Towards a Indigenous Protected Area

An information booklet supporting ’s aspirations for an IPA for their islands. TOWARDS A TIWI ISLANDS INDIGENOUS PROTECTED AREA Email: [email protected] Phone: 0889448416 Resources, TiwiLandCouncil Kate Hadden,ManagerLandand Contact the proposedIPA System. andassessesitspotentialcontributiontotheNationalReserve development ofanIPA. Additionally, itdocumentstheexceptional naturalandculturalvalues of Territoryover theTiwiIslandsandsetsoutacaseforNorthern forthe andNationalsupport This bookletconfirmsTiwi Traditional Owners’ambitionsforanIndigenousProtected Area – “ the generations to come. to andourculture lookafter our country for all things today. ATiwiIPA willhelpusto continue knowledge ofthe pastwithnew ways ofdoing culture strong, weneed to bring together our healthy,country ourpeople healthyandour care foritnowandinto thefuture. To keep our Tiwi landmanagers need to understand and traditions inthe past,the new generations of and cared for our landwhenweuseditforthe Just as Tiwi traditional owners understood Just asTiwitraditional owners understood

Tiwi LandCouncilChairman Gibson Farmer Illortaminni

” May 2018 © TiwiLandCouncil Fund fortheproduction ofthispublication. Ranger GrantsLandManagement andConservation provided Territory by theNorthern Aboriginal The TiwiLandCouncilisgratefulforthesupport Schembri andChrisField. Cover Imagecredits: Peter Eve, Brendan Design andLayout: First ClassinDesign AN INFORMATION BOOKLET SUPPORTING TIWI PEOPLE’S ASPIRATIONS FOR AN IPA FOR THEIR ISLANDS 1 17 18 19 21 15 15 15 16 16 17 20 20 19 19 19 15

ory Species

eatened Plants of the Tiwi Islands of the Tiwi Islands eatened Fauna

est ants eral water buffalo and pigs eral cats

recorded from the Tiwi Islands and the Tiwi Islands and from recorded waters their surrounding Thr F P F Thr EPBC Act Listed Migrat oduced animals eeds Impacts of Climate Change Quarantine Species Lists Tiwi Threatened Fire Fire Intr W Key References Key Management Priorities for the Tiwi Islands Acknowledgments Appendix 8 8 8 8 9 9 4 5 6 3 4 8 14 14 11 11 11 12 13 10 10 13 ersity

Conservation Scientific Priorities for Biodiv ertebrates vernance ds A Governance A Management raining for the Future Mammals IP Marine Rangers T Sea turtles Bir Plants Inv a Tiwi IPA Steps to Animals IP Statement of Significance Land Rangers The Islands Land Ownership Go Looking After Tiwi Country An Indigenous Protected Area for An Indigenous Protected Area for the Tiwi Islands Ecology of the Tiwi Islands Ecology Summary Table of Contents Table About the Tiwi Islands The Tiwi Islands

Pirripatiriyi (Seagull Island) Point Imalu Jahleel (Cape Van Diemen) Purrapinarli (Karslake Island) MELVILLE ISLAND

Nodlaw Island Radford Point Deception Purrampunarli Timor Point (Karlslake Peninsula) Sea Bay Port Melville Milikapiti Harris Island Snake Bay Apsley Strait Pajuwapura Tamparraimi (Rocky Point) (Soldier Point)

Yipinuwurra Yapilika Napier Bay (Clift Island) Cape Wurankuwu Keith Taracumbi Falls Kanunga Point Cape Port Hurd Ranku Waterhole Helvetius

Paru Tiwi Conder Jikilarruwu College Pickataramoor Point (Cape Shoal Fourcroy) Bay

BATHURST ISLAND Location of the Tiwi Islands

Yirripurlingayi TIWI (Buchanan Island) ISLANDS Yuwurlipi DARWIN Irrititu Island (Cape Gambier) Clarence Strait

WA NORTHERN QLD 0 5 10 20km Potinga TERRITORY () AN INFORMATION BOOKLET SUPPORTING TIWI PEOPLE’S ASPIRATIONS FOR AN IPA FOR THEIR ISLANDS 3

