Gooniyandi h e a l t h y c o u n t r y p l a n Gooniyandi Healthy Country Plan

Warning: This plan may contain images, names and references to deceased Aboriginal people.

The Gooniyandi Healthy Country Plan was prepared for Gooniyandi Aboriginal Corporation by: Frank Weisenberger (KLC) Gooniyandi Traditional Owners Ewan Noakes (KLC)

The information presented in all the maps and figures herein reflects Traditional Owner views.

Design and layout: Jane Lodge Mapping: Ewan Noakes

Citation: Gooniyandi Aboriginal Corporation / Kimberley Land Council (2015): Gooniyandi Healthy Country Plan.

© All traditional and cultural knowledge in this plan is the cultural and intellectual property of Gooniyandi Traditional Owners and is published with the consent of Gooniyandi Aboriginal Corporation. Written consent from Gooniyandi Aboriginal Corporation must be obtained for use of any material. Any unauthorised dealing is a serious breach of the customary Gooniyandi lore and may also breach the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). g o o n i y a n d i h e a l t h y c o u n t r y p l a n

Contents

Story of the plan...... 2 Late dry season fires...... 30

Gooniyandi people...... 4 Overhunting/overfishing...... 31 Uncontrolled visitor access...... 32 Vision...... 6 More family education...... 33 Gooniyandi targets...... 8 Sharing of knowledge Target 1: Gooniyandi language lore and transfer opportunities...... 34 culture...... 10 Feral animals...... 35 Target 2: Cultural and heritage places.....12 Invasive plant species...... 36 Target 3: Freshwater places...... 14 Our Healthy Country objectives...... 38 Target 4: Bushtucker / bush medicine plants...... 16 Our Healthy Country strategies...... 40 Target 5: Native animals...... 18 Adaptive management — monitoring and Target 6: Traditional fire...... 20 evaluation...... 44

Health of our targets...... 22 Governance and implementation...... 46

The main threats...... 24 References and abbreviation...... 48

Climate change...... 26 Appendix 1: Glossary of Gooniyandi words.49 Dams...... 27 Appendix 2: Nested targets — matters of Lack of access to country...... 28 national significance...... 50 Lack of resources for CNRM...... 29 g o o n i y a n d i h e a l t h y c o u n t r y p l a n

Story of the plan The Gooniyandi Healthy Country Plan explains how Gooniyandi people want to look after their country and culture. In the modern times it is important that we don’t forget the vast knowledge of our ancestors and elders and bring it Sam Cox, Mervyn Street—Gooniyandi Native Title determination together with best-practice science to ensure that our country stays Gooniyandi people have a strong healthy and our knowledge and and deep connection to their values are passed on to future country and in 2001 our combined generations. Native Title Claim was registered with the National Native Title Like many of our neighbouring Tribunal. Twelve years later the groups we used the Healthy Country Gooniyandi consent Native Title Planning (HCP) approach, which determination was handed down is based on the “Open Standards by the federal court recognising for the Conservation of Nature,” a our native title rights and interests. planning approach that has been Map 1 shows the location of our successfully used in many parts of Native Title Claim. the world. This planning framework has been adapted in the North of Australia to create a planning tool that allows us to address natural and cultural values equally and that Map 1: Location of Gooniyandi Native Title claim lets us find the balance between western scientific approaches and traditional knowledge and values. We wrote this plan so others can understand our aspirations for

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Healthy Country Management and This Healthy Country Plan is set out that our Rangers have guidance on in different parts: how to look after country. ► Pages 2 to 5 give an When we were going through the introduction to our country and community consultation meetings our people we identified the most important ► Pages 6 to 23 explain our things to look after, called “targets” vision for Gooniyandi country in HCP-language, assessed their and describes the most viability, called “health” in HCP important things we want to language and connected them to look after threats that are affecting those ► Pages 24 to 37 address the values. We then workshopped the most important threats to our objectives and strategies that help country us to look after our targets and reduce some of the threats. ► Pages 38 to 47 consists of our objectives and strategies which will help us to keep Gooniyandi country healthy and addresses the threats of the future

TOs at Marnjoowa

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Gooniyandi people

hectares of land and water and Kupartiya, Ngumpan, Ngalingkadji, includes the Indigenous-owned Gillieshape, Mingalkalka, Mimbi, pastoral stations of Bohemia Galeru Gorge and Wangkatjungka. Doris Doherty and Dora Cox Downs, Mt Pierre and Louisa Downs Located in Barboordngoo (bottom) Gooniyandi people are bound and portions of the non-Indigenous Gooniyandi are Joy Springs, together by their lore and customs Christmas Creek, Gogo, Fossil Karnparrmi, Gillaroong, Muludja and have a deep and unbroken Downs, Larrawa and Margaret River and Bayulu communities. On the connection to their country. pastoral stations. Our country is following page you can see on the The Gooniyandi language was roughly bounded in the North by the map (Map 2) the land tenure and instilled in the land and waters Margaret River, Christmas Creek Gooniyandi communities within our by the travels of ancestral beings and the Great Sandy Desert in the Native Title determined lands. during the time of creation called South, and the Fitzroy River to the Our lives today are different Ngarranggarni. We identify west. to those of our Ancestors, but ourselves through our connection This land has been our home we remember where we come to riwi (tracts of land) and/or their for many thousands of years. from and how to look after our jariny jariny — conception dreaming Gooniyandi Traditional Owners country. We now walk in two sites. live in many communities east worlds, the modern world and the Gooniyandi country is located in of Fitzroy Crossing. Larrndi world of our traditional culture. the central Kimberley region of (Top) Gooniyandi includes the Gooniyandi people live mostly Western Australia and includes communities of Yiyili, Ganinyi, in the surrounding communities the mighty Fitzroy River and its Moongardie, Rocky Springs, and Fitzroy Crossing and it is very tributaries which have been listed Goolgoorarra and Goodinjin. important for us and our culture for its National Heritage Values. Biligar (Middle) country with that we are living on our traditional Our country covers 1.12 million Mount Pierre Station consists of lands. the communities of Bawoorrooga,

