The hypothesis central to this study is that the implementation of a canine breeding and parasite control program in Aboriginal communities results in a reduction in the reservoir of zoonotic parasites within communities. The effect of the parasite and breeding control program on the health status of dogs as well as the population characteristics of dogs in communities was also investigated. The study was conducted in 17 Aboriginal communities of the Kimberley region of Western Australia, divided into three regions according to cultural and geographical attributes. All dogs from each community were permanently identified using a microchip system. Owners of dogs were asked the usual location of their animals, the origins of their dogs and the whereabouts of any missing animals at subsequent visits. Every three months dogs were treated with 200ygikg iverrnectin (a potent endo- and ecto-parasiticide) subcutaneously and adult female dogs were treated with an injectable contraceptive (10-30mgkg proligestone) at the request of their owners. At the time of treatment, dogs were assessed for ecto-parasites and photographs taken for later comparison and diagnosis of alopecic skin conditions. Faecal and blood samples were collected every three to six months and skin scrapings were collected from dogs that were refractory to treatment. The samples were used to determine internal parasite prevalence (using formal ethyl acetate sedimentation), blood parameters (for anaemia status) and evidence of scabies or Demodex infestation. A pilot study at one group of communities, involving weekly assessment of dogs after one iverrnectin treatment, showed that the treatment was effective in reducing the prevalence of scabies (as determined by clinical evaluation), hookworm and ticks. The treatment resulted in improvement in animal health as evidenced by a reduction in the number of dogs with anaemia. The long-term use of the ivermectin treatments at the other communities showed that over a period of three years, the prevalence of scabies and hookworm had reduced at most areas. The initial scabies prevalence varied from 17 to 52% and reduced to below 10% for all communities. The hookworm infection rates were affected by seasonal factors, as was evidenced by a seasonal variance in prevalence. Animals that were treated with ivermectin, though, had lower prevalences of hookworm than those that were not. There was a reasonable compliance rate for contraceptive treatments for female dogs (greater than 60% at each visit) and fewer puppies were born within communities when compared with rates before and after the establishment of the treatment program. High rates of acquisition of puppies from other communities continued to maintain the dog population numbers despite the reduction in breeding within communities. The dog population was young, biased towards male dogs, and very unstable (almost 50% of dogs died or went missing in a one year period). The rate of dog ownership across the Kimberley varied according to the region investigated and always remained higher or equal to ownership rates at the town centres of the Kimberley Region (as determined by a survey conducted during the study). Overall the canine parasite and breeding control program resulted in a reduction in scabies and hookworm prevalence in dogs (and hence a reduction in the potential zoonotic transmission), a reduction in dog breeding within communities, an improvement in dog health, and an understanding in the dynamics and health status of dogs within communities.

Cat ownership in Australia is declining compared to an increasing trend of cat ownership in the United Kingdom, United States and Europe. The decline in Australia may be linked to concerns over perceived impacts of cat predation and an associated dislike of cats. However, while there are numerous studies on feral cats and their impacts on declining native fauna, the impact of pet cats on suburban wildlife or fauna in remnant bushland is relatively unknown although there is a wide perception of risk. The primary aim of this thesis was to apply the precautionary principle to the question of the putative impact of pet cats on the abundance and diversity of small mammals in urban bushland adjacent to low-density suburbia in the City of Armadale, a municipality on the south-east fringe of Perth, Western Australia. At the time of writing, Western Australia is yet to introduce state legislation governing cat control although many local councils within the state have either implemented or are in the process of implementing cat regulations. The precautionary principle was deemed an ideal approach to this question, because it provides a rationale for deciding on possible actions where both the potential risk to environmental values and the uncertainty about possible impacts are high. In such cases the precautionary principle requires two broad lines of action: firstly, detailed consultation with stakeholders to determine their perceptions of risk and the actions they are prepared to take to reduce it and, secondly, research to reduce uncertainty. With regard to stakeholder consultation, local residents were surveyed in regard to their attitudes and current cat husbandry practices. A substantial proportion of respondents within this municipality believed cat regulations were necessary (75% of owners and 95% of non-owners). At least 70% of both owners and non-owners agreed with the