, along with an unusually high density and with an unusually high density and along forests, the significantly reflecting extent of rainforests, The coast on mainland NT. higher rainfall than supports important nesting sites for marine turtles, and rookeries seabird internationally significant and shorebirds, of migratory major aggregations seas. is a rich marine biota in the surrounding there of the Tiwi The natural and cultural resources Tiwi managed by been carefully Islands have Tiwi Traditional people for thousands of years. of the overwhelming well aware Owners are significance of their country for national cultural conservation but have heritage and biodiversity of the declaration considered not previously necessary reserves for national parks or nature country. their sustainable management of their the Owners now recognise Traditional program importance of the IPA and value an that directed and consequently have application be submitted as the momentous dedication and the planning, towards first step for the Tiwi Islands. management of an IPA

The Tiwi Islands are a biodiversity haven, haven, a biodiversity The Tiwi Islands are supporting of plant and a very high diversity animal species including many not recorded includes else in the world. This diversity anywhere fauna plant and 30 threatened 19 threatened small mammal species, and healthy populations of dramatic recent undergone species that have contain declines on the mainland. The Tiwi Islands eucalypt best-developed the ’s The Tiwi Islands, located northThe Tiwi Islands, located of Darwin include ’s in the Northern Territory, islands – Melville and second and fifth largest than a thousand more Bathurst. The islands have of an area of coastline and cover kilometres There kilometres. 8,000 square approximately of occupation history has been an unbroken many and ownership of the Tiwi Islands for who Tiwi people, by thousands of years and language. possess a distinct culture Summary 4 TOWARDS A TIWI ISLANDS INDIGENOUS PROTECTED AREA ranges inwidthfrom 600metres to 6kilometres. which isapproximately 70kilometres long,and Melville Islandsare separatedby theApsley Strait, fifth largest islandin Australia. Bathurst and mainland afterTasmania. BathurstIslandisthe is thesecondlargest islandofftheAustralian in thegroup and,at5,788square kilometres, mainland coast.MelvilleIslandisthelargest island Island), islessthanfive kilometres from the NT coastline however, Kulangana (SouthWest Vernon Most ofthesmallerislandsliecloseto theTiwi Vernon Islandsare knowncollectively asPotinga. Vernon), Kulangana (SouthWest Vernon). The Muma (EastVernon), Warabatj West (North Yipinuwurra (Clift),Turiturina, Matingalia,Nodlaw, (Buchanan), Harris,Seagull,Purrapinarli(Karslake), smaller uninhabitedislandsincludingYirripurlingayi Ratuwati Yinjara(twoislands),andnumerous including MelvilleandBathurst,originallycalled and consistsoftwolarge inhabitedislands Territory oftheNorthern The islandgroup ispart approximately 8,000square kilometres ofland. more thanathousand kilometres ofcoastlineand approximately have ofDarwin, 80kilometres north longitudes 130˚and131˚40’East.They are Sea betweenlatitudes11˚and12˚South The TiwiIslandsare locatedintheArafura The Islands About theTiwiIslands for thegenerationsofchildren whofollowed.’ Finally, thelandwasprepared forherchildren and and filledthelandseawithlivingcreatures. she left,Mudangkalacovered theislandswithplants filledwiththeflowofwater.moulded earth Before continued herjourney overland andonceagainthe became oneandformedachannel.Theoldwoman the imprintsmadeby herbody. Eventually thepools featureless landscape,seawater followedandfilled arms. Asshecrawledinthedarknessacross the arose from the ground three carrying babiesinher ‘.... andthenMudangkala,theoldblindwoman Island and north-western MelvilleIsland. Island andnorth-western Island, to Bathurst above 2000mminnorthern from 1200mmto 1400mmoneasternMelville November andApril.Meanannualaverages range Territory, witharound 90percent fallingbetween the TiwiIslandshighestrainfallinNorthern to 33˚Cinthewetseason.The seasonbrings from around 19to seasonto 30˚Cinthedry 25 season.Averagea hotdry temperatures range characterised by ahotandhumidwetseason The TiwiIslandshave monsoonalclimate, adry elevation isabout140metres above sealevel. metres, while onMelvilleIslandthemaximum on BathurstIslandreaches elevations of100 50 metres above sealevel. Thehighercountry withelevationsundulating country oflessthan Most oftheTiwiIslandsconsistsgently was only darkness and the earth wasflat. was onlydarknessandtheearth dreaming orPalaneri. Before thistimethere created atthebeginningoftimeduring According to Tiwiculture, theislandswere AN INFORMATION BOOKLET SUPPORTING TIWI PEOPLE’S ASPIRATIONS FOR AN IPA FOR THEIR ISLANDS 5 onaeamirri Matthew W considered the most important in a considered ceremony the spirit of the dead that it ensures life: person’s spirit the the living world into person goes from place months which takes world. The Pukumani, has been buried, allows Tiwi full after the deceased a forum for of their grief and provides expression song, dance, sculpture artistic through expression ceremony or yam, and body painting. The Kurlama, the end of Jamutakari, towards occurs each year of life the wet season. It is an annual celebration body and nights of ritual days three and involves with the paintings, singing and dancing complete a ritual custom. to according eating of yams Land Ownership said who can come always have ‘We our country and who must go.’ to – occupation of history has been an unbroken There Tiwi and ownership of the Tiwi Islands by colonisation of mainland people. European in displacement of Tiwi did not result Australian never their traditional lands. Tiwi have from proved any of their land and have surrendered that outsiders who want to history through the their islands can only do so on Tiwi come to an important in terms. Land plays role networks, with each person and relationship and having a landowning group, belonging to particular spatially defined areas. connections to aspects of managing and are there Similarly, that are allocating land and natural resources ties. kinship and relationship inseparable from the inherited from While landowning rights are of important for the care the responsibility father, are line. There the mother’s sites comes through on the Tiwi Islands. eight Landowning Groups P