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Map 2: Land tenure and communities within Gooniyandi Native Title determined lands p a g e 5 g o o n i y a n d i h e a l t h y c o u n t r y p l a n

Vision We, the Gooniyandi people are connected through our cultural identity — and our totems, songs, dances, paintings and stories are connected to our country and water;

Women Rangers and TOs

The Gooniyandi Healthy Country Plan tells the story of how we want to look after our country. Our vision shows those goals we want to achieve over the next ten years in order to keep our culture Rock art at Ngululaya and country healthy so that the next generation still can enjoy our traditional lands. Gooniyandi country is healthy and our animals, bushtucker plants and bush medicine are protected and plentiful for generations to come;

TOs fishing at Marnjoowa

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Our language and culture remains We want to create economic Visitors to Gooniyandi country must strong and is passed on to the next opportunities to look after country be respectful towards Gooniyandi generation; in a sustainable way; culture and country.

Billy Chestnut and family Edna Cherel and family Yiyili school children

Our young people can live a healthy We, the Gooniyandi people, make lifestyle on country and gain an the final decisions for our country income from country; following our cultural protocols and governance;

Back to Country trip to Marnjoowa Mervyn Street and Billy Chestnut

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Gooniyandi targets

Some of the animals on Gooniyandi The most important things (targets) country are rare or threatened on Gooniyandi country we choose elsewhere in the world. Those to focus are: Thomas Dick are included as nested targets in • Gooniyandi lore and culture At our first meeting in Fitzroy our list of most important things, • Cultural and heritage places Crossing, Gooniyandi people because our Rangers are looking sat together and talked about after those vulnerable animals • Freshwater places when they are looking after other those things on country that are • things on country. You will find a list Bushtucker and bush medicine important to us and that we want plants to look after. In HCP-language of our nested targets in Appendix 2 we call these things “targets”. on page 50. • Native animals and bush When we listed all the values, meats we grouped them together under • Traditional fire different headings. For example we group the Fitzroy River and all its A short story on each of these tributaries, our springs, billabongs targets can be found on the next and rock-holes under the target pages. The stories explain why the “Freshwater Places,” then we targets are so important to us. include all animals that live in the water, like Galwanyi (freshwater sawfish) andBalga (Barramundi) and plants like gaddingaddi Russell Smith (freshwater lilies).

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Target 1: Gooniyandi language lore and culture

Our Gooniyandi lore and culture was instilled in the land and Law, language and waters during creation time culture — the most important things called Ngarranggarni. We identify for Gooniyandi People. ourselves through our connection Lillian Chestnut to riwi (tracts of land) and our jariny jariny — conception dreaming sites.

Our lore and culture is not written down on paper; we have to learn that from our old people and we have to teach our kids and grandkids;

When we talk in this plan about language, lore and culture, we are referring to all the different components of our culture. We include under this target our Dreaming stories that we find manifested in all parts of

our country and the traditional Title determination Native Gooniyandi

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ecological knowledge of our old people are interested in working ancestors which tells us when to together with community schools hunt, what plants to use and how to make sure language is taught to read country. We include under by Gooniyandi Traditional Owners. this target joonba (dance) — the We have already developed our stories we tell through our dances Gooniyandi language dictionary are passed on in our family groups and want to use it more widely. to the next generation — how we dance and how we make our To pass on our language, lore totems. and culture we need to be in our country to practice and teach. Our Our Gooniyandi language is woven Rangers take already family groups tightly into our lore and culture. It is out to country to visit places, record important that our language is kept the stories from our old people and strong and that the next generation give us the opportunity to teach our is able to speak our language. Our young generation.

Our Gooniyandi country holds a lot of rich spiritual knowledge, that when we go out on country we feel our old people stand beside us and give us strength and we feel free from our worries. Chantelle Murray

Gooniyandi Native Title Determination

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Target 2: Cultural and heritage places

Those places are of great significance to us, they are places of our proud history and they help Sharpening Spears at Paint Rock the young generation understand Our country is a living, cultural their cultural connections to their landscape and many significant country. Our rock-art sites are cultural and heritage places are like snapshots of the past — they located on Gooniyandi country. show us what plants grew close by, Many of those sites relate back harvested by our ancestors. Those to our ancestors or our creation places tell us the stories of the life stories; those places include rock- of our ancestors. art sites, burial sites, sacred places, Our lore and culture requires us to conception places and old people’s seek permission when we access camping spots. other people’s country. Nowadays people just come and go on our country without asking us or letting us know. It is important for us that visitors are accompanied by the right Traditional Owner as we are responsible for the safety of our visitors; and only the right Traditional Owner can tell the exact story for a place.

Rock art at Painted Rock

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Gooniyandi Aboriginal Corporation is investigating a permit system for our Traditional Lands. A system that allows visitors to seek permission, helps us to find out which areas people are visiting and that gives us an opportunity to grow tourism ventures for our country. With “tag-along-tours” we can take visitors to our country and show them our sites, tell them our stories and make sure they travel safely. It gives our families an opportunity to make a living from their country while abiding by our traditional lore and culture. A cultural awareness program will help inform the local community and visitors alike about our customary lore and culture. This will help to ensure people respect country and respect Gooniyandi Traditional Owners. Rangers and TOs at Snake Bore Rangers and TOs at Snake

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Target 3: Freshwater places Balga

One special place, Jillyardi, is wilarrabi (longneck turtle) and of high cultural and material balga (Barramundi). significance. It is included in song Jillyardi cycles and Gooniyandi people Our ancestors and old people knew many things about the river and its Large tracts of our country are dry perform corroborrees there. The plants and animals and we must savannah. Freshwater places have families who hold the story of pass this information on to our been important places to us from Jillyardi, pass it on to their younger youngsters. For example, how we the days of our ancestors. The generations so that they will show use gooroo (freshwater mangrove) totems of many of our families are respect and know how important as fish poison. The bark is crushed connected to freshwater places and it is. up and put into small waterholes their plants and animals. Barndiwiri is the first rain storm where it stuns the fish by taking Under the target “Freshwater of the wet season. It is associated oxygen out of the water. The fish Places” we lump together with Jangala the snake and come to the surface and are easily permanent water places, spring arrives from the north. People caught. country, Billabongs and rock-holes know that this storm makes the and all the plants and animals that rivers run. This is a good time live in freshwater. For us, the rivers for fishing forgooloomangarri and waterholes are lifelines; special (catfish) andjambinbaroo (black cultural sites with many stories and bream). Marchflies arrive during traditions. Moongoowarla when all the fish are fat and when freshwater crocodiles lay their eggs — as the marchflies are said to protect the crocodiles at this time. This is also a particularly good time for laari (bony nream), Girrwarli Maxine Shandley and girls fishing

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When I look at the river I think of my country. The river is important for me, my people and the old people. Today’s native title determination means it will be protected. That river is who we are. We can’t live without it. Mervyn Street

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It’s a seasonal thing. Target 4: Bushtucker/bush medicine plants Our important plants fruit in special seasons. Wayne Wallaby

The country is like a calendar to All the tools used by our old people Gooniyandi people. The changing came from the bush. The gum of seasons tell us when it is the marndarra (wild gum), a large tree Ngooji right time to hunt or collect fruit. up to 20m tall, is used as glue. We Bush tucker and medicine plants When Joowooljidi (Bauhinia) starts burn the gum, crush it and add are important for Gooniyandi to flower, it tells us that the hot water to make a paste, which is people. When our ancestors lived season is coming. The honey from used to bind spearheads to the on country, there were no shops, the flower is very sweet and can shaft. Marrorra (Leichhardt pine) is supermarkets or pharmacies. Our be sucked out of the base of the a tree which has many purposes: old people gathered their food on flower. Garn-gi (Bullwood) flowers the fruit is good to eat and is ready country, used plants to make tools at the start of the wet season and when it turns orange and falls and implements and knew which during Yidirla (wet season when to the ground. Its wood is used plants helped during sickness. the river is running) garn-gi fruit to build galwaya (rafts) and the Gooniyandi Traditional Owners have is ready to be collected. You can soft wood is often used to carve collected a lot of knowledge over find more information about the woomeras and other artefacts. the years. seasons on Gooniyandi country in our seasonal calendar on page 51. Seed collection is needed Our ancestors used country as a to revegetate bushtucker/ dispensary: If you have scabies bush medicine plants around or sores, seeds of lambi-lambi communities as they are hard to find (cockroach bush) are boiled up and near communities when they are the liquid is used as a disinfectant. needed. For head colds we collect the fruit Anthony Dawson of Nganyjarli (bush tomato) during Barrangga (the hot season). Goordida

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Bushtucker plants are still around, but not close to communities. We have to go a longer way to find our bushtucker. Lillian Chestnut

Map 3: Threatened species, cultural areas and art sites against fire years burnt from 2000–2014, p a g e 1 7 g o o n i y a n d i h e a l t h y c o u n t r y p l a n

Target 5: Native animals

targets. Appendix 2 on page about the seasons and how to 50 gives an overview of the share an animal, it also includes conservation priorities from both our ancestors’ stories about the Cherabin the Commonwealth and the animals and how to use different When we talk about native animals Western Australian governments’ parts of an animal for different as a conservation target in our perspective. purposes. For example, when our Healthy Country Plan, we refer ancestors made spears, they used Our ancestors were seasonal to all the different animals that sinews from thirrwoo (kangaroo) to hunters, hunting for animals at have a cultural significance to bind the spearhead to the shaft. the right time of the year. Our lore Gooniyandi Traditional Owners. This and culture tells us which parts Thirrwoo is the main totem for includes animals that are totems of each animal we must share Gooniyandi, as you can see on the or are part of stories and animals with family members. But our Ranger’s logo. There are several like galamooda (bush turkey), traditional knowledge is not only different species living across our garnanganyja (emu), that our ancestors traditionally hunted.

When our Rangers look after the habitat of culturally important species, they are also looking after the habitat of threatened, vulnerable or endangered species.

In this Healthy Country Plan we have also included animals with significance to the wider Australian population as nested Galamooda Thirrwoo

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country. For example, wanyjirri (river kangaroo) lives around our waterways, while bandangawoorroo (plains kangaroo) occupies large tracts of our open woodlands.

There are different threats on different scales affecting the health of our native animals. Some of those threats can be fixed on Helen Malo cooking Blackheaded python Gooniyandi country, others are threats that we can only fix if everyone around the world works together.

Fire management is an important management tool to ensure that the habitat of our animals stays healthy.

The spread of weeds affects the habitat for some animals and our Rangers do important work managing invasive plant species.

Herbivorous and carnivorous invasive animals are another big threat to our local animals and we have to improve trapping and shooting of these animals as they cause havoc to our local animals. Roneill Skeen hunting goanna Rock Art at Lerida Gorge

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Target 6: Traditional fire

Fire management Mt Pierre and Louisa Downs

Gooniyandi people traditionally managed their country with fire. In the old days Gooniyandi ancestors walked the country along the creeks and rivers, lighting small- scale fires withgarn-gi (bull wood) firesticks to create a mosaic of burned and unburned country.

Fire was used in the right season ensuring plants re-grew and that the fires didn’t get too hot. Many culturally important plants, like birla (yam) or Jirrirndi (Hakea) — used to make boomerangs — are harder to find today because they are sensitive to late season fires.