propositions that cats not owned by licensed breeders should be desexed, local councils should restrict the maximum number of cats that can be owned on one property and that pet cats entering nature reserves are harmful to wildlife. Most (c.85%) cat owners agreed that they would license their cats if that became compulsory. Although fewer owners (c.60%) were prepared to keep their cats on their property at all times to protect wildlife, over 80% were willing to confine their cats at night if it was required. Owners seemed to be substantially motivated by the value of these measures in reducing injury to cats and facilitating the return of lost animals rather than concern over wildlife protection. Attempts to reduce uncertainty involved (i) assessing roaming patterns of pet cats to determine the sizes of appropriate buffer zones around nature reserves, and (ii) determining species diversity, species richness and abundance of small mammals in remnant bushland adjacent to sub-divisions with varying regulations governing cat husbandry. Radio tracking results to assess cat roaming patterns showed substantial variation in home range size between cats in high density suburbia (ranged between 0.01 ha – 0.64 ha) and those in low density suburbia (ranged from 0.07 ha – 2.86ha). Larger home range sizes of cats in the rural areas (up to 2.9 ha) suggest buffer zones of up to 500 metres around nature reserves are needed to exclude almost all roaming cats. The abundance and species richness of small mammals were investigated in four areas of remnant bushland. Two were adjacent to subdivisions where cat ownership was unrestricted, one next to a subdivision where cat ownership was prohibited and the remaining one next to a subdivision where compulsory night curfew and bells on pet cats were enforced. No definitive evidence of predatory impact by pet cats on the small mammals was found. Mammal species diversity was not significantly different between sites and species richness and absolute abundance were not higher in sites where cats were restricted. Vegetation comparisons showed significant differences in the structure and species composition of the vegetation between most sites and the mammal species richness and abundance appeared linked to ground cover density in the various sites. This factor, not cat restrictions, appeared to be the primary determinant of species richness, species diversity and absolute numbers of small mammals in these sites. This study in the City of Armadale has shown that the implementation of proposed cat legislation must have a “whole of ecosystem” approach, i.e. protecting identified remnant bushland containing biodiversity from threatening processes such as plant disease and inappropriate fire, especially arson, as well as possible predations from pet cats. Habitat restoration and protection may be more important conservation activities than regulation of cats. Regulation of cats can be done at differing levels of intensity and cost, bearing in mind that this community is receptive to regulation of some aspects of cat ownership. Community education on the values of cat confinement in regards to cat welfare might increase chances of compliance.

Historians have generally tended to represent the pioneering Catholic mission in Western Australia as an homogenous ecclesiastical entity with little cultural diversity. With a few notable exceptions the nature of the Western Australian colonial Catholic mission is portrayed as a 'hibernised' form of Catholicism with an Irish clergy taking care of the pastoral needs of a predominantly working class Irish Catholic constituency. This thesis challenges the traditional paradigm as restrictive, and argues that it ignores significant contextual influences and veils the wider cultural tapestry in which the Western Australian pioneering Catholic mission proceeded. The traditional analysis of the internal dynamics of the Catholic mission implies that there was a beneficial, almost symbiotic relationship between sympathetic bishops and their 'valiant helpers.' Internal conflicts concerning administrative issues have been represented as little more than mere personality clashes. The thesis takes a more critical contextual approach and argues that the manifestation of internal dissension during this period can only be fully explained by taking account of external influences rather than local conditions. These influences include both Gallican and Ultramontane ecclesiastical perspectives as well as the individual community cultures that were transported from Europe to the Perth diocese by missionary personnel. This new perspective corrects the more traditional approach which overlooked the different ecclesiastical approaches, orientations and community cultures that were represented within the colonial Catholic mission. This expansion of the existing interpretative paradigm through which historians view the West Australian Catholic mission in general and the development of the school system in particular marks a significant shifi in the existing historiography. As a consequence, scholars will in future take a more critical approach to the study of not only the Catholic education system but also the Western Australian Catholic mission in general. Rather than representing the definitive closing chapter it is intended that this work will invigorate renewed historical interest in the development of the Australian Catholic mission.