Tiwi people possess a distinct culture and Tiwi people possess a distinct culture sense famous for their strong language and are artistic and extraordinary capability of identity, the mainland and output. Their isolation from features of distinctive in the development resulted a in their artistic play Ceremonies expressions. very and the two important in Tiwi culture role Pukumani and are most significant ceremonies is The Pukumani, or burial, ceremony Kurlama. The Tiwi People have occupied their land for occupied their land have The Tiwi People the Tiwi Islands Age millennia. During the last Ice what is through the mainland connected to were Land in in western Arnhem Peninsula now Coburg rises between Rapid sea level the Northern Territory. ago separated these islands 12,000 years 8,000 to as described in the mainland and each other, from left the Tiwithe Tiwi legend of Mudangkala. This over in isolation a distinct culture develop people to on 2500 people live Around thousands of years. than 90 per cent of whomthe Tiwi islands, more long considered identify as Tiwi. Tiwi people have the inhabitants from be different to themselves asof the mainland and consider themselves in the translation of ‘Tiwi’uniquely Tiwi, reflected successfully have They as ‘we, the only people’. the through governance for a system of strived true regional Tiwi that provides all aspects of their lives. authority over – 1998 (Historian) Forrest eter ‘The Tiwi are today arguably Australia’s most Australia’s arguably today ‘The Tiwi are retain they Certainly, intact Aboriginal group. toward attitude possessive their fiercely a have and they their land and their culture, maintain controls determination to resolute of Tiwi integrity.’ those essentials over The Tiwi People 6 TOWARDS A TIWI ISLANDS INDIGENOUS PROTECTED AREA Land Councilwasinitiallybased on12clanor Membership oftheTiwiLand Trust andtheTiwi and capacityto direct andadministertheTrust. The TiwiLandCouncilistheonlybodywithauthority Territory)Aboriginal LandRights(Northern Act 1976. Aboriginal LandTrust wasestablished underthe to theestablishmentofLand Council,theTiwi geographic andculturalidentity. However, prior Federal Government forrecognition oftheirdistinct 1978, followingrepresentation by Tiwipeopleto the The TiwiLandCouncilwasestablishedinAugust Tiwi traditions,goingbackmore than40,000years’ ‘The TiwiLandCouncilisprimarilyanexpression of Governance Jikilaruwu BATHURST ISLAND LAND OWNINGGROUPS The TiwiIslands|LAND Malawu Wurankuwu Mantiyupwi Munupi Marrikawuyanga Wulirankuwu (VERNON ISLANDS) (VERNON all decisionsare madethrough consensus. one memberforevery 70Tiwiresidents and truly representative bodywithanaverage of about theislands.TheTiwiLandCouncilisa is responsible formakingstrategicdecisions full TiwiLandCouncilmeetssixtimesayear and providing strategicadviceto thefullcouncil.The responsible foroperationalmatters,aswell more than20timesayear andisprimarily and theDeputyChairman.TheCommitteemeets currently has10members,includingtheChairman Act. TheExecutive ManagementCommittee Committee undertheCommonwealthLandRights approved theappointmentofTiwiManagement to eight.In1995,theMinisterforAboriginalAffairs ‘country’ groups butover timehasbeenadjusted Mantiyupwi MELVILLE ISLAND Potinga Yimpinari AN INFORMATION BOOKLET SUPPORTING TIWI PEOPLE’S ASPIRATIONS FOR AN IPA FOR THEIR ISLANDS 7 e Award ty Award, Indigenous ty Award, Indigenous ty Award, ch and Development Development ch and orld Environment Day Award, Biodiversity Category Biodiversity Award, Day orld Environment ell Medal for Excellence in Natural ell Medal for Excellence T Indigenous Landcare Award T Indigenous Landcare Conservation Award Nature T Bushcare Award T Coastcare T Regional Quarantine Award eep Australia Beautiful NT Culture and Culture Beautiful NT eep Australia ustralian Quarantine and Inspection Serviceustralian Quarantine and Inspection Leadership Category (Fire management Leadership Category (Fire gas abatement) for greenhouse ants) Leadership Category (Invasive National Indigenous Landcar N McK N A Quarantine Commendation for Outstanding Service to N N Rural Industries Resear of the Year Rural Woman Corporation NT Finalist: Banksia Sustainabili K (Tiwi Seasons Calendar, Heritage Award Tiwi Plants and Animals Calendar) UN W Finalist: Banksia Sustainabili Management Resource

