project was further strengthened through collaboration with the National Trust of Western Australia and the Indigenous Land & Sea Corporation.

In 2019, an Indigenous owned and controlled not-for-profit company was established.

This independent company was formed to help empower Traditional Owner communities all over Australia, embracing the potential offered by The Keeping Place.

Indigenous law firm, Terri Janke and Company, helped guide the establishment of the new company. The company’s legal structure was recommended to allow all future Aboriginal organisations who subscribe to the software to become member-owners.

The Keeping Place has a bold vision to be a sustainable digital cultural centre for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Our charitable purposes are to advance education, social and public welfare and culture of First Nations peoples, communities and organisations.

Governance

Edith Hall
Director

Edith is a Nyiyaparli/Njamal woman and is currently a Director of The Keeping Place. Edith has previously been Chairperson, Director and Acting Chief Executive Officer of Karlka Nyiyaparli Aboriginal Corporation

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Michael Tullock
Chairperson

Michael currently serves as a Chairperson for Tarlka Matuwa Piarku Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC, Director for Tjiwarl Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC and Chairperson of The Keeping Place. Michael is proud to be appointed by his people to care

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Michelle Warren
Director

Michelle was appointed a Director on The Keeping Place Board in early 2022. She is also a Director on The Dieri Aboriginal Corporation (TDAC) RNTBC Board which is a recent subscriber for The Keeping Place software.

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Shannon Sedgwick
Independent Director

Shannon has experience in providing future-focused leadership to government and enterprise executives and boards to maximise the benefits of implementing new technologies, align that implementation with

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Dr Debbie Fletcher
Independent Director

Debbie has held numerous senior positions in State and Commonwealth governments over the last 30 years

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