In recent years, there has been increased interest in alternative and innovative technologies which are used in the treatment of wastewaters, with the aim of developing efficient systems which are low-cost and lowmaintenance. However, greywater reuse from domestic houses appears to have received very little attention and the role of indigenous wetland plants, especially submergents, in contributing to nutrient reduction in wastewater is largely unknown. Species of Triglochin, commonly known as water ribbons, are fast growing submergent macrophytes. In Western Australia, Triglochin huegelii is mainly a submergent plant but as water recedes, the leaves become emergent. Triglochin huegelii can tolerate a range of water regimes and high nutrient concentrations, and this is useful in wastewater treatment applications. The aims of this present study were to examine the use of Triglochin huegelii for domestic greywater treatment, to compare the effectiveness of this plant with other better known, and more frequently used, emergent macrophytes, and to investigate why Triglochin huegelii is so successful in nutrient accumulation. A series of investigations using Triglochin huegelii in greywater treatment experiments showed that Triglochin has consistently removed more nitrogen and phosphorus, in all parts of the plant - leaves, tubers and roots, than most other indigenous emergent macrophyte species, including those of Schoenoplectus, Baumea and Juncus which are commonly used for wastewater nutrient-stripping. In some cases, such as in the leaves, twice as much nitrogen (N) and one and a half times more phosphorus (P) is assimilated in the Triglochin tissue. In all parts of the plant there has been an increase in Total N and Total P. Investigations were conducted using different environmental conditions for the plants. A comparison was made between root zone (substrate-only) and complete pond conditions, with some changes to loading rate and retention times. Triglochin huegelii has many practical applications in wastewater management, especially if the level of influentlwastewater can be controlled, thus allowing sufficient time for Triglochin huegelii to respond with changed structure and morphology. Proline, a substance known to be produced by plants under stress (such as changing water levels), was detected in Triglochin huegelii. In a pond, the leaves of Triglochin can be directly involved in nutrient absorption and assimilation. A study of leaf structure and other aspects of its biology showed that nutrients can easily pass into leaf tissue and then into other regions in the plant. In Triglochin huegelii, nitrogen was primarily stored or found in leaves then tubers then roots, while levels of phosphorus were higher in tubers then roots then leaves. The above-ground:below-ground (AG:BG) ratio of Triglochin huegelii also depends on the water regime. For all samples, whether pond or substrateonly, the ratio was 0.84. However, when consideration is given to pond conditions the ratio increases to 1.11. It appears that in pond conditions, and especially with long retention times, proportionally more above-ground growth (leaves) occurs and in substrate-only conditions, proportionally more biomass is found below-ground, with the number and size of leaves reduced in these plants. The highest nutrient levels recorded for Triglochin huegelii were 11.74 mgP/g and 35.7 mgN/g dry weight. Triglochin huegelii has been found to have a protein content of at least 1.7 g/100 g wet weight in the leaves, and less in roots and tubers. Triglochin huegelii could have potential as a fodder source because of its high protein content, similar to that of lucerne. Triglochin huegelii seems to remove nitrogen and phosphorus at a greater rate than many other types of aquatic macrophytes. Other parameters such as BOD, Suspended Solids and fecal coliforms were also examined, with reductions of up to 90%, 84% and 99% respectively. The implication is that instead of only planting the perimeter of lagoons, artificial wetlands and constructed basins we should be planting the bulk of the waterway with submergent species such as Triglochin spp which are far more effective in stripping nutrients than emergents currently used for that purpose. In addition, systems need to be designed that mimic natural ecosystems, and yet are economical and functional. This current research can be used as a basis for further study to establish the extent of nutrient removal by Triglochin huegelii and its interactions with other macrophytes in polyculture systems.

Irish-born Sir John Winthrop Hackett (1848-1916) achieved substantial political and social standing in Western Australia through his editorship and part-ownership of the West Australian newspaper, his position as a Legislative Council member and as a layman in the Anglican Church. The thesis illustrates his strong commitment to numerous undertakings, including his major role in the establishment of Western Australia's first University. This thesis will argue that whatever Hackett attempted to achieve in Western Australia, his philosophy can be attributed to his Irish Protestant background including his student days at Trinity College Dublin. After arriving in Australia in 1875 and teaching at Trinity College Melbourne until 1882, his ambitions took him to Western Australia where he aspired to be accepted and recognised by the local establishment. He was determined that his achievements would not only be acknowledged by his contemporaries, but also just as importantly be remembered in posterity. After a failed attempt to run a sheep station, he found success as part-owner and editor of the West Australian newspaper. Outside of his business interests, Hackett’s commitment to the Anglican Church was unflagging. At the same time, he was instrumental in bringing about the abolition of state aid to church schools in Western Australia, which he saw as advantaging the Roman Catholic Church. He was a Legislative Council member for 25 years during which time he used his editorship of the West Australian, to campaign successfully on a number of social, industrial and economic issues ranging from divorce reform to the provision of economic infrastructure. As a delegate to the National Australasian Conventions he continually strove to improve the conditions under which Western Australia would join Federation. His crowning achievement was to establish the state’s first university, which he also generously provided for in his will. One of the most influential men in Western Australian history, his career epitomised the energy and ambition of the well-educated immigrant.