The has been recognised has been recognised The Tiwi Land Council in natural resource for excellence or being a finalist winning management by and national awards. in a number of local 2015 2008 2007 2007 2005 2004 2003 2002 the Future Vision for TLC Our vision is of an independent and resilient Tiwi and well managed society built on the orderly utilization of our natural and human resources our own management, upon reliance through of unique cultural maintenance and protection for the enjoyment values and natural resource generations of Tiwi. and benefit of future 2016 2015 2015 2005 Tiwi . The Tiwi Land Council also actively . The Tiwi Land Council also actively The Tiwi Land Council Executive Management Committee Management The Tiwi Land Council Executive The Tiwi Land Council represents all Tiwi people The Tiwi Land Council represents of our land, sea and environment, in the protection while at the same time supporting sustainable Tiwi lives improve to economic development income, education and employment, through health opportunities. is founded on Our reputation following our cultural and leadership strengths, in the footsteps of our visionary leaders. TLC Statement about the Present TLC Since 2000 the Environmental Management Since 2000 the Environmental Land Council has of the Tiwi Secretariat and overseeing developing been successfully contemporary on the land management plans the 2004 produced Tiwi Islands and in Management Islands Regional Natural Resource Strategy manages ongoing approvals and agreements and agreements manages ongoing approvals each of the eight Landowning groups from the Tiwi Islands, and manages across collaborations between other organisations management. in natural resource involved 8 TOWARDS A TIWI ISLANDS INDIGENOUS PROTECTED AREA ( nesting.Nestingisdominatedby Flatback turtle forsea coast ofMelvilleIslandare important very the westcoastofBathurst Islandandthenorth andthesandybeacheson links to seaturtles Tiwi peoplehave strong culturalandsubsistence Sea turtles dolphins andwhales. of marinemammalspeciesincludingdugongs, anumber The watersaround theislandssupport cats, pigs,waterbuffalos,horses,andcattle. Feral mammalsontheislandsincludeblackrats, close to local extinctionontheNT mainland. rat (Coniluruspenicillatus populations ofspeciessuchasBrush-tailedRabbit- threatened mammal species,includinghealthy TerritoryNorthern mainland.There are seven have undergone dramaticrecent declineonthe populations ofnative mammalspeciesthat Australian islands.Theislandshave substantial Islands, whichisexceptional compared to other There are 36native mammalspeciesontheTiwi Mammals more than100 animalspeciesforfood. documented sincethe1990s.TheTiwiharvest scientific knowledgeofTiwifaunahasonlybeen knowledge oftheanimalstheirlands,western Although Tiwipeoplehave longheldadeep Animals Islands Ecology oftheTiwi Natator depressus ) and Olive Ridley turtles ) andOlive Ridley turtles ) whichhave declined

work undertaken bywork undertaken theTiwiLandCouncil. will continueto management informfuture turtle Research hatchlingperformance. ratios andturtle temperatures andnestinundationonhatchlