Dr Kathryn Thorburn

Kathryn has supervised a number of HDR students during her time with Nulungu. She is interested in collaborating with HDR students in the following areas:

• Energy poverty/energy costs in remote and regional First Nations communities
• Energy saving behaviours, and circular economies, within First Nations families
• Clean energy development(s) on Native Title lands - barriers and opportunities in WA
• Policy setting effecting remote community infrastructure and housing in WA
• Social history of Indigenous people in towns, stations and communities of the Kimberley
• Indigenous political history in WA, and in the Kimberley
• Systems of empowerment and representation for Indigenous groups in WA, including organisations and peak bodies

Theses

• PhD thesis, Australian National University: 2011, ‘Indigenous governance’ and Aboriginal political practice: The gulf between in two organisations in the Fitzroy Valley, West Kimberley’. PhD Thesis. Canberra: Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research.
• Honours thesis, University of Adelaide: 1997 ‘The Unique status of Imperata cylindrica in Bali: Economic, agro-ecological and mythological attributes of a common weed’, Department of Geography.

• Sullivan, P., Thorburn, K., Golson, K., Hunt, J. and Lahn, J. (2023) Voices from the Front Line: Community leaders, government managers and NGO field staff talk about what's wrong in Aboriginal development and what they are doing to fix it, Nulungu Research Institute, The University of Notre Dame Australia
• Thorburn, K., Golson, K., Ridley, C., Angus, R., and Marshall, M, (2022) "Really proper dangerous one: Aboriginal responses to the first wave of COVID-19 in the Kimberley". Nulungu Reports # 3.
• Thorburn, K., (2011) Indigenous governance’and Aboriginal political practice: The gulf between in two organisations in the Fitzroy Valley, West Kimberley. PhD Thesis. Canberra: Australian National University.

• Thorburn, K., Ward, J.E. and Kinnane, S. (2025) Making the intangible count? Metrification of the value of cultural activities, in Strakosh, E., Sullivan, P and J. Lahn (eds) Bureaucratic Occupation: Government and First Nations Peoples. ANU Epress: Australian National University, Canberra.
• Thorburn, K., Ward, J.E., Kinnane, S. (2024). Making the Intangible Count? Metrification of the Value of Culture. In: Lahn, J., Strakosch, E., Sullivan, P. (eds) Bureaucratic Occupation. Indigenous-Settler Relations in Australia and the World Series, vol 5. Springer, Cham.
• Thorburn, K. (2008) ‘Mapping expectations around a ‘governance review’ exercise of a West Kimberley organisation’ in Hunt, Smith, Garling and Sanders (eds) Contested governance: Culture, power and institutions in Indigenous Australia pp 331 – 350 CAEPR Research Monograph No. 29
• Thorburn, K., (2007) ‘What sort of a town is Fitzroy Crossing? Logistical and boundary problems of the 2006 enumeration in the Southern Kimberley’ in Morphy, F. (ed) Agency, Contingency and Census Process: Observations of the 2006 Indigenous Enumeration Strategy in remote Aboriginal Australia pp87-100 CAEPR Research Monograph No. 28