The conservation status of the widely-distributed whale shark Rhincodon typus is presently listed as 'Indeterminate - Data Deficient'. One of the main hindrances to obtaining biological data on whale sharks that is relevant to determining its 'conservation status' is that this species has rarely been recorded as occurring in sufficient numbers to obtain quantitative data. However, R. typus does form aggregations at Ningaloo Marine Park (NMP), Western Australia, annually between March and June. This has enabled studies to be made of aspects of the biology of R. typus and of the possible impacts of the ecotourism industry on this species. Using a position provided on vessels involved with the whale shark ecotourism industry at NMP, R. typus was observed on 360 separate occasions in 1995, 1996 and 1997, and it was possible to sex 90.3% of these sharks. The majority of the sexed sharks (84.6%) were male and ranged in length from 4 to 12 m, with a mean of 7.4 m, while the females ranged in length from 4.5 to 8.5 m, with a mean of 6.2 m. The size and degree of abrasion of the claspers was used as an indicator of whether or not a male shark had mated. Using such criteria, it was estimated that male whale sharks start to mature at ca 8 m and that ca 50% are mature by the time they reach 8.6m. Observations suggested that R. typus feeds by using both suction and flow-through mechanisms. The prey that were observed being ingested included coral spawn, tropical krill, mysids and small jellyfish. The contents of a faecal sample contained parts of the exoskeleton of copepods and the scales of small fishes. The degree of mouth distension, which is assumed to be related to feeding activity, was low during most observation periods. Photographs of the scars and natural patterning on the skin of individual sharks were used to construct a photographic library for subsequent identification of these sharks. The features used for identifying individual sharks were chosen because they were considered likely to remain for a protracted period. The Whale Shark Photo -identification Library that was produced provides details on the characteristic features of 52 R. typus that were present at NMP. Six individuals were recorded at NMP in both 1995 and 1996, four in both 1996 and 1997, and one in both 1995 and 1997. No identified whale sharks were recorded in all three years. Rhincodon typus was distributed widely throughout NMP, with most boat and aerial sightings lying within 1 - 2 Ism of the reef crest between Tantabiddi and Turquoise Bay. Rhincodon typus was typically sighted in water depths of 10 to 30 m. The sharks were predominantly travelling parallel to Ningaloo Reef, with significantly more moving in a northward than southward direction. Acoustic tracking of R. typus in 1997 suggested that this species remains within NMP for extended periods and is at the surface for ca 17% of daylight hours. The number and species of fauna observed to be associated with R. typus were recorded, and a new species of copepod, Pandarus sp. nov., which lives on the skin of R. typus has been described. Golden trevally (Gnathanodon speciosus), miscellaneous trevally (Carangid sp.), remora (Remora sp.) and slender suckerfish (Echeneis naucrates) were common. The prevalence of Pandarus sp. nov. was inversely proportional to the number of Remora sp. and E. mucrates in 1996, while the opposite was true in 1997, suggesting that Pandarus sp. nov. were preyed on by these diskfish. Rhincodon typus is the basis of the ecotourism industry that operates within NMP each year. While there was considerable variation in the number of tour vessels searching for whale sharks at NMP each year, the greatest mean number of vessels operating per week in successive whale shark seasons were 6.7 during Week 8 (April 19 - 25) of 1995, 6.1 during Week 7 (April 12 - 18) of 1996 and 6.9 during Week 8 (April 19 - 25) of 1997. The greatest mean numbers of whale sharks sighted per week in each year were 5.1 during Week 14 (May 31 - June 6) of 1995,4.2 during Week 6 (April 5 - 11) of 1996 and 4.1 during Week 8 (April 19 - 25) of 1997. Tourists, who were permitted to swim alongside