The Esperance Nyungar Peoples' identity is reflected in the cultural plant called the 'Tjaltjraak', which is the Esperance Nyungar name for the Mallee - also known as the Tallerack or Blue Mallee Eucalyptus Pleurocarpa - and is believed to mark the extent of Esperance Nyungar Country. Their ancestral lands span over 30,000 square kilometres of Southern Western Australia, ranging from Culham Inlet to Israelite Bay along the Southern Ocean, and to the Salmon Gums in the north.
Esperance Nyungar Country is well-known for its boomerang shaped bays, clear blue waters, and vibrant bushland. It is recognised internationally for its ecological significance as a biodiversity hotspot. Their cultural landscape is shaped by large granite headlands bordered by coastal sand dunes and heathland. Inland, granite hills mark the horizon, surrounded by fresh and salt-water lakes. The Esperance Nyungar Peoples are connected to their ancestral land and sea country and care for this landscape through cultural practice and environmental protection.
The Esperance Tjaltjraak Cultural Rangers are a critical part of their community and carry out important aspects of the obligation to care for country. The rangers are involved in works to protect and rehabilitate environmentally important country, manage invasive species, monitor and survey for endangered species, share knowledge and influence environmentally sustainable practices through community education sessions and events, and protect sites of enormous cultural and historical significance.
