Dauan Land and Sea Profile

RANGER GROUP

Rangers 2015

MANAGEMENT PRIORITIES

LAND • Weeds • Burning • Native plants and animals • Community garden OVERVIEW • Native nursery

Traditional island name Dauan SEA Western name Mount Cornwallis • Turtle and dugong • Marine Debris Top Western Islands Cluster Guda Maluilgal Nation • Sea Patrol

Local government TSIRC & TSC

Registered Native Title Dauanalgaw (TSI) PEOPLE • Visitor management Body Corporate (RNTBC) Corporation RNTBC • Traditional and cultural sites • Traditional ecological knowledge Land type Continental Island • Community involvement Air distance from • Training 135 (km)

Area (ha) 364 KEY VALUES

Indicative max length (km) 3 CLIMATE CHANGE RISK

Indicative max breadth (km) 3 Vulnerability to sea level rise (+1.0m) Very Low

Max elevation (m) 295 Sea level rise response options Very High Healthy sea Marine water Coral reefs Seagrass Dugong Marine turtles Coastline length (km) 10 ecosystems quality meadows

Population 133 (2011 ABS Census)

Area of island zoned 21 development (ha) Subsistence Healthy land Sustainable Coasts Mangroves Coastal birds fishing ecosystems human settlements and beaches and wetlands Area of disturbed / 35 (9.6%) / undisturbed vegetation (ha/%) 329 (90.4%) Supporting the Land and Sea Management Strategy for COMMUNITY OVERVIEW FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES Dauan is a very small (364ha) continental island RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS The Dauan community is highly reliant on air transport, diesel powered electricity generation and barge transport in the Top Western Islands Cluster of the Torres Recent land and sea management achievements include: of supplies and materials to and from the community. Strait about 135km north of Thursday Island. ○ Community-based dugong and turtle management plan in place Renewable energy options will be explored to reduce Dauan (population 133) lies just a few km from carbon emissions and work towards energy independence. PNG and is a high granite outcrop of acid volcanic ○ Ranger group established and Rangers implementing activities under Working on Country plans origin. The community is located on the northern ○ Community participation in the Sustainable Horticulture Project, including a community fruit tree planting side of the island. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ○ Agave, Brazilian joy weed and Giant Rubber Tree weed control program underway The topography of Dauan is very steep with the Simakal Rangers engage with the community through highest point at 295m above sea level. Together frequent community notices and ranger talks, community with the hill of Mabaduan on the adjoining PNG participation in ranger activities, and an annual community coast, Dauan forms the most northerly extension celebration and report back. This ensures land and sea of the Australian , which in management activities remain relevant to community MAIN THREATENING PROCESSES CLIMATE CHANGE PROFILE the Torres Strait becomes a sunken chain of islands priorities. that once extended as a bridge to the northern The main threatening processes affecting the Dauan land Climate change in the Torres Strait will involve a warming and sea management area relate to climate change, the of air and sea temperatures, rising sea levels, more severe landmass. More than 90% of the island is covered SOME OF DAUAN’S IMPORTANT spread of pest plants and animals, and declining water weather events, ocean acidification and some changes in undisturbed vegetation including elevated ANIMALS & PLANTS closed vine forests and fringing mangroves. quality (including marine debris and increasing sedimentation). to rainfall patterns, evaporation, wind and ocean currents. These changes are predicted to have long-term impacts Native title is recognised over Dauan and is held on all of the region’s key values across the Land, Sea and in trust by the Dauanalgaw (Torres Strait Islander) LAND AND SEA MANAGEMENT PRIORITIES People themes. Dauan has a ‘very low’ vulnerability rating Corporation RNTBC. Thirteen management priorities under the themes of to sea level rise and a ‘high’ response options rating (there Land, Sea, and People are identified in the Simakal are good options to move to a safer site on the island). Working on Country Ranger Plan. There are 2 Ranger A rise of 250 cm will need to occur before regular LAND AND SEA MANAGEMENT AREA positions (as at 2015). The Simakal Rangers will continue inundation becomes an issue. For more information on climate change, please see the Torres Strait Climate The Dauan land and sea management area includes a to work closely with the community on priority projects Eclectus Parrot Littoral Whiptail-skink number of uninhabited islands, reefs and marine areas including dugong and turtle management, protecting Change Strategy 2014-2018. Photo: Quartl, Wikimedia Commons Photo: Bernard Dupont, Wikimedia Commons (see map) covering about 297,726 ha. The land and sea significant cultural sites, preserving Traditional Ecological management area is shared with Saibai. Knowledge, and managing pests and fire. TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE The Dauan community is working to protect Traditional DUGONG AND TURTLE Ecological Knowledge (TEK) for future generations. The Daru Torze Ture Ture MANAGEMENT TEK system enables communities to access information Masingara Buji Mawatta for their own cultural maintenance; support sustainable Ber WESTERN PROVINCE The Dauan community is PORTAMZA REEF actively implementing the community based environmental management approaches; and allows Indigenous Rangers’ planning Native or Cape Bamboo Alectryon repandodentatus Dauan Dugong and Turtle Photo: David Fell Photo: David Fell BOIGU ISLAND Mabaduan GIMINI REEF Management Plan 2011- and on-ground cultural and natural resource management Sigabaduru AUWAMAZA REEF activities to be informed by Ailan Kastom (Island Custom). PARAKARI REEF 2016, that is built on the Mura KOKOPE REEF Dauanalgaw vision: FURTHER INFORMATION “Mura Dauanalgaw’s vision COMMUNITY HORTICULTURE For more information, visit the is to look after, manage and The Dauan community has an active food producing TSRA website at http://www.tsra.gov.au and the protect the area of waru a CALONIA REEF KOEY WAPA community gardening program in place to preserve ADRIAN REEF (WARRIOR REEFS) dhangal, to educate our Torres Strait eAtlas http://ts.eatlas.org.au/ts BURU (TURNAGAIN) ISLAND traditional gardening skills and support greater community younger generations through self-sufficiency in food production. The Simakal the sustainable management of AIDAL MAZA (AIDAI REEF) Rangers have played a role in the community nursery for these species.” NUMAR (REEF) IKI (NICHOLLS CAY) propagation of native plants for revegetation projects. MARKAI (REEF) BEKA (REEF) MAUAR (RENNEL ISLAND) GEBAR () Turtle and Dugong Management Area TUDU (WARRIOR ISLAND) Saibai-Dauan NGAZI (MOURILYAN REEF)

This map is based on existing dugong and turtle management areas and shows the general areas of operation for community-based land and sea Rangers. Best available information (including traditional place names) has been used at the time of publication. This map is indicative only and not intended for native title purposes.