Weeds on Aboriginal Land Workshop

A successful three-day weeds workshop hosted by Albert Myoung and the Malak Malak people from Wooliana Community on the Daly River was held from 2–4 November 2004.

The workshop brought together Aboriginal Rangers groups in the Top End, in particular those working as part of the Top End Aboriginal Land Management and Employment Strategy (TEALMES), and other agencies working to manage weeds on Aboriginal Lands.

Forty-five people came from all over the Top End including Rangers from Wooliana, Acacia Gap, Timber Creek, Wadeye, Wudikapildiyerr, Gunbalanya and Peppimenarti. Representatives from Natural Heritage Trust, the Indigenous Land Corporation, Tropical Savannas CRC, Northern Land Council, DIPE Weeds Branch, DIPE Bushfires Council and Batchelor Institute also attended the workshop.

Albert Myoung—the senior Ranger of the Malak Malak Land Management Team—welcomed everyone, opening the workshop. Albert is a mentor to other Rangers as he has worked on mimosa for over 20 years and has stopped it from taking over his country.

Andrew Calma, an experienced senior ranger from Acacia Gap Land Management Team, talked about the progress of contract work controlling mimosa on the Adelaide River. On the second day Andrew demonstrated herbicide safety and mixing which was particularly useful to the Yantjarrwu Rangers from Wudikapildiyerr who are just starting out.

Neville Gulay Gulay (AQIS) and Michael Schmid (NT Government’s Weeds Branch) spoke on the importance of early intervention when a new weed is discovered.

Legal obligations under the Weeds Management Act (2001) were also discussed. Michael Storrs (Caring for Country Unit at the Northern Land Council) talked about the current program and future opportunities in land management. Sean Hawkins from Batchelor Institute discussed training opportunities in Land Management and Larry Johns, the Aboriginal weeds officer from Timber Creek, spoke of his life working with weeds and enterprise opportunities in the VRD.

On the final day we went on a field trip to the nearby Shark Swamp and Red Lily to see the work that the Malak Malak Land Management Team had be doing to reduce the extent and density of mimosa. As a practical activity the rangers developed and implemented a Weed Management Plan for Brown’s Creek (Diggireyett) campground, near Daly River.

The plan assessed the overall situation (i.e. how weeds interacted with the land), weed priorities were identified; methodology for action determined and future monitoring was discussed. Specimens of all the plants in the area were collected for identification and divided into introduced and native. Nine introduced species were identified with three declared noxious weeds (Parkinsonia, noogoora burr and coffee senna) and poinciana—a naturalised tree along the Daly River.

The Parkinsonia was treated with herbicide, it was decided to leave the noogoora burr until after wet and the coffee senna was pulled out by hand. Large poincianas have value as shade for the campers so were left whilst smaller ones were cut down and herbicide applied to their stump.

The workshop allowed the rangers to network and share information as well as gain a better understanding of weeds occurring on their country. It was also a great opportunity to meet and talk with other agencies working to manage weeds on Aboriginal Lands.

Many ranger groups are interested in developing enterprises to generate further income to support future work. Currently, the Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC) funds ranger groups working under the TEALMES strategy to undertake land management, however core government funding will be essential for this work to continue in the future. — Mark Gardener, Tropical Savannas CRC

Go to our Publications section to download the first report written about Weeds on Aboriginal lands by Nick Smith. Click here >>