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When we burn country, we need to look after the small animals that can’t escape a big fire. Sam Cox Fire was not only used to manage country. It was also used in a cultural/traditional context. Our ancestors used fires to signal other groups. If someone got into trouble out on country they knew they could light a fire and the smoke would act as a signal. Fire is also used in ceremonies to smoke visitors and new-borns. Fire planning 2012

When our Rangers carry out prescribed burning nowadays, they combine their traditional Apart from burning in the right knowledge with western scientific season, other strategies in this plan knowledge and policies. will help to avoid fires breaking out in the wrong season. At the beginning of the year we have fire planning meetings with A planned visitor permit system the Traditional Owners, other and awareness/educational landowners and government programs will inform visitors agencies like DFES (Department about the risks of camp-fires that of Fire and Emergency Services). get out of hand. When we are For good fire-management it is doing cultural activities with our important that everyone works youngsters, we make sure that they together — Traditional Owners, don’t get bored and do the wrong pastoralists and government things by lighting fires as fire-bugs. agencies.

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Health of our targets The HCP process considers four “health” ranks: • Poor: A “poor” health ranking means that we need to urgently As discussed earlier, the focus many resources on this Conservation Action Planning target. Without major effort this (CAP) process has been amended target will cease to exist in its Lerida Gorge to incorporate our cultural values current form. Fortunately none of When we talk about the health of in our Healthy Country Plan and our targets are ranked “poor.” our targets we are talking about to reflect our thinking that all • Fair: Some of our targets are the viability of our conservation natural occurrences on country ranked as “fair.” This means values. The table on the opposite have a cultural dimension to them we must put some effort into page shows the health rating for all — for example the stories of the conservation of a target to make our targets. In the Healthy Country rainbow serpent, our creator being, sure it is maintained on our Planning process we look at the are closely linked to our target country. This applies in particular health of our targets in 4 different Freshwater Places. Our culture is to cultural values, showing us ways: not separate from our country. that we must ensure our Rangers support cultural work side • Landscape: how the targets are The health ratings for each target by side with natural resource affected by ecological processes are based on our knowledge, the management. on a landscape scale level; knowledge of our partners and • Good: Most of our biophysical results from scientific surveys and • Condition: how healthy the indicators are ranked as “good.” research projects on Gooniyandi composition and structure of This means that only a small country. We are working closely our targets is; amount of work is required to with the KLC’s Land and Sea • maintain them. Size: health seen as a measure Management Unit to make sure of area or abundance of our that research on our country • Very good targets; benefits us and helps us to answer In the future, we will strive to • Cultural condition: how healthy some of our questions. achieve improvements in target a target is in a cultural context. rankings from “fair” to “good” or “very good.” p a g e 2 2 g o o n i y a n d i h e a l t h y c o u n t r y p l a n

Viability Landscape Condition Culture Size Rank Conservation Targets Current Rating

1 Gooniyandi language, lore and culture – – Fair – Fair

2 Cultural and heritage places Fair Good Fair Fair Fair

3 Freshwater places Good Good Fair Good Good

4 Bushtucker / bush medicine plants Fair Good Fair Good Fair

5 Native animals Fair Good Fair Good Fair

6 Traditional fire Fair Fair Fair Fair Fair

Project Health Rank Fair

Goonanggi

Bush tobacco

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The main threats The table on the opposite page Some threats make other threats gives an overview of the main worse and are have been linked threats that occur on our country. to each other. For example, a hot, Our main threats are: late dry season fire might destroy • Climate change many of our important bush tucker plants and burn the habitat of our • Dams important animals. After a hot fire • Lack of access to country goes through and burns the native • Lack of resources for vegetation, weeds grow back faster When we started thinking about cultural and natural resource than the native plants and take the important things to look after management over the habitat. on Gooniyandi country, we talked • Late dry season fires about the threats which make our With the right resources some • Overhunting / overfishing country unhealthy. Some of these threats can be fixed on Gooniyandi • Uncontrolled visitor access threats apply to all our targets, but country. But other threats, like others only apply to some targets • Lack of traditional family climate change, require everyone — — the Healthy Country Planning education in Australia and across the planet framework helps us link threats to • Lack of knowledge transfer — to work together. targets and to see the difference opportunities between stresses and the source of • Feral animals those stresses. In times of limited • funding and manpower and to be Invasive plant species effective, strategic managers, it is Threats are ranked as “low”, important to address stress at its “medium”, “high” and “very high” source. Otherwise the source of the depending on their contribution stress remains and our people will to the health of our targets, their have to repeat the same work year severity and how widespread or after year. localised the threats are. The righthand column displays the overall threat ranking across all targets. Rangers at Muludja nursery

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Bushtucker Language Heritage Freshwater / bush Native Traditional Threats Across Targets law and & cultural Overall places medicine animals fire culture places Threat plants Rank Project-specific threats 1 2 3 4 5 6

1 Climate change High Medium Medium Medium Medium

2 Dams High Low Medium

3 Lack of access to country Medium Low Low Low Low Medium Medium

4 Lack of resources for cultural & natural resource management Medium Low Low Low Medium Medium

5 Late dry season fires Low Medium Medium Low Low Medium

6 Overhunting / overfishing Medium Medium Medium

7 Uncontrolled visitor access Medium Medium Medium

8 Lack of traditional family education Medium Low Low Low Low Low Low

9 Lack of knowledge transfer opportunities Medium Low Low Low Low Low Low

10 Feral animals —­ herbivores Low Medium Low Low Low

11 Irrigated agriculture Medium Low Low

12 Mining Developments Medium Low Low

13 Feral animals — carnivores Medium Low

14 Littering Medium Low

15 Poisoning/1080 Medium Low

16 Lack of cultural programs in mainstream education Low Low Low Low Low Low Low

17 Invasive plant species Low Low Low Low Low

Threat status for targets and project Medium Medium High Medium Medium Medium Medium

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Climate change temperature to support life is called to weather patterns impact on how “the greenhouse effect.” and where plants grow, how late, dry season fires affect country and the People are putting more migratory patterns of animals. greenhouse gases into the air by burning coal, driving cars, cutting There are two ways Gooniyandi trees down and letting big fires people can help to fight these Lerida Gorge burn. These extra gases make a changes: thick blanket around the earth, Climate Change describes the making it hotter than normal. • By looking after the most changes that are happening to the important and vulnerable weather because of the pollution As the planet gets hotter, the animals and plants to make people are putting into the air. weather changes. them stronger. This is called “climate change adaption”. It is important to understand On the land, we feel the impacts • By reducing the gases and climate change, because it will of climate change more. Scientists smoke in the air — for example impact all of us, particularly those say that temperatures will increase through traditional fire- of us who are living on the land. 2–2.5 degrees over next 60 years management in conjunction in the Kimberley. They also say with a carbon farming project. Normally, the planet takes heat that there will be more rain than This is called “climate change from the sun and traps some of it usual. Higher temperatures and mitigation”. as a layer of gas in the atmosphere. higher rainfall will increase insect- This gas is called greenhouse borne diseases like dengue fever. gas and it causes warming of the There may also be an increase in atmosphere. Trapping the sun’s extreme weather — like heatwaves heat to keep the planet at a good and cyclones. All these changes

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Dams

Marnjoowa

In the past we have often heard dammed. More water for irrigated about damming the Fitzroy River. agriculture means that there There have been plans around to will be less water downstream build small to moderate size dams for important bushtucker and to support irrigated agriculture bush medicine plants growing on for many years, not just since the riverbanks. recent publication of the White Paper “Developing the North.” Before making our minds up, it is important to look at other When considering a dam, it is places with dams to see how that important to think about its country has been affected. During potential impacts. In the wrong the building phase of a dam and place, a dam can seriously affect once the dam is operating, it is the connectivity of our freshwater important that good environmental system. Fish and other animals monitoring by Gooniyandi Rangers will not be able to travel up and is in place, so that changes to down rivers and streams if they are country can be picked up early.

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We need Rangers here! (in Yiyili) to record stories, build bough sheds and BBQ areas, as many old people Lack of access to country are sick. Francis Dawson

We need to be out on country through back-to-country trips, trips to look after it and to pass on with community schools and during our traditional knowledge to the holiday activities. Billy Chestnut and Rangers visit Ngululaya next generation. It is important Gooniyandi Aboriginal Corporation Our ancestral beings gave us our that our kids go out on country and our Rangers work closely with lore and responsibility to look after with our elders to learn their some of the pastoralists in the our country during Ngarranggarni stories and dances and absorb region and we are looking forward (creation time). Some parts of all the knowledge and wisdom to engage in the future more to our country is very rugged and about how the old people used make sure that we work together other parts are difficult to access bushtucker plants and hunted for effectively to look after our country. because pastoral leases operate on native animals. In our culture you them. This threat is about lack of don’t sit in a classroom and study When our Rangers carry out the access to country — lack of access everything from a book. work in our plan, they have a because of physical barriers to get It is difficult for our elders to pass chance to look after many things at back to country and lack of access on traditional knowledge when they the same time. For example, on a because access is restricted by a are away from their country. People back-to-country trip, we can record landholder. must go out on country to see the the location of and stories about important cultural sites, pass on Since the arrival of Europeans in country with their own eyes and knowledge to the next generation Australia we have been removed listen to the stories about all the and do some weed work at the from our lands step by step. different places. This can happen same time.

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Lack of resources for cultural and natural resource management

Lack of resources and lack of in Land Management and have knowledge transfer opportunities been able to access other training are closely linked. In order to get out for Indigenous Ranger Groups in on country often enough, pass on the Kimberley. It is important to In 2009 the Gooniyandi Ranger knowledge and do all the work, we maintain training so that more Program commenced as a CDEP need reliable vehicles, equipment young people coming through are project. Our Rangers were called and more Rangers. The capacity trained up to help out. Gooniyandi-Bayulu Rangers. Since of Gooniyandi Rangers is often We must have a secure future. then, we have come a long way — stretched because there is always Funding for Healthy Country from casual employment to full-time more work than Rangers available Management must be recurrent so Rangers with Working on Country to do the job. we know we can continue to fulfil funding and some casual women our cultural obligations to look after Rangers. It is important to maintain In the past, our Rangers completed country like our ancestors did. momentum with our women a major portion of their certificates Rangers and increase the activities carried out by our Gooniyandi Women to make sure all the work in this Healthy Country Plan is done.

Our Rangers look after country both ways. The traditional way, as our ancestors told us and the modern, western way. For Gooniyandi Rangers to be able to do all the work in this plan, they need resources, the right training and funding.

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lightning. We need to be careful that fires from mustering and on pastoral stations are lit carefully Late dry season fires and don’t get out of hand. Late dry season fires can be minimised by burning country early in the dry season with a combination of traditional knowledge and western science. By reducing fuel loads and creating Aerial burning­—Mt Pierre fire breaks, late dry season fires can’t travel so far anymore. Fire at the wrong time can have a serious impact on the health To manage fire properly throughout of our country. In the late dry- the year the Gooniyandi Rangers season when the grasses have work together with the KLC to dried out, fires can be particularly improve fire-management on bad with strong winds and hot Gooniyandi Country. Our Rangers weather making it burn through carry out ground burning to create the night and spread further. A fire-breaks around assets like wildfire can wipe out important communities. The Gooniyandi shrubs and trees on our country. Rangers try to implement more If it burns across a large area it aerial prescribed burning to can destroy the habitat of some achieve a good burning outcomes of our smaller animals that can’t on a larger scale. The Gooniyandi escape fast enough. Other animals, Rangers look forward to working like wanyjirri (river kangaroo) or with partners like station Galamooda (bush turkey) might not owners and organisations like find enough food anymore. DFES (Department of Fire and Emergency Services) to improve A late dry season fire can start by fire management on Gooniyandi accident, for example, a camp-fire country and to reduce the risk of that isn’t put out properly or from late dry season fires.

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People are going to our freshwater places without Overhunting and overfishing Traditional Owners or us knowing. We don’t know how much fish they are taking. Delaney Cox

Our seasonal calendar tells us than they need. Other times people when it is the right time to fish or to leave fish behind and let it go to hunt. If you take an animal at the waste. wrong time of the year it can have a negative impact on the overall It is important that we are not population. Our ancestors taught greedy out bush and let nature us how much to take and how we replenish itself. We need to put share our food with our families. signs up at popular fishing spots to advise people not to net the river. Nowadays there are more people When our Rangers are working living in Fitzroy and many people, on country, they can keep an eye Gooniyandi Traditional Owners and out for people who are fishing other community members alike, or hunting too much. By passing enjoy going fishing. They often go on our traditional ecological to same fishing spots and we have knowledge about the seasons and observed that sometimes people the animals, we teach our younger put nets through part of our rivers generation to respect country and to catch every fish and take more look after its creatures.

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Uncontrolled visitor access

Everybody welcome, but we need to make sure they do the right thing and don’t get hurt . Roneil Skeen

Our lore and our culture teaches are in company of the correct us the protocols of how we Traditional Owner for that part of access country. In the old times the country. our ancestors sang out to the Traditional Owners of country and We want to establish a visitor sought permission to enter. permit system so that we know how many people visit different Nowadays visitors just come and sites and to make sure that go without seeking permission. appropriate permission is given A visitor is anyone who is not a to visitors. Gooniyandi Aboriginal Gooniyandi Traditional Owner of Corporation has ideas to establish this land. Visitors may be tourists, Tag-along-tours for interstate locals or Traditional Owners of travellers as well. Most visitors stay other country. at the same place in town and it is hard for them to visit our country We are responsible for the safety and see our sights and hear the of visitors to our country and bear right story for the right place. the consequences of accidents and disturbances to our important We are happy for visitors to come places. When visitors come to to Gooniyandi country if it is done country it is important that they in a culturally appropriate way.

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our cultural knowledge is included in every day school activities. This can mean that our elders come to school to teach language, or that More family education our Rangers attend classes to show our children what is involved in their work.

We already developed a Gooniyandi Bush Tucker and Bush Medicine booklet, but we need to publish more resources. Our Gooniyandi Dictionary is nearly complete Our ancestors lived on country with and we would like to work on a their families and clans. Nowadays Gooniyandi animal book to capture Gooniyandi people need to walk in our traditional knowledge and both worlds — the traditional world language names. in accordance with lore and culture and the western world. This means Teaching our younger generation our kids are often brought up in involves working with partners as town and young parents struggle to well. There are many organisations get back out on country with their in Fitzroy Crossing that provide children. Without being on country support to young parents and their it is hard to pass on our cultural families. In the future we want knowledge. to work more closely with these organisations so that together we Our children are taught a western achieve outcomes and make sure curriculum in our community that young Gooniyandi parents are schools. With the flexibility it well supported. provides we need to make sure that

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Sharing of knowledge transfer opportunities

country to learn about country. We have to feel and breathe the country. We can’t sit in a classroom Stone axe and talk about country, passing on Part of the responsibilities of knowledge without seeing it. cultural custodians is to ensure It is difficult for Gooniyandi families that our traditional lore, culture to go for a drive on country. They and language is passed on to the usually have to rely on others to next generation. A threat to this is organise trips to go to remoter the lack of opportunities to pass on parts of our country. When our knowledge. young people are stuck in town It has been difficult to pass on they are distracted by modern language or knowledge through influences such as television, social schools, as the curriculum gives media or other non-traditional us limited opportunities to include culture. language learning in a culturally It is vital that our stories and appropriate way and now less and language are recorded for the less kids speak Gooniyandi. benefit for future generations and We can’t transmit a lot that Gooniyandi youth and young of knowledge in a school families visit country and important environment. We have to be on sites as often as possible. Rock art at Painted Rock

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One of the bad things is the overstocking with cattle. All the cattle is causing erosion along the Feral animals river and it silts up. No more water there after that. Wayne Wallaby

trampling on our riparian vegetation gather more information about the and they rub themselves against art numbers and distribution of Bilbies sites. Our Rangers put a significant and other threatened species on amount of time in managing cattle Gooniyandi country. When the Since the arrival of Europeans in and keeping fences intact. Around Gooniyandi Rangers do their survey Australia there have been different Marnjoowa, the Rangers fenced off transects, they often find tracks animals introduced to our country. 1.5ha around the river bank to stop and scats from feral cats and dogs. Some of them you can readily cattle from trampling the vegetation see, others are harder to spot. and spreading more weeds. Over We distinguish feral animals by time we have seen many plants their eating habits. There are come back and the riverbank now herbivorous animals like cattle, looks a lot healthier. Our biodiversity camel, donkey and horse whose surveys show that native animals diet is focussed on plants. The are coming back in bigger numbers. other group of feral animals are Cats, foxes and dogs have a carnivorous animals like cats, foxes significant impact on small animals and dogs — who eat other animals on our country. In particular on for food. the small population of those Gooniyandi country is station vulnerable and threatened species country. Cattle has a big impact (please refer to Appendix 2) that on sensitive vegetation and live on our country like the Greater important sites. Cattle and other Bilby or Northern Quoll. Our Rangers hooved animals cause damage by undertake biodiversity surveys to

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Invasive plant species Because much of our country is • Vine weeds grow over trees and Station country, there are a few shrubs, strangling them and weed species present on our blocking out the sun. When country, in particular Buffel Grass, they dry out they can lead to Bellyache Bush and Parkinsonia. much hotter fires which often Our Rangers do weed-work kill our native plants. annually and have treated different • Grass weeds often grow much Johanan Nuggett areas for weeds like the introduced taller and thicker than native passion fruit vine, rubber bush and An invasive plant or a weed is a plants. They dry out at different snake weed. plant that has been introduced times in the year, fuelling hotter fires at the wrong time. from other countries or other parts Weeds spread easily across of Australia, and which doesn’t country. The seeds are spread in • Some weeds put chemicals in belong in the local bush. rivers, on the wind, on graders or in the soil that stop other plants muddy tyres. They even travel in the from growing. These foreign plants often grow hair and guts of animals like cows and spread quicker and easier • Waterweeds may mess up and kangaroos. It is important that than native species. They often billabongs and rivers by we work with other landholders, dominate and change the plant growing all over the surface agencies and neighbours to find out composition. and stopping the water from which weeds are around and which flowing the way it normally ones may become a serious threat does. to healthy country. To make sure weeds are not Weeds can cause damage to our impacting our country in the future, country in many ways: we must keep an eye out for new • They take over areas where weeds and train Rangers and native plants normally grow, community members so they are pushing out important food able to recognise and kill off the and medicine plants. weeds.

