Restoring Nature in Esperance

When you care for the land, you care for the people who belong to it. Across the coastal plains of Kepa Kurl (Esperance) in Western Australia, healthy soil and cultural heritage grow together.

We are partnering with the Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (ETNTAC) on an ambitious nature restoration project. Together, we have invested AUD $800,000 over four years in Tjaltjraak’s Rejuvenation Trees: Healing Country Together project. This long-term commitment supports the Wudjari Nyungar people to deliver critical biodiversity benefits and build sustainable economic self-determination through meaningful work on Country.

Restoring Biodiversity Across Wudjari Country

At the heart of our partnership is Kardutjaanup, an expansive landscape spanning nearly 4,000 hectares that previously suffered from intensive agricultural clearing. Restoring this land requires patience, local knowledge, and an understanding of natural cycles.

Through the Rejuvenation Trees: Healing Country Together project, we are helping restore fragmented bushland and recreate vital habitats for native wildlife. Since 2023, the team has planted over 800,000 native trees and seedlings across the property. Each seedling represents an endemic species carefully chosen to stabilise soil and re-establish the canopy that sheltered this region for thousands of years.

Tjaltjraak (pronounced Dul-u-rak), which translates to "Glow in the Dark", embodies the resilience and cultural strength of the Traditional Owners of Kepa Kurl. By combining practical landscape restoration with ancient care for Country, the community is returning health to native bushland and reawakening traditional songlines.

Supporting Economic Self-Determination

Lasting environmental progress happens hand-in-hand with social progress. True reconciliation means respecting Traditional Owners as the primary custodians of their homelands and supporting their vision for their community's future.

We support the self-determination of the Wudjari people through the ownership of legal title to land and sustainable income streams. Through our partnership, Tjaltjraak has supported more than 60 First Nations individuals with on-Country employment opportunities.

These roles include hands-on conservation, seed collection, native plant propagation, and project management. Beyond immediate employment, the project establishes recurring income for the community through regenerative agriculture. This ensures the benefits of environmental repair remain directly with the community who nurtures the land.

"Our commitments to the planet only truly matter when they create lasting value for the people who care for it. Working alongside the Wudjari Nyungar people has been an incredible journey of listening, learning and genuine respect. It is an absolute privilege to support their vision as we deliver on our L’Oréal for the Future commitments. Rebuilding native biodiversity at Kardutjaanup while creating sustainable, on-Country opportunities for First Nations people is the kind of purposeful change we want to stand behind and the standard we want to set for all our partnerships."
— Gail Reynolds-Adamson, Chair of Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation

Aligning Local Action with Global Commitments

Our work in Western Australia forms an integral part of how we look at our responsibilities to people and the planet:

• L’Oréal for the Future: Under our sustainability roadmap to 2030, the regeneration of nature is a key pillar. We are reinforcing our commitments to both environmental sustainability and social inclusion.

• Our Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP): In Australia, we actively listen to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices. By supporting First Nations-led organisations like ETNTAC, we invest in lasting social equity, heritage protection, and authentic self-determination.

"Healing Country starts with listening. In Esperance, the Wudjari Nyungar people are leading the restoration of their land, and it's a privilege to support them. More than 800,000 seedlings are in the ground, and more than 60 First Nations people have found meaningful work on Country. It's the kind of change we want to be part of through L'Oréal for the Future, and we look forward to continuing to work with Tjaltjraak and seeing what grows next."
— Stephanie Luelf, Chief Corporate Affairs and Engagement Officer, L'Oréal Australia & New Zealand

To discover our wider environmental actions, explore our Commitments to Nature. You can also learn more about the community programmes of the Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 'Rejuvenation Trees: Healing Country Together' project?
Rejuvenation Trees: Healing Country Together is a land restoration and community initiative led by the Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (ETNTAC) in partnership with the L’Oréal Groupe. The project restores native biodiversity across nearly 4,000 hectares at Kardutjaanup in Western Australia while generating employment and economic self-determination for the Wudjari Nyungar people.

How much has L’Oréal Groupe invested in the Esperance project?
The L’Oréal Groupe has committed an investment of AUD $800,000 over four years ($200,000 per year) directly to ETNTAC to fund native revegetation, land management equipment, and on-Country employment.

How many trees have been planted since 2023?
Since 2023, over 800,000 native trees and seedlings have been planted across Kardutjaanup, repairing damaged ecosystems and reviving biodiversity corridors.

How does this partnership support First Nations employment?
Tjaltjraak has supported over 60 First Nations people with on-Country employment opportunities through this initiative. Roles span nursery propagation, tree planting, landscape restoration, and long-term land management.

Updated: October 2026

Source: ENTAC Rejuvenation Trees: Healing Country Together" Project - 2025 Impact Report