Mandingalbay Yidinji People

Wait-a-While Newsletter | Edition 11 December 2018

From strength to strength

INSIDE... Tribal Warrior SPECIAL FEATURE: New signs for training not all at Thinking Beyond GMYPBC sea...p 6 Borders...pages 13-19 ...p 22 A word from ED Dale Mundraby Welcome to our 2018 - one of our biggest years ever – Wait-a-While newsletter which I hope reflects on just some of the many things that have happened over the year, big and small, significant and seemingly less significant – although that’s never really the case, Executive Director (ED) Dale Mundraby writes... Our aspirations over many You will read about our new areas of expertise, from years, supported by our hard growing involvement and quarantine to coxswains. work and commitment, are engagement with the Yarrabah Everything we have done, coming to fruition at last. Council and community on even long before this great In the newsletter you several different levels from year, has been for a purpose will read about our first the GMYPPBC Master Plan of achieving our objectives Indigenous Protected Areas and signage project, the Social which are about improving and Economic Development Reinvestment Project, and the well-being of our People, Conference ‘Thinking Beyond even their school careers day Country and protection of Borders’ held in June this – we’re happy to contribute cultural natural values. year where we successfully and support these important And we are doing that by brought together many of community projects. developing and participating our stakeholders, supporters This year our organisation in the regional economy, and interested parties into has grown and developed creating a sustainable future one room to talk about how considerably, not only through hard work. we are doing things, and in terms of partnerships, It is through nothing less why. but also in terms of than hard work that we have You will read about how we developing the people in the achieved what we have and have our Deadly Dinners, organisation – our People. that’s through partnership, an event at the high end of There has been training collaboration, disrupting the our tourism product, which and forums, some of which welfare cycle and just people we now have down to a fine have led to an expansion of getting to work and doing art. our roles as rangers across business on our Country.

Dewayne Mundraby, David Hudson & Dale Mundraby at the Thinking Beyond Borders conference in June this year. 2 Our development journey to date... 2006 Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal 2017 In September Corporation (MYAC) was established following our last year MYAC Native Title Determination submitted a 2009 Launched the MY Strategic Plan to guide us preliminary in shifting MY aspirations into action. Development 2010-2011 MY land and waters were dedicated Application (DA) to Regional into our own Indigenous Protected Area • Number 50 in Australia Council (CRC) to • First of its kind to be over multiple tenure build a nature-based where no traditional owner tenure existed. tourism development • Tenures include National Park, State in the East Trinity Forest, fish habitat, wet lands, agricultural Reserve – called the areas – cane, banana farms, water all the Mandingalbay Yidinji way to the fourth LED in Trinity Inlet. Eco Cultural Tourism • Enabled us Infrastructure Project to develop (MYECTIP) which will feature observation towers and establish connected by boardwalks, zip lines, ropes course partnerships and “glamping” style accommodation. On 10 October 2018 CRC approved our Djunbunji Ltd was 2011 MYECTIP DA. Every step of the MYECTIP established as MYAC’s development will go through an assessment agent company to process for CRC approval before works can be manage and deliver our carried out. Working on Country Funding applications have been Program which directly October 2018 supports land, People and submitted for early work infrastructure including: culture. o Floating Pontoon Jetty o Board walk Completed the 2015 MY Property Management o Turn around area to identify the eco-infrastructure we Plan (PMP) o Signage to welcome visitors in various languages need on MY country to carry out commercial, cultural o One high end facility and environmental activities and experiences. • The PMP was granted in accordance with Looking ahead we are currently developing an Section 34 under the Nature Conservation Act MY Indigenous Employment Strategy to cover which provides for use and access to existing training, employment and the development of infrastructure. As a result the ranger program micro business for our People in the construction and commercial activities are delivered and and operation phases of MYECTIP. housed at Grey Peaks National Park. At this stage we are looking for support from: o Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet • Our Commercial Activity Agreement is an enabler that facilitates the delivery of our o State Government – DATSIP products which include our three hour cultural o Indigenous Land Corporation and environmental experiences, overnight Going forward we are currently working with camping and our Deadly Dinners – under the a cross-section of government, industry and banner of MY Eco Indigenous Tours FTI Consulting to developing the MYECTIP (see http://www.mandingalbay.com.au). Prospectus.