• O’Neill, L, Thorburn, K. (2025) ‘First Nations at the Forefront: The Changing Landscape of Clean Energy Agreements in Australia’, Energy Research & Social Science,Vol 127 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2025.104183
• O’Neill, L, Thorburn, K. (2025) Trending Up: How clean energy agreement-making in Australia is raising the bar on benefit and co-ownership arrangements for Australian Traditional Owners. Melbourne Climate Futures Discussion Paper, University of Melbourne and the Mabo Centre.
• Thorburn, K., Ridley, C. (2024)  ‘When the school is the community, and the community is the school- connectedness is everything: A case study of a remote school at Yiyili, Central Kimberley, Western Australia’ Australian and International Journal of Rural Education 34 (3), 99-106  DOI: https://doi.org/10.47381/aijre.v34i3.751
• Martiniuk, A., Dossetor, P., Carter, E., Freeman, J., Thorburn, K., Oscar, J., Jeffery, H., Harley, D. & Elliot, E. (2022) Needs and strengths: supporting child health in remote Australia. Medical Journal of Australia: Insights.
• O'Neill,L. , Thorburn, K., Riley,B., Maynard, G. Shirlow, E. and Hunt, J. (2021) Renewable energy development on the Indigenous Estate: Free, prior and informed consent and best practice in agreement-making in Australia. Energy Research & Social Science, Volume 81, pp 1022- 52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2021.102252.
• Ward, J., Girgis, S., Thorburn, K.,Oliver, S., Weijer, C., & Taljaard, M. (2021) A systematic review of self-reported ethical practices in publications of cluster randomised trials conducted in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander settings (Nulungu Research Papers 4). Nulungu Research Institute. https://doi.org/10.32613/nrp/2021.4
• Thorburn, K., O’Neill, L., Hunt, J. and Aisbett, E. (2019) Renewable energy projects on the Indigenous estate: Identifying risks and opportunities of utility-scale versus dispersed models. Working Paper 2, Zero Carbon for the Asia Pacific Grand Challenge.  https://openresearch.repository.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/181022
• Dossetor, P. J., Thorburn, K., Oscar, J., Carter, M., Fitzpatrick, J., Bower, C., Boulton, J., Fitzpatrick, E., Latimer, J., Elliott, E. J., & Martiniuk, A. L. (2019) Review of Aboriginal child health services in remote Western Australia identifies challenges and informs solutions. BMC Health Services Research, 19 (1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-019-4605-0
• O’Neill, L., Thorburn, K.and Hunt, J. (2018) Ensuring Indigenous benefit from large-scale renewable energy projects: Drawing on experience from extractive industry agreement making and the importance of policy settings. Working Paper 1, Zero Carbon for the Asia Pacific Grand Challenge. http://hdl.handle.net/1885/157026
• Thorburn, K. (2017) A regional governance structure for the Kimberley? 25 years on from Crocodile Hole, Australian Aboriginal Studies Journal, AIATSIS.  ("A regional governance structure for the Kimberley? Twenty-five years o" by Kathryn Thorburn)
• Thorburn, K., Marshall, M. (2017) The Yiriman Project in the West Kimberley: An example of Justice Reinvestment? Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse Current Initiatives Paper, Australian Institute of Criminology and the Law Crime and Community Safety Council. Commissioned Paper.
• Thorburn, K. (2007) ‘Managing dilemmas in Indigenous community-based organisations: Viewing a spectrum of ways through the prism of accountability’, Balayi: Culture, Law & Colonialism.
• Thorburn, K. (2006) ‘“Talking to the people”: Implications of the “new” model for sustainable service delivery in Indigenous settlements’, In the National Conference on Sustainability of Indigenous Communities 2006 Proceedings, Murdoch University, WA, 12–14 July.
• Thorburn, K. (2005) “Indigenous community organisations: Appropriate vehicles for appropriate development?”, Kimberley Appropriate Economies Roundtable Forum Proceedings, Fitzroy Crossing, 11 – 13 October Potter, L., Lee, J. and Thorburn, K. (2000) ‘Reinventing Imperata: Revaluing Alang-alang grasslands in Indonesia’, Development and Change, Vol 31, No 5, pp 1037-1053 https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-7660.00188

• 2024 (co-presented with Assoc Prof Steve Kinnane and Anna Dwyer) 'What would it take to set a higher bar for the energy transition in the West Kimberley?' , Petrocultures Conference, Perth, November.
• 2018 (co-presented with David Wirken, Aarnja Pty Ltd) ‘Middlemen and go-betweens: The value of Indigenous organisations as orchestrators of restraint’, International Political Science Association Conference, Brisbane, July 2018.
• 2017 (co-presented with Anna Dwyer) “A little piece of paradise”: Living the ‘good life’ on the Anne St Reserve in Broome. From 1968 – 1982” Paper presented at the 2017 National Indigenous Research Conference , AIATSIS and the University of Canberra, ACT, 21- 23 March
• 2016 Poster presentation, with Anna Dwyer. ‘Living on the Reserve: Insights into Broome people’s health, resilience and quality of life in the 60s, 70s and 80s’. The Lowitja Institute International Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Conference, Melbourne, 8 – 10 Nov.
• 2007 Joint presenter, along with Will Sanders, John Taylor and Frances Morphy: ‘Observing the 2006 Census in remote Aboriginal Australia: Preliminary findings’, 2007 CAEPR Seminar Series I, CAEPR, ANU, Canberra, 14 March.
• 2006 “Talking to the People’: Implications of the ‘New’ Model for Sustainable Service Delivery in Indigenous Settlements. Sustainability of Indigenous Communities in Australia: Selected papers from the National Conference held at Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, 12-14 July 2006. (http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/15444/1/Indigenous-sus_2006.pdf)
• 2006 ‘Balancing accountabilities within Indigenous community-based organisations: What can it reasonably mean?, 2006 CAEPR Seminar Series II, CAEPR, ANU, Canberra, 4 October.
• 2005 Invited paper. “Indigenous community organisations: Appropriate vehicles for appropriate development?, Kimberley Appropriate Economies Roundtable Forum , Fitzroy Crossing, 11 – 13 October
• 2004 ‘Agency and sustaining ‘development’: Two case studies of Indigenous community governance in the Kimberley – Pre-fieldwork seminar’ 2004 CAEPR Seminar Series II, CAEPR, ANU, Canberra, 21 September. Also presented this seminar in November 2004 at the ANU's North Australian Research Unit in Darwin.

• 2019 and 2021 Stories of Strength - Songs and Stories from Anne St. Reserve. Community Event
• Anna Dwyer and Kathryn Thorburn on the Anne St Reserve Project

Lectures

• 2018 Social Equity in Energy Supply Symposium, ANU Energy Change Institute, Invited speaker.
• 2018 Nulungu Research Institute Talking Heads Series, University of Notre Dame Broome - with Lily O’Neill. ‘How can traditional owners benefit from the transition to a green economy?’.
• 2017 Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Festival, Lombadina: Invited speaker on Gen Y Aboriginal people in the Kimberley, and impediments to cultural transmission.
• 2017 Nulungu Research Institute Talking Heads Series, with Anna Dwyer. “Living on the Anne St Reserve: Broome, 1968 – 1982”. Presentation available on Youtube.
• 2017 Marninwarntikura Fitzroy Women’s Resource Centre: Workshop: Exploring ethical health research, your experiences and expectations.
• 2016-2017 Marninwarntikura Fitzroy Women’s Resource Centre: 4 workshops conducted with 3 groups of women – grandmothers, mothers, and two with young women’s generation.
• 2016 Guest lecturer, Indigenous Development Masters Course, Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, Australian National University.
• 2007 Joint presenter, along with Will Sanders, John Taylor and Frances Morphy: ‘Observing the 2006 Census in remote Aboriginal Australia: Preliminary findings’, 2007 CAEPR Seminar Series I, CAEPR, ANU, Canberra, 14 March.
• 2006 ‘Balancing accountabilities within Indigenous community-based organisations: What can it reasonably mean?’
• 2006 CAEPR Seminar Series II, CAEPR, ANU, Canberra, 4 October.
• 2004 ‘Agency and sustaining ‘development’: Two case studies of Indigenous community governance in the Kimberley – Pre-fieldwork seminar’ 2004 CAEPR Seminar Series II, CAEPR, ANU, Canberra, 21 September. Also presented this seminar in November 2004 at the ANU’s North Australian Research Unit in Darwin.

• 2025 ABC News (April 1) 'Communities struggle through power cuts of up to 'two to three' times a week'
• 2025 National Indigenous Times (April 1) 'Researchers tackle energy poverty in remote Indigenous communities'
• Sullivan, P and Thorburn, K. (2023) 'Government all over us like a rash': The broken service delivery system in remote Aboriginal communities. The Conversation, September 20.
• Ross, J., Thorburn, K., & Kinnane, S. (2023). People in the Kimberley have spent decades asking for basics like water and homes. Will the Voice make their calls more compelling? The Conversation, April 13.
• 2021 ABC News (1 November) From lockouts to food security, pandemic policies had a seismic shift on outback life
• 2021 ABC Kimberley Breakfast (19 October) ''What effect did pandemic policy have on Kimberley lives?"
• 2016 ABC Kimberley: Memories of the 'Native Reserve' on Anne St in Broome. Radio documentary recipient of Editor's Choice Award, ABC Sydney.