R. tyus, interacted with sharks for a mean period of 19.3 rnin in 1995, 14.2 min in 1996 and 9.5 rnin in 1997. The reduction in the duration of interaction in three successive years suggests that, over time, R. typus may have become slightly less tolerant of the ecotourism industry at NMP. The mean minimum distance between vessel and shark during each interaction was 20.7 m in 1995, 21.3 m in 1996 and 31.0 m in 1997. The mean minimum distance between tourist and shark during each interaction was 1.5 m in 1995, 2.05 m in 1996, and 2.1 m in 1997. The mean minimum distance of vessel and tourist from R. typus during each individual interaction decreased as the duration of the interaction increased. Therefore, both R. typus and this industry must be carefully monitored to ensure that the impacts of humans are kept to a minimum and thereby ensure that whale sharks return to NMP each year. An ethology of whale shark behaviours, which included banking, porpoising, diving and eye-rolling, was produced in an attempt to determine whether there is evidence that the ecotourism industry has a negative impact on R. opus at NMP. The frequency of behavioural change was greatest in the first 0 - 5 min of an observation. Eye-rolling by R. typus was recorded as a reaction to flash-photography, while banking was often recorded when SCUBA was used and/or tourists swam beneath the head of the shark. The swimming speed of R. typus at NMP was rarely too fast for tourists to maintain proximity to the sharks. Several sharks possessed both recent and healed scars, which were probably inflicted by vessel contact. The recent wounds indicate that vessels had caused injuries to R. typus within NMP. These individuals tended to display a higher frequency of avoidance behaviours and reduced interaction times. Recommendations are provided to the Western Australian Department of Conservation and Land Management which are aimed at reducing the potential deleterious effects of the ecotourism industry on the whale sharks at NMP.

This thesis examines Aboriginal pastoral workers' life stories in the context of the two mass movements in Kimberley history: the move toward pastoral stations in the 'early days' of this century and away from them in the 1960s and 1970s. In the northern ranges region of the Kimberley pastoral settlement began in 1903, with a second phase of intense settlement from 1920. The recency of settlement in this region meant that in the late 1980s people were alive who had experienced both 'first contact' and the arrival of 'Welfare'. This study places Aboriginal life story narratives in a wider historical context, drawn from written archives and a range of oral testimonies about the origins and development of the pastoral system in the north and central Kimberley. The broader economic and political context which affected the process of incorporating northern ranges people into the Australian nation is examined through individual contacts and biographies to develop the patterns of alliances with 'Bosses' and the impact of Welfare on those relationships. In 1971, small reserves on the outskirts of Kimberley towns which catered for 20 to 40 people in the 1950s, held up to 300 residents who were previously living on pastoral stations. The overcrowded and unserviced fringe camps were thought to contain people displaced from station employment by the decision to enforce equal wages for Aborigines in the pastoral industry. It is one of the contentions of this thesis that the social and economic foundations of the old rationing system on most of the stations in the northern Kimberley were crumbling before the award wages decision and its application to the Kimberley in 1969. The 'eviction after award wages' theme underestimates Aboriginal agency in the migration process, fails to take account of their changing social and economic requirements and the pull of Welfare support, glorifies the period of 'settlement' on stations and reinforces the 'myth of the lazy native' which underpinned public debate and Arbitration Commission discussions in the 1960s about the inclusion of Aboriginal workers within the Pastoral Industry Award.