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Our Healthy Country Objectives

Our objectives are larger topics that help us keep on track with Healthy Country Management. Each objective addresses one or more Our vision statement shows the targets or threats. The more targets goals Gooniyandi Traditional or threats a strategy affects, the Owners want to achieve over the higher the impact of this strategy. next 10 years in order to keep We focus our time and effort on culture and country healthy so that these strategies and objectives generations to come still can enjoy first. our traditional culture and country. To find the right objectives and In the last sections we have set out strategies we looked at the the most important values we want attributes and health of our targets, to protect on our country and linked the threat ranking and how many these targets with the threats that threats affect each target. We affect them. To reach our vision we workshopped the stresses and need to keep our targets healthy sources of stresses so that we are and mitigate the biggest threats. certain we understand the origin of the problem. Our objectives aim to fix the sources of a threat, not just the stressor. Jai ready for junba

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Objectives

1 By 2017 visitor access to Gooniyandi country is managed in a culturally appropriate way

By 2018 (and on-going) development projects on Gooniyandi NT lands are not functionally 2 degrading habitat of priority species By 2018 a traditional fire management project is implemented on Gooniyandi Native Title 3 lands to protect natural and cultural values By 2018 Gooniyandi Rangers have the operational capacity to look after natural and 4 cultural values using traditional and western scientific knowledge By 2020 a cultural learning program is in place to engage Gooniyandi youth and young 5 parents By 2020 Gooniyandi people have opportunities to find meaningful employment on 6 Gooniyandi Native Title lands By 2020 Gooniyandi priorities are understood and supported by stakeholders and the 7 Fitzroy community By 2025 feral animals don’t functionally degrade habitat of priority species on 8 Gooniyandi Native Title lands By 2025 invasive plant species don’t functionally degrade habitat of priority species on 9 Gooniyandi Native Title lands Rock Art—dancing crocodile

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Our healthy country strategies

Objectives Healthy country management strategies 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Implement a prescribed burning program with all stakeholders to protect natural and cultural values  Each objective has multiple Actively liaise with/seek opportunities to collaborate with strategies. A strategy outlines what pastoralists on Gooniyandi NT lands to undertake CNRM   we must do to keep our targets management healthy and our threats low. Some Develop and implement a monitoring and evaluation program strategies help to achieve more to measure effectiveness of strategies   than one objective and we call them “high impact strategies.” Actively liaise with / seek opportunities to collaborate with pastoralists on Gooniyandi NT lands to undertake CNRM management    We grouped the different strategies Undertake targeted biodiversity to identify range and into three categories: resilience of threatened and culturally important species to   • Healthy Country Management human induced threats strategies are keeping our Develop a feral animal strategy for Gooniyandi NT lands in natural targets healthy; partnership with stakeholders/land-owners  • Lore and culture strategies Fence off priority cultural sites from feral animal damage are about keeping our cultural  targets health; Develop and implement a Gooniyandi Invasive Plant strategy • Operational capacity  strategies are about increasing our resources and capacity to manage our Native Title lands.

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Objectives Lore and culture strategies 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Develop a Gooniyandi visitor management strategy with stakeholders  Implement a visitor education program to raise awareness about natural and cultural sensitivities   Implement a community engagement/cultural awareness program for community members and stakeholders for Gooniyandi people   Liaise and collaborate with Fitzroy-based organisations to ensure programs meet Gooniyandi needs   Develop Gooniyandi language, cultural, TEK resources  Develop and implement in partnership with community schools a Gooniyandi language project  Undertake back-to-country trips with community schools and during school holidays  Gooniyandi Rangers attend community schools regularly to raise awareness  Seek repatriation of Gooniyandi cultural information from stakeholders/partners  Develop and publish a Gooniyandi Plant and Animal book to capture TEK  Map and record cultural site information across Gooniyandi country with relevant family groups  With partners develop leadership courses on Gooniyandi NT lands to engage young people  Develop and operate a cultural centre within the Gooniyandi PBC complex in Bayulu 

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Objectives Operational capacity strategies 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Participate in NAIDOC week activities to raise awareness   Raise awareness amongst Stakeholders and Partners for the Gooniyandi Healthy Country Plan.   Implement a CNRM development strategy to map out a pathway for capacity increase/sustainable funding of Gooniyandi Rangers   Develop and maintain a nursery on Gooniyandi country to supply plants for revegetation and commercial sale   Engage with funding partners to secure funding for CNRM priorities   Liaise and collaborate with Fitzroy-based organisations to ensure programs meet Gooniyandi needs   Participate in the savannah burning economy to support fire management on Gooniyandi NT lands;    Undertake a feasibility study and register a carbon business for GAC;   With partners develop leadership courses on Gooniyandi NT lands to engage young people  Work with partners/stakeholders in Fitzroy Crossing to increase opportunities for work-readiness/small business  development Gooniyandi PBC to investigate financial viability for business opportunities (horticulture, landscaping, nursery, tag-along tours)  Gooniyandi PBC to engage with pastoralists to create employment opportunities through irrigated agriculture/  pastoralism Work closely with the KRN to access training and FFS/ government funding opportunities  Through active participation and negotiations ensure that development proposals consider cultural and environmental  values Gooniyandi PBC to investigate financial viability for business opportunities (horticulture, landscaping, nursery, tag-along tours) 

