Gulf ranger plans

Alfie Johnny, Roger Mick, Marian Joe and April Peter at the Mornington Island workshop

Wunun (Mornington Island) talking about fire management with Wayne Davis (NAILSMA)

Traditional owners continue to have a strong voice in natural resource management processes in the Southern Gulf of Carpentaria.

Traditional owners from Garawa, Gangalidda, Waanyi, Kurtijar, Lardil and Yangkaal came together to plan for future land and sea management units and ranger groups, also to talk about other projects they want to be involved in across the Southern Gulf of Carpentaria.

The Envirofund workshop was organised by the Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (CLCAC) based in Burketown, with traditional owners from surrounding tribal groups. Murrundoo Yanner chaired the workshop while Paul Memmott facilitated the discussion.

The workshop allowed traditional owners to set their priorities for progressing their interests in land and sea management and for tribal groups to exchange ideas and experiences. It was also an opportunity to hear about other projects in the Southern Gulf.

Traditional land owning groups in the Gulf have been waiting a long time for ranger groups and land management units to be established so they can have the resources to get on with looking after country.

Developing a land and sea centre and employment for local rangers where agreed to be the highest priority.

Traditional owners would like to see training delivered within communities by training providers with input from other experienced Aboriginal rangers.

A steering committee of traditional owners, originally set-up through Native Title will overlook the ranger programs. Wayne Wunun Williams, traditional owner from North East Mornington Island (Murinyanda) said

“We’ve been trying for a long time to get things going because we’re under pressure and we really want to look after our land for our children and our children’s children.”

The call for rangers groups is also a result of increased pressures on natural resources in the area caused by increased tourism, commercial and recreational fishing.

Wunun explained that ranger work could involve checking on fishing boats that go up the river. “They leave their nets overnight and when the tides go out the turtles and dugong get caught in the nets…I found a lot of boats from trawlers catching crab in my country, we chased them out, cause they’re over-fishing the place.”

Young people on the island would also like to be involved in future ranger programs. Grayson Williams, said “I like to see a start for the ranger business, for myself and other young local fellas..go out and see different communities, different areas to see how they work so we can get ideas off them to help us with our goals and our aims for the future. We got to come together and share ideas as Aboriginal people. If we come together and share our ideas than we’ll be more recognised.”

NAILSMA was invited to attend along with representatives from Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation, Southern Gulf Catchments Inc, National Oceans Office, WWF and Coastcare. Each organisation gave a brief background to their organisation and projects that are about to start – which led to greater discussion in smaller groups with traditional owners voicing what they wanted out of the projects for the southern gulf.

In smaller groups people talked about Marine Parks, through the Northern Marine Planning process, the National Oceans Office will be working with TO’s to identify the conservation needs for sea country. Also discussed was the management of tourists, fire management, turtle and dugong (reviving old hunting ways, agreements with fishers), cross-cultural exchange and researching marine plants and animals.

Wunun sees ranger jobs playing an important part in getting the next generation of children to be caretakers for their country.

“I like to have peace and quiet in my country and be able to help people (white people and Aboriginal people) when they come to our community so we can show them our custom and way of life … it’s important for us and if it’s important for us than it’s important for the whole of Australia and all Indigenous people from this country.” Wunun said. Murrundoo Yanner of CLCAC said “Aboriginal people are the safest long-term investment, which must be realised through funding (land management) groups on the ground. They are also the only people not impacting or exploiting the Gulf.”

Murrundoo Yanner (CLCAC) talks with Paul Woodhouse (SGC)

Brendan Moon reports back to the workshop group
Grayson Williams Photos: NAILSMA