Mr Don Voelte, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of Woodside Energy Limited and Diana Jones, Executive Director Content & Collection Development of Western Australian Museum at the opening of the upgraded Woodside Gallery and website at the Western Australian Museum – Perth that showcases the work being carried out on the archipelago.

The winning partnership for the Western Australia Large Business for Excellence in Community Business Partnership focuses on the Dampier Archipelago in north-western Australia, an area of great significance for its natural heritage. 

WA Museum Chief Executive Officer Dr Dawn Casey attended the Prime Minister’s Awards in Perth with Woodside Energy’s Dr Vanessa Guthrie, General Manager Sustainable Development.

“This partnership demonstrates the value of effective co-operation between industry, government and the community,” Dr Casey said.

The innovative partnership was formed in 1988 to investigate and document the marine biodiversity of the Dampier Archipelago through development of The Woodside Collection which resulted in the protection and environmental management of this unique area.

Dr Casey said the success of the partnership could be seen in the diversity and abundance of data researchers had collected in the Archipelago.

“The Woodside Collection, contains more than 4,500 marine species, including 268 new species identified by Australian and international experts, and is the first major collection in the North Eastern Indian Ocean,” Dr Casey said.