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Adaptive management—monitoring and evaluation out whether they are achieving requiring little external help, so that their intended outcomes. Some our Rangers can easily continue Effectiveness measures are linked monitoring over time. to Status monitoring as well. Status monitoring is undertaken during the We use different technologies for review of the Healthy Country Plan our monitoring and evaluation. to find out whether the plan has We use remote sensing data to been used to guide management monitor the extent of wildfires and decisions and whether the plan’s our rangers use, amongst other When we talk about Adaptive vision is achieved by the work we things, Cybertracker technology Management and Monitoring are doing. to record information on country. and Evaluation, we are looking at Our Rangers continuously learn monitoring on three levels: When we monitor and evaluate we to record and manage data. The • Implementation monitoring also check whether any threats to information is uploaded into the — are we using the Healthy our targets have changed over time. Gooniyandi database so that we Country Plan? For example, new invasive plants can report back to our community or animal species may come into and to funding bodies. • Effectiveness monitoring — are our country. This means that over the strategies working the way the next ten years some identified Ten years from now we will look we expect? threats may grow and become at the plan again and make an worse. updated version that reflects • Status monitoring — are our the state of Gooniyandi country targets improving? Our monitoring and evaluation at that time. In ten years’ time, is based on best-practice hopefully, some of our targets will Implementation monitoring is very methodologies developed be in good health. Then we can similar to an annual report. Our particularly for Northern Australia. get to work on other things. This Rangers check each activity for Monitoring and evaluation approach — making a plan, doing where and when it was undertaken. techniques must be strong and the work, checking that the work Under Effectiveness monitoring reliable, and at the same time, is on track — is called “adaptive we look at our strategies to find they must be practical to use, management.”

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Cybertracker recording p l a n n i n g of areas treated for weeds

healthy country country is health targets healthier

By 2015 we will be Showing more control controlling pest species of pest species

VISION TARGETS

Implement weed and Showing less area of OBJECTIVES feral animal control weeds over time

STRATEGIES

Weed control at priority m o n i t o r i n g & ACTIONS freshwater places e va l uat i o n

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Governance and implementation

The Healthy Country Advisory work with experts from the KLC on Committee sits under the our Fire and Threatened Species Gooniyandi PBC and has different management. Our Rangers Thomas Dick and Don Gilligan roles and responsibilities in regards partner with other organisations It is important to have good to the Gooniyandi Rangers. The like Environs Kimberley and governance in place when we Gooniyandi PBC holds our Native WWF Australia and with research develop our work-plans or do our Title Rights on behalf of Gooniyandi organisations like the University monitoring work. Our Gooniyandi Traditional Owners and is the over- of Western Australia to gain Rangers are part of the Kimberley arching organisation that makes access to additional resources and Ranger Network. We have decisions for Gooniyandi country. scientific capacity. As part of the established a Healthy Country Regional Monitoring and Evaluation Through our involvement in the Advisory Committee made up of Framework, we have access to Kimberley Ranger Network we have 20 Traditional Owners representing these specialists. They help us access to additional specialists the different parts of Gooniyandi check our strategies are achieving and experts for particular parts country. The Healthy Country expected outcomes. of our Healthy Country Plan. We Advisory Committee (HCAC) was central to the development of this Gooniyandi Healthy Country Plan. The Ranger Group reports back to this Committee and receives advice from the HCAC.

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References and abbreviations

CAP Conservation Action Planning

CDEP Community Development Employment Project

CNRM Cultural and Natural Resource Management

DFES Department of Fire and Emergency Services

FFS Fee for Service

GAC Gooniyandi Aboriginal Corporation

HCAC Healthy Country Advisory Committee

HCP Healthy Country Plan

KLC Kimberley Land Council

KRN Kimberley Ranger Network

TEK Traditional Ecological Knowledge

PBC Prescribed Body Corporate

WWF World Wildlife Fund

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Appendix 1: Glossary of Gooniyandi words

Gooniyandi English Balga Barramundi Barboordngoo Bottom Bandangawoorroo Plain Kangaroo Barranggu Hot season Biligar Middle Birla Yam Gaddingaddi Water Lilies Galamooda Bush Turkey Galwanyi Freshwater Sawfish Galwaya Raft Garn-Gi Bullwood Girndi Black Plum Gooloomangarri Catfish Gooroo Freshwater Mangrove Jambinbaroo Black Bream Joowooljidi Bauhinia Laari Bony Bream Larrndi Top Lambi Cockroach bush Marndarra Wild Gum Maroorra Leichardt Pine Ngarranggarni Creation Time Thirrwoo Kangaroo (gen.) Wanyjirri River Kangaroo Wilarrabi Longneck turtle Yidirla Wet season Gooniyandi Native Title determination Native Gooniyandi

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Appendix 2: Nested targets — matters of national significance/threatened species

Wildlife Conservation Act EPBC listed species listed species

Migratory Vulnerable/Endangered Water Rat...... P4 Red Goshawk...... V Fork tailed swift Spectacled Hare Wallaby...... P3 Gouldian Finch...... E Saltwater crocodile Grey Falcon...... Rare Crested Shrike Tit...... V Rainbow bee-eater Australian Bustard...... P4 Purple Crowned Fairy Wren...... V Great egret Bush Stone Curlew...... P4 Australian Painted Snipe...... E Star Finch...... P4 Masked Owl...... V Cattle egret Northern Quoll...... E Oriental plover Flock Bronzwing...... P4 Greater Bilby...... V Oriental pratincole Black Bittern...... P3 Northern Marsupial Mole...... E Eastern osprey Peregrine Falcon...... P4 Mountain White Gum...... V Magpie goose Great Desert Skink...... V P1 Poorly-known on threatened lands Freshwater Sawfish...... V Osprey P2 Poorly-known on conservation lands P3 Poorly-known some on conservation lands V = Vulnerable; E = Endangered; P4 Rare, near-threatened and other species in need of monitoring

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KIMBERLEY LAND COUNCIL