We trust you will enjoy this Corporation Board of Enjoy your break, if you have issue of Wait-a-While, it has Directors; MY Rangers and one, and we can all be ready been a great year and we’re Volunteers; and Helen Tait. for the many bigger and thankful for what and who we And finally, I’d like to better things 2019 might have. bring us. I’d like to take this wish everyone a safe opportunity to acknowledge: and Merry Christmas Mandingalbay Yidinji Community; MY Aboriginal and a Happy New Year. Dale Mundraby 3 Fisheries training means fair go for all This year Rangers Vincent Mundraby and Victor Bulmer have gained their Cert IVs in Fisheries Compliance after successfully completing their two blocks of study requirements. Mr Bulmer said it was assist under the EPBC Act,” transparent and fair – it’s about addressing illegal he said. about protecting our activity in the Great “So when we see people Country, but it’s also about Barrier Reef’s Green Zone fishing in the Green protecting the people under the Environmental Zone we call the relevant who are going to use that Protection and Biodiversity agencies. Country and making sure Conservation Act. “So it’s about knowing they know what the rules “At this point we can only the rules, how to be are. MY Rangers upskilling in Burketown The second Australian Biosecurity Indigenous Ranger Forum was hosted by the Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation in Burketown, on Gangalidda Garawa country, in September this year. Rangers Maynard Bulmer of bio-security, pests, included slack handling, and Randolph Lefoe, along weeds, identifying foreign chemical handling, and with Rangers Laurissa, substances, working in even utilising vessels, Jason, Vinnie, Alfred jnr partnership to look country aeroplanes and helicopters and Jason Mundraby were for future generations to assist with patrolling the lucky ones, taking along the coastlines and and surveillance, and the opportunity to attend waterways. monitoring for hazardous workshops in the areas Training options also substances.

PICTURED: MY & Gunggandji Rangers on the salt pans in Burketown and the Mornington Island Dancers.

4 Ranger exchange provides long list of benefits

Ranger exchanges form an important part of training, learning and swapping ideas for how to deal with the many impacts all manner of activities have on Country and, because of its location, Djunbunji rangers play an active role in the many visits from groups across the nation. Most recently rangers from Yuku Strategy,” Ranger Laurissa Baja Muliku (Archer Point, near Mundraby said. Cooktown) and Aptuma (on the “There was staff on board as far north eastern side of Cape well, from Biosecurities and York) were given a tour of how quarantine. Djunbunji deals with quarantine “These are really good and biosecurity issues. opportunities for us, we get to “It’s called ‘fundamental training’ showcase the work we do as and was organised under the well as exchange information on Northern Quarantine Australia issues we face.”

5 Setting sail for a future at sea Gunggandji Ranger Coordinator Brian Murgha invited our Djunbunji Rangers to participate in the Deck Hand Course conducted by the Tribal Warrior and the NSW TAFE at the Rum Jungle Shipyard at Lee Yan Road East Trinity in October MY Ranger William Mundraby writes… After two intensive weeks and supplied life jackets vessel in the Trinity Inlet, of training involving they knew how to use which included pulling everything from deploying properly, how to operate up to the dock safely, a life raft to tying up a fire fighting equipment securing the vessel the vessel, all our participants properly and effectively, correct way so that if, were then presented with where to assemble in case for example, two vessels Certificates over at the of a fire on board the are docked on the same Yarrabah Community at a vessel, and how to shut-off mooring, each vessel can graduation ceremony in fuel supply to the vessel get off without their ropes front of family and friends, etc. getting tangled. followed by a kup murrie, We also learned how to There was also a lot of which was enjoyed by all. deploy an eight-man life paper work we had to do to Earlier this year Djunbunji raft and did our safety complete with our training. hosted a camp for the Palm courses at the Yarrabah A big thank you to our Island crew who sailed from Swimming Pool where teachers, Captain Kippa there to Yarrabah as part of everyone involved enjoyed Zechariah, Allan and Chris their training. being in the water, even for his words of wisdom. Through the course we when the boys had to It is only a matter of learned aspects of boat fight their way out of the time before our mob will safety where crew members raft with the cockroaches be operating their own were assigned to specific running over their feet! passenger and commercial tasks such as making sure All of us got to have a vessels, now we have these the passengers were safe drive of the Tribal Warrior tickets.

