Our Nurture for Country program has officially launched its first partner, Chalkwest marking a key milestone in the initiative’s commitment to elevating established First Nations businesses through Out‑of‑Home advertising.
Chalkwest is Western Australia’s largest Aboriginal-owned and operated vehicle rental provider, operating as an independent franchisee for Budget Car & Truck Rentals. Established in 2000 and led by Zak Kirkup, the business has grown to a fleet of more than 1,300 vehicles across 12 towns and seven airports throughout Western Australia.
Zak Kirup, Managing Director, Chalkwest said: “As Chalkwest grows, so does our ability to create employment and training pathways, support Aboriginal businesses and invest back into the communities where we operate. This partnership with JCDecaux gives us an incredible platform to grow our visibility and show what an Aboriginal-owned business can look like at scale. We’re proud to be the first Nurture for Country partner and excited about what that visibility can create for Chalkwest and, importantly, for the people and communities growing alongside us. There’s no point in being an Aboriginal-owned business if we are not also helping other Mob too.”
The campaign is designed to build stronger awareness of Chalkwest among key business decision‑makers and drive increased activity across its network of locations. The first phase is being delivered in collaboration with Perth Airport, before rolling out across JCDecaux’s wider Western Australia including Digital Large Format, Small Format and Transit.
Tess Phillips, Executive GM Corporate Affairs and RAP co-chair JCDecaux said, “Our first Nurture for Country campaign is an important step in turning our reconciliation commitments into meaningful action. Launching Chalkwest’s campaign with Perth Airport gives us the opportunity to put an established First Nations business in front of more than 18 million passengers who pass through the airport each year1, creating greater visibility and opening the door to new audiences and opportunities.”
Nurture for Country builds on a successful pilot of the program in 2025 with Indigenous not-for-profit organisation KARI Foundation. KARI’s Become a Carer campaign saw enquiries increase by 67% and website visits rise by 440% during the campaign period.
JCDecaux launched Nurture for Country earlier this year, an initiative set up as part of its Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). It is designed to support the economic participation of First Nations businesses through Out-of-Home advertising.
The program gives eligible First Nations businesses access to JCDecaux’s national Out-of-Home network, with matched media investment and strategic campaign support to help scale brand presence.