Bushfires are an integral part of the Australian environment, and consequently Australian fire fighters are regularly confronted with the challenge of bushfire fighting activities. Bushfires can be extensive and long-lasting, and as a result fire fighters can be exposed to bushfire smoke for long periods without respite. Anecdotal evidence suggests that bushfire smoke exposure can lead to respiratory symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. In an optimal environment, fire fighters are equipped with respirators and protective filters to prevent the inhalation of the air toxics in bushfire smoke. Yet, reports from the fire ground indicate that the protective filters are not effective in preventing the inhalation of bushfire smoke. As a result, fire fighters have increasingly expressed concern about the ineffective equipment and the resultant respiratory symptoms during and after bushfire fighting. This research aims to establish a scientific data base to support the anecdotal evidence. The objectives of the research were: (1) to identify and quantify the air toxics in Western Australian bushfire smoke; (2) to profile the acute respiratory health effects associated with bushfire smoke exposure; (3) to assess the effectiveness of three different types of filters under controlled conditions in a smoke chamber, and in the field during fuel reduction burn-off; (4) to formulate recommendations for reducing fire fighters' exposure to bushfire smoke; and (5) to inform policy decision makers about the most effective form of respiratory protective equipment for bushfire fighting. Exposure trials were conducted in an experimental setting utilising bushfire smoke conditions in a smoke chamber and during prescribed burn-offs. Repeated measurements of respiratory symptoms, pulmonary function and oximetry were undertaken before and after bushfire smoke exposure. In addition, personal air sampling inside the respirators was undertaken to quantify and compare the levels of filtered air toxics. The analysis of the collected data demonstrated that, of those compared, the particulate/organic vapour formaldehyde filter was most effective in protecting fire fighters' respiratory health during the smoke exposure period of maximally 120 minutes. Further research would be useful to determine the v effectiveness of the filters under more realistic conditions during bushfire fighting activities. The findings of this research have resulted in a policy review in Western Australia. In 2006, the Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia (FESA) reviewed its Bush Fire Smoke Exposure Standard Operational Procedures 51, and now issues the recommended particulate/organic vapour/formaldehyde filters to the 1,000 FESA career fire fighters. The use of protective equipment for bushfire fighters is inadequately regulated worldwide and the recommendation implemented by FESA can be seen as proactive and in advance of national and international best practice. In conclusion, this project was instrumental in the translation of public health research into best practice that protects occupational health, without the need for the lengthy process of legislative reform. Fire fighter organisations in other countries with high frequencies of bushfires could learn from this example, and move to review their policies and introduce adequate personal protection for fire fighters.

This thesis examines how the stevedoring industry at Fremantle was absorbed into a national framework of port cargo-handling services during the first half of the twentieth century. The process of change compelled a local industry with its own peculiarities to conform to standards imposed by central authorities with priorities which were not necessarily in harmony with local practice or custom.In part this was the result of the inexorable forces released by Federation. After the creation of the Commonwealth, there was no isolation for anyone from the Commonwealth government's powers to legislate change if it was deemed to be in the national interest. Power, therefore, would flow towards central authorities: for the shipowners and their stevedores this meant to a central organisation, the Association of Employers of Waterside Labour (AEWL); for the labourers it meant, eventually, to the national executive of the Waterside Workers Federation (WWF).The Commonwealth government had the power and the will to intervene in stevedoring when the national interest dictated. The Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Court started the process in 1914. The Commonwealth government in the War of 1914-18, in 1928, made further inroads into curtailing the levels of local autonomy. In the 1939-45 War the process was completed by the creation of government stevedoring industry commissions and boards. The final impact to local autonomy came in 1950 when the policies of a new conservative Commonwealth government forced the Fremantle Lumpers Union to seek the protection of a national union, the WWF.This thesis follows the path taken by the Fremantle stevedoring industry on its way to complete integration and absorption into the national port cargo-handling service. It examines the resistance to the changes brought about by centralisation and the part played in that struggle by both ++ / employers and employees at Fremantle to retain some control over their respective destinies.

My thesis combines an analysis of the reasons behind changing attendance and participation of Aboriginal students at a West Australian metropolitan senior high school with an appraisal of the role of Aboriginal students in its school curriculum, 1993-1997. This study also incorporates an examination of teacher attitudes towards Aboriginal students and culture with an ethnographic study as well as a qualitative survey of the attitudes of Aboriginal students towards school and the curriculum process.This thesis begins with an explanation for the choice of Aboriginal students and their experience at school as my research topic. Some autobiographical details of the author and my position on staff at school, 1994-97, then follows. A general background to Aboriginal Education and metropolitan senior high school is provided, with a specific discussion of the role of Aboriginal students and the place of Aboriginal Studies in the life of the school. A concise analysis of the secondary literature is then undertaken which provides, inter alia, a knowledge base for the 'ethnographic' interviews. The various strategies introduced in an attempt to improve the attendance and participation at school of Aboriginal students are then analysed, including an assessment of the success of the Aboriginal Studies programme.The next section focuses on the attitudes and actions of Aboriginal students and their teachers, giving a detailed account and appraisal of a series of interviews.My thesis then concludes by outlining some of the major factors influencing Aboriginal attendance and participation at school, as well as examining some of the key areas where Aboriginal education may be improved. My thesis does not purport to provide definitive answers to these issues, but rather points to an embryonic strategy for improvement, based upon the necessarily limited focus provided by this research.A ++ / series of appendices follow my written conclusions. No manuscript collections were consulted in the course of undertaking this research. However, many interviews and questionnaires have been extensively used with a voluminous selection of secondary source material, a selection of which is detailed in the bibliography.