6 PICTURED: Above: the Palm Island crew staying at Djunbunji; Right: Cert I Deckhand graduates with TAFE Digital Maritime Head Teacher Chris Heeks and Tribal Warrior crew; Below: Tribal Warrior CEO Shane Phillips (left) and Captain Kippa Zechariah (right) with David Mundraby with family and; previous page: all the crew and family members celebrate their graduation.

7 ABOVE: More than 40 tourism guides from the Wet Tropics to the Gulf were invited to our East Trinity Inlet campsite in March this year, for a hands-on workshop – including an overnight camp – aimed at showcasing the best of Djunbunji’s cultural tourism products. The two-day event included a tour of the inlet and Mayi Bugan trail and a spectacular feed cooked by Utah Mundraby in what was a very successful sharing and cross-promotion exercise. The event was supported by other Ranger groups, including Girringun.

RIGHT: Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) educators from the CSIRO were welcome visitors to Djunbunji in August this year, keen to have a look at some aspects of how western science might tie into traditional knowledge – in this instance, in the area of how to go about a traditional burn. “We also talked about plants being indicators for letting us know when certain food is available and various other aspects of cultural knowledge,” Ranger Laurissa Mundraby said. 8 QPWS takes cultural awareness on board Parks and Wildlife (QPWS) staff enjoyed two days of cultural awareness training at the East Trinity Campsite in June this year. Ranger Laurissa Mundraby said about 12 people participated in the course, which took them through the importance of being aware of the many and varied practices of different groups. “It was good for them to groups have different laws “I think the message they come out because they in different places. should have gotten was it were able to get a better “So whatever they’re always best to engage with understanding of the doing and wherever they’re Traditional Owners of the importance of how country going, they need to be area they are working with, is managed and what to aware that things might be just to make sure they are do when they come across done differently. getting it right.” areas that may have cultural significance,” she said. “There are different protocols in different areas and one of the things we were able to explain to them was how different

9 Rangers take on rubbish for survey More than 160 kilograms is the combined total weight of waste collected from the baseline surveys carried out at East Trinity and Bessie Point, as part of MY Rangers’ participation in Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council’s Social Reinvestment Project over 2018. Gunggandji-Mandingalbay at the same 100 metre This data also linked in with Yidinji Peoples Prescribed transect located at East the transect data collected Body Corporate Aboriginal Trinity and Bessie Point. by the Gunggandji Rangers Corporation (GMYPPBC) The purpose of the to provide a snapshot of and Tangaroa Blue took surveys was to determine the data collected across lead roles in the project, whether there has been an the Yarrabah Peninsula. which was initiated by the improvement and reduction We have found there Yarrabah Leaders’ Forum, in the waste to create positive change collected around waste management since the in the Yarrabah community introduction and surrounding areas. of the plastic It was funded by DATSIP bag ban in in December 2017 and has July 2018 and been extended into 2019. the Container For the past year the Deposit MY Rangers have been Scheme in undertaking baseline data November surveys every three months 2018. 10 is a big improvement at Bessie Point with the waste reducing over time and the residents at Bessie Point are actively keeping their beach and recreational area tidy. East Trinity results have been mixed as the rain and tidal flow impact on the amount of waste pushed into the mangroves, which comes mostly from Cairns. Rangers have retrieved lots of balls, glass bottles, cans and single high heel shoes at the base of the bund wall compared with recreational rubbish at Bessie Point. 11 NAIDOC networking promotes project There were 302 butts about it – and Ranger Laurissa Mundraby knows, because she had to count them – the day the MY rangers went to NAIDOC at the Gindaja Treatment and Healing Centre in Yarrabah in July. The butt of the joke was actually about guessing how many cigarette butts there were inside a jar – a surprising number, given it was only a 500 gram coffee jar, and an indication of just how many more there are out there in our waterways, beaches, roads and bushland. “I’ve picked up a lot of rubbish myself, so I wasn’t as surprised at the number but I don’t think people really understand the impact these little things can have,” ,” Laurissa said. “The main thing is the impact it has on our marine life - our fish, our turtles, and then on our Blue, who have helped us back to my community and community. several times in the past I see this as an opportunity “They never break down, with clean-ups,” she said. to do that. they’re actually plastic, and She said the project, “One of the things I kept they’re easily washed out which included four saying to the kids was, to sea where they float and clean-ups over the year in ‘whose community is can be poisonous if they’re Yarrabah and surrounds, this?’ and they’d say, ‘my eaten.” reflected her own passion community!’ The competition and for working with kids and “I’d say, ‘exactly, so it’s information table on change. your responsibility to look the day was about “I’m passionate about it, I after it’. promoting Yarrabah’s Social love working with kids, I love “It’s our responsibility to Reinvestment Project (SRP) mentoring them,” she said. look after our Country, not to the Yarrabah community. “I think we need to lead anybody else’s, it doesn’t “The SRP is a partnership by example when it comes matter who threw that project between the to showing that leadership, rubbish there, pick it up. rangers and the Yarrabah not just as an Aboriginal “It begins at grass level Council and several other woman but a mother, as a and we have to lead by groups with an interest female and as a member of example.” in marine habitats and my community. Pictured above is Laurissa pollution, such as Tangeroa “I’ve always wanted to give (right) with Helen Tait. 12 With the support of the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and valued sponsors, the Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation hosted the 2018 Regional Indigenous Protected Areas & Economic Development Conference: Thinking Beyond Borders in June this year.

The MYAC and Djunbunji thinking beyond borders, meaningful economic and Ltd team sourced an what is possible through social impact from thinking array of speakers and 180 building relationships and beyond borders, and registered participants to agreement making, and the investing in land, people share their experiences unification of people, land and culture through the and deliver key messages and culture. development of Indigenous- to encourage, inspire and We appreciate native owned businesses and assist traditional owners title is a core issue that provide a path to fulfilling and PBCs with achieving demands attention, and it their ambitions. their ambitions for land, is important to recognise A packed program over people and culture. our past in going forward, the two-day event saw The premise behind but in going forward we university professors the conference was that also need to recognise our speaking directly to tourism for too long the focus future and the potential we bodies who were speaking has been about how to can be draw from the now. directly to Traditional operate within the confined The focus of this Owners who were speaking space of determined Conference was to provide directly to architects native title rights and emerging businesses with a and planners and so on interests, rather than platform to share and create throughout the event. 13 14 PICTURED Above: Conference goers on Day 2; Far left MY Rangers taking it all in. Speakers: Far left below: Adjunct Professor of Economics Dr Natalie Stoeckl; Ross McLeod, Cape York Peninsula Tenure Resolution Program, Department of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Partnership; Joann Schmider Mamu Traditional Owner, Researcher & Advocate; From top left: Ethos Urban Planning Principal Josh Walker and Architect Phillip Follent; David Morgans, Director, Destination & Experience Development, Global Marketing, Tourism & Events Qld; Anthony Beven Partner Grant Thornton Australia; From top right: Paul Kalmar NAIF; Dr Paul Chantrill, Principal Project Officer Tourism & Presentation, Wet Tropic Management Authority; From top far right: Elverina Johnson, Owner/Manager/CEO at Dirringhi ARTS & Culture; Jeff Schrale, ANZ Regional Executive Far and Callum Howell, Divisional Manager, Indigenous Land Corporation. Pics by Christine Howes. 15 What they said when we asked what they thought...