• 2025 - Ongoing. Expert Consumer Panel, Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety
• 2023 - Ongoing. Committee Member, Faculty of Arts, Law, Business and Science Research Training Subcommittee
• 2023 - 2024 Board Member, Broome Historical Society
• 2011 - 2014 Board Member, Circle House, Broome (NGO supporting community development and inclusion)

• 2023 Yajilarra Festival Evaluation, Fitzroy Crossing.
• 2022 – 2023 Documenting the Jimarri Project, Fitzroy Crossing.
• 2022 Community consultation for the Jalng-ga Project, Fitzroy Valley.
• 2019 - 2021 Bunuba knowledge and history repatriation project - Coordinating the process of knowledge, and document, repatriation and liaising with the major knowledge-holding institutions across Australia.
• 2019 Kathryn Thorburn, Kate Golson. Mel Marshall. Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre Culture Camps Project Final Evaluation Report. Nulungu Research Institute, The University of Notre Dame Australia
• 2018 Social Equity in Energy Supply Symposium, ANU Energy Change Institute, Invited speaker.
• 2017 Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Festival, Lombadina: Invited speaker on Gen Y Aboriginal people in the Kimberley, and impediments to cultural transmission.
• 2017 Marninwarntikura Fitzroy Women’s Resource Centre: Workshop: Exploring ethical health research, your experiences and expectations.
• 2016 – 17 Marninwarntikura Fitzroy Women’s Resource Centre: 4 workshops conducted with 3 groups of women – grandmothers, mothers, and two with young women’s generation.
• 2016, Kinnane, S., Buchanan, G., Thorburn, K., McGrohan, P. Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre Culture Camps Project Interim Evaluation Report. Nulungu Research Institute, The University of Notre Dame Australia.
• 2016 Guest lecturer, Indigenous Development Masters Course, Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, Australian National University.

Commissioned reports

• Thorburn, K. 2023 Yajilarra Festival Evaluation report.
• Thorburn, K., Golson, K., Ridley, C., Angus, R., & Marshall, M. (2022). Really proper dangerousone: Aboriginal responses to the first wave of COVID-19 in the Kimberley(Nulungu Reports 3).
• Nulungu Research Institute.
• Dingo, R., Leeson, T., Beames, L. and K. Thorburn. (2022) Jalng-ga Therapeutic Community Model— Aboriginal-Led Consultation and Co-Design with Fitzroy Valley Communities 2021-22, Jalng-ga and Gurama Yani U, Fitzroy Crossing.
• Thorburn, K. and Marshall, M. (2020) Over the Ranges: Archival Resources relating to the Bunuba Muwayi of Wargarli, Mawurru, Malunguu and Balarrawawi. Report commissioned by Bunuba Dawangarri Aboriginal Corporation. September 2020.
• Golson, K., Thorburn, K. (2020) Final Evaluation Report: Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre Culture Camps, Nulungu Research Institute, University of Notre Dame.
• Thorburn, K., (2017) Harm Free Society Strategy: Report on Community Workshops 2016 – 17. Commissioned by Marninwarntikura Women’s Resource Centre, Fitzroy Crossing, WA.
• Thorburn, K., (2017) Contextualising a history of harm in the Fitzroy Valley. Commissioned by Marninwarntikura Women’s Resource Centre, Fitzroy Crossing, WA.
• Kinnane, S., Buchanan, G., Thorburn, K., McGrohan, P. (2016) Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre Culture Camps Project Interim Evaluation Report. Nulungu Research Institute, University of Notre Dame.
• Thorburn, K., Fitzpatrick, J. (2014) Evaluating multi-disciplinary team-based early intervention for children with complex needs, in a remote community setting: Study Protocol. Telethon Kids Institute, Subiaco.
• Murphy, R., Thorburn, K. and Oh, T. (2011) Fitzroy Futures Forum Review. Commissioned by WA Department of Aboriginal Affairs.

Submissions

• 2024 – with Ruby Heard, Steve Kinnane, Anna Dwyer and Lloyd Pigram. Submission to Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia’s inquiry into energy, food and water security.
• 2024 – with Dr Lily O’Neill. Written, and in-person, submission to Inquiry into economic self-determination and opportunities for First Nations Australia. Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs.
• 2024 – with Dr Lily O’Neill.  Submission to First Nations Clean Energy Strategy, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
• 2019 Senate Select Committee on the effectiveness of the Australian Government’s Northern Australia agenda, September 2019. Joint Submission, ANU’s CAEPR and ANU’s Energy Change Institute.