Leslie Shirreffs, Chair of the Wet Tropics Management Authority (WTMA) “The conference has been absolutely visionary. I think it’s an excellent example of people coming together to share positive learnings and also practical learnings about how to deliver things. I was really impressed with the benefits of land management programs, it just tells me how important it is to do Indigenous ranger programmes and have Indigenous Protected I think the networking is something Areas, and the economic, social and cultural that’s really important for us and the benefits that arise from that. But also, absolutely need to engage early and also to delighted at the genius of the MY Tourism involve rainforest Aboriginal people Venture proposal, and I have every confidence in the decisions about the Wet that one day it’ll be an international attraction. Tropics World Heritage area.”

Professor Stewart Lockey, director of the Cairns Institute at JCU “For me the conference has been inspiring. I’m always coming across really interesting and exciting things that people are doing in the community and to see what people are trying to do to get some economic and some social value out of their interest in Indigenous-protected areas that are not of title is really fantastic.”

Rachel Buisserech, a Fulbright Postgraduate Scholar who’s working at CSIRO until 2019 Coming to this conference has been really interesting to hear the perspective of Queensland and how to get Traditional Owners engaged in doing things on country economically and through tourism. My family is from the Caribbean, we work a lot in the tourism space and have a lot of difficulty getting some of our more cultural community aspects at the forefront. It’s a lot about hotels and the reef and things like that, but not had Henrietta talk this morning, really about our culture. It’s really interesting who gave a very critical and hearing people talk about how to get insightful response to some of the Indigenous culture at the forefront of tourism in talks yesterday. I also found there Queensland. are people here who I’ve worked Tethie Lyons, a research scientist at CSIRO with before and I’d like to explore I’ve been really impressed by the diversity of potential science opportunities with the talks. We’ve had government, we’ve had them. So this was a really useful and local Indigenous elders also speak. We’ve impressive gathering of people. 16 What they said when we asked what they thought...

Vanessa Drysdale, from Terrain NRM “It’s been fantastic! I’ve been inspired. I’ve been listening to stories from owners who are setting up their own businesses, and I’ve been really inspired by their stories. I think this conference is interesting because they’ve had the idea that they wanted to hold this conference, and it came from them. So, it wasn’t anybody else telling them what they should do, or how they should do it, or even the value of doing the conference at all. They came up with the idea economic development. I think themselves. They said, ‘this is what we think is that Terrain has a role that I can valuable’, and then they went out and sought play in assisting, and mentoring, help from other people, so I think it’s a really and helping make connections for interesting conference in that regard. We people that are interested in running need to do more to support groups with their their own businesses.”

David Mundraby from Yarrabah “At this meeting here, what’s really got me was what amount of knowledge that is brought here today. And where we are all sharing our ideas and where do we go from here to there. We have knowledge because we all come from different parts of country. It’s just about getting good ideas of things that we can do in our own country.” Jeanine Gertz, PhD student at James Cook University (JCU) “I think the main thing I got out of the conference was really about lifting Aboriginal people’s thinking around their aspirations, to really think big about opportunities in tourism and economic development.” Theresa Petray, JCU “The thing that I got most out of yesterday was just how much really exciting stuff is happening and is starting to happen with different Aboriginal nations and how inspiring that is to think about what else could be happening. Paul Kalmar from Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) “The programme has been very informative. The organisers have brought together key government, project consulting, funding, and academic resources available to Indigenous communities in considering how to go about the economic development all over the country.” 17 What they said when we asked what they thought... Andre Grant from the Centre for Appropriate Technology (CAT) “I think the biggest thing I take away from this conference is the inspiration to see so much more happening, starting to happen with Indigenous tourism, and also to see that Indigenous protectories and land management programmes can also spur some other opportunities. That’s the main thing, as well as the social and the economic advantages that it gives to communities and individual Aboriginal Callum Howell from the people, but also that things like tourism and Indigenous Land Corporation other business add-ons are possible from “The conference has been really the basis of land management. That’s pretty valuable for me, getting to talk to exciting.” people who are managing country and have aspirations for tourism on their country. It’s been eye-opening to see what’s going on, and the extent that the accumulated research done on the value of indigenous land and sea programs has been really valuable.”

18 PICTURED Left above: Raffle winners Barry Hunter (Aboriginal Carbon Fund) and arrabahY Cr Nadine Cannon with raffle holder Leah Cameron from Marrawah Law; Above right: Yarrabah Councillors Colin Cedric Nadine Cannon & Ian Patterson at the Networking Event & Below: Helen Tait & Dale & Dewayne Mundraby launching the new MYAC website at the conference.

AND FINALLY we were The conference finished with thrilled to see one of a spectacular networking our presenters, Elverina event – with a bigger than life- Johnson, inspire the next sized projection of the MYAC presenter, Jeff Schrale, logo on the side of a building from the ANZ Bank, to the – on the pool deck of the point where he ditched his Pullman Hotel. own presentation and re- Feedback overall was very presented her powerpoint positive, as you can see from display on collaboration the testimonials above, and and culture within his own there was support for the context of Indigenous conference to be held annually Business Support. or biannually. There was also a raffle, Many thanks to our furnished and run by Marrawah conference sponsors: Law and a ‘soft’ launch of the PMC & Indigenous new Mandingalbay Yidinji Protected Areas Program; Aboriginal Corporation Queensland Government; website (pictured p 18). James Cook University The conference bag - still much & Cairns Institute; Wet admired - was designed by Tropics Management Yarrabah artist Eric Orcher and is Authority; Tropical Tourism being sported by Terrain NRM’s North Queensland; and Vanessa Drysdale (pictured right). Terrain NRM. 19 United land use idea key to Master Plan vision A united land use vision for Gurabana, Guragulu and Mandingalbay Yidinji peoples is the idea behind the development of a Gunggandji- Mandingalbay Yidinji Peoples Prescribed Body Corporate Aboriginal Corporation (GMYPPBC) Master Plan (see page 20). The Master Plan Project support their aspirations for via a planning scheme includes a feasibility their people, country and amendment process assessment and review of culture, and the ongoing are one of the intended the Yarrabah Shire Planning development of Yarrabah outcomes of developing Scheme. to create a sustainable this project, to ensure The aim is to identify and prosperous living outcomes sought by land within the GMYPPBC environment. GMYPPBC are embedded Trustee Area which The first steps are the into the planning scheme might be included in establishment of a planning and have legislative status. a zone or zones other framework for development The Master Plan is currently than conservation and and use (a ‘Master on track to be finalised and environmental protection. Plan’) and continued amendments to Yarrabah It is also hoped the plan management of the lands Planning Scheme will be will identify where the in the Southern Trustee submitted to Yarrabah range of uses and activities Area in terms of economic, Aboriginal Shire Council by permitted under the current social and environmental June 2019. zoning might be expanded. outcomes. Consultation notices will The Master Plan Project Proposed amendments to be circulated ahead of enables GMY People to the Yarrabah Shire Planning scheduled meetings. identify development and Scheme for Council and The Consultation team will be economic opportunities to DATSIP to incorporate back in community in 2019. What has been achieved in 2018? • Consultations with Gurabana, Guragulu and Mandingalbay Yidinji Peoples, including make-up meetings following sorry business. • Developed a Consultation Summary Report based on the feedback received at the consultation meetings, including turning consultation plans into digital illustrations. • Flooding, Coastal, Ecology and Economic experts have been engaged and reviewing technical information to determine opportunities and constraints on Country. • Meetings with Wet Tropics Management Authority and Council • Developed a draft vision based on feedback from consultations. The draft vision will be reviewed in further detail and refined at consultations in 2019. • Developed an outline and some information on the Master Plan including what and where might be developed on country.

20 GMYPPBC Project update 1

GMYPPBC Lands Master Plan Consultation • No one is “worse-off” because of the project. • Helping people to return to and live on Country The GMY Master Plan team was recently in-community permanently or semi-permanently is important. Need to talking to Gurabana, Guragulu and Mandingalbay Yidinji allow for ‘bush living’ and adaptable housing options people about their views on planning for Country. During different to those in Yarrabah. the 3-day program, the team spoke to approximately 80 • Opportunities for a range of businesses relating to people about: culture and the environment are supported, as long as the activities are respectful to the mob and Country. • what the master plan is for; • If tourism occurs on the land, it will be important to • what the important values of Country are and how educate visitors about Country and culture. these can be protected; • How the land is used at different seasons is respected • issues and opportunities for the master plan; and and protected. • Investment is made into environmental management • aspirations for the future of Country. programs for land and sea.

• Planning for future sea level rise is important. No new Meetings were also held with Council and the Wet Tropics development is to be built in areas at risk. Management Authority to tell them about the project. • Any new development should be environmentally sustainable, self-sufficient and respectful of Country. The views of everyone were recorded and provided to the GMY Board in a Consultation Summary Report. The report What’s next? documents all feedback and has converted information The project team is coming back on Tuesday, 20 drawn onto maps during the consultation sessions into November 2018. digital illustrations. Copies of the report will be on display at We want your input on how the team has interpreted the our next consultation session. information you provided in consultation. Have we got it right? What is missing? How can we improve on what’s What you’ve told us… been prepared?

Important messages from the consultation were: This consultation session is about presenting back to the mob what’s been done and listening to your feedback. Your • Cultural heritage areas must be protected. say is a valuable part of setting the future direction for the • Country is respected and most areas are not to be GMYPPBC lands and everyone is welcome to attend. developed. • Only low impact, small scale development that doesn’t change how the land looks and is used (culturally).

Our Timeline:

WE ARE HERE

GMYPPBC Mandingalbay Yidinji Peoples Master Plan Project Consultation: 25 July 2018

21 Signs of the times launched in 3 locations on Country Three spectacularly presented signs were officially unveiled at a celebration at Jilgi, Ganyiira and Buddabadoo earlier this month. The Gunggandji- People, local community signs were symbolic. Mandingalbay Yidinji members and stakeholders. “They are a sign of what Peoples Prescribed Body Dignitaries included the the GMY People have Corporate Aboriginal local MP Curtis Pitt, WTMA achieved over the years Corporation (GMYPPBC) Chair Leslie Shirreffs and and through their Native was funded by Wet Tropics Yarrabah Mayor Ross Title determination,” she Management Authority Andrews. said. “And they are also a (WTMA) to develop the Mr Pitt said he was sign of what is to come for signs for the GMYPPBC honoured to share a few the organisation and future Trustee Area south of words and described it generations of the GMY Yarrabah. as an ‘important day for People.” They were developed the Southern Prescribed She said the GMYPPBC by the GMYPPBC Board Body Corporate Board at Board of Directors also of Directors and include Yarrabah’. wanted to recognise and beautiful artwork by “This group has shown thank: volunteer artists Maynard tremendous leadership and • Artists Maynard Bulmer Bulmer and Connie vision since their Native and Connie Richards Richards depicting the Title Determination in for their time and stories for the local area. 2012 to ensure continuity contribution to the The signs have been of culture, retention of GMYPPBC Signage installed in each of the language and vision for Project; and, three locations and were the future, including eco- • WTMA for their funding revealed at an Official tourism opportunities,” he commitment and Reveal Ceremony attended said. partnering with the by the Mandingalbay GMYPPBC Executive GMYPPBC to develop Yidinji People, Gunggandji Officer Helen Tait said the these important signs.

22 PICTURED: Above: community invite; Top Left: Buddabadoo; Left: Jilgi; Below left: Leslie Shirreffs from WTMA, Dewayne Mundraby & local MP Curtis Pitt; and Below: details on the Jilgi sign.

23 Deadly diners enjoy a spectacular night at high end event Deadly Dinners are at the high end of Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporations tourism product and this year’s was held on what CEO Dale Mundraby described as a “spectacular” evening. More than 30 diners and by David Mundraby. excited already to see how guests paid up to $300 CEO Dale Mundraby said we can grow these events a head for the experience they had developed the into the New Year. and were well-rewarded as presentation of the ‘Deadly “The Deadly Dinners are they were floated across Dinners’ into a fine art. a fantastic way for us to the inlet to our MY bush “This event is getting showcase the work we do ‘supermarket’ and pharmacy bigger and bigger every in an entirely different way. for a short introductory tour. time we hold it” he said. “I’d particularly like to Before sitting down to “This year’s was thank our multi-skilled enjoy a formal dinner, spectacular, a brilliant and multi-talented staff expertly prepared by Ochre sunset kicked us off into an (pictured below) for the restaurant chefs using evening of cultural dance, work they have put in to seasonal bush produce story telling, a uniquely these great events. under the guidance of our designed menu and a “They and the Dinners rangers, they were then return trip for our guests represent one of our treated to a cultural yarn across the inlet. biggest and best successes, and performance by our “We’ve got it down to a and we couldn’t have done team of deadly dancers led finer and finer art, we’re it without them.”

24 25 Future generations’ choice in hand in Yarrabah Yarrabah High School enjoyed another successful Careers Day this year, showcasing options from the Army, Air force, Police, Ambulance, Djunbunji Yidinji Rangers, Gunggandji Rangers, Bumma Biperra Media and various other agencies. Our future generations will have a great choice in years to come. There was a lot of interest around the Mandingalbay Yidinji 3D map, with lots of questions about how we started the project, how we made the landscape and who was involved. The kids were genuinely interested and were asking a lot of questions to both the Rangers groups and other career advertisers. Even the Yarrabah Mayor came along to show his support for the event. I want to say thank you to the Yarrabah High School for an eventful day and keeping up their good work. William Mundraby 26 School visits = opportunity Any and every chance to visit schools is snapped up by our rangers who love to show kids what they’re all about. Year 3 students at St Andrew’s in Redlynch (pictured above and right) were thrilled – and still are – to have their very own bulmba bayan built in their school yard. Rangers David, William and Victor kept spirits high as they explained how the shelter was made and what was needed to make it just right. “We donated the bark hut and they actually helped us put it together,” Ranger Victor said. “It was a lot of fun.” Pictured top is Doomadgee State School students and right are Clontarf Academy kids at Djunbunji. 27 Mangrove watchers capture important data for future One of the MY Rangers many collaborative projects over the year is what’s known as a ‘Mangrove Watch’, carried out in partnership with Cairns and Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC) and Dr Norm Duke. The project involves utilising a boat on a set tide and video recording a specific mangrove habitat twice yearly. CEO Dale Mundraby said the data captured See our website for more: was invaluable. http://www.djunbunji.com.au and “Over the years we’ll be able to go back http://www.mandingalbay.com.au through the data and find out what mangroves Email [email protected] are growing, where, how fast or if not, and Address 1928 Yarrabah Rd, Bessie Point look at reasons for that,” he said. Postal PO Box 329, Gordonvale, Q 4865 Phone 4056 8283 “LIKE” us on Facebook! Search for Djunbunji Fax 4056 8284 Land & Sea Program and the Mandingalbay The MY Ranger Program is funded by the Australian Federal Government. Yidinji Ancient Indigenous Tours now!!! You can SUBSCRIBE or CONTRIBUTE to Wait-a-While by contacting us! This edition of ‘Wait-a-While’ was written, edited and designed by Christine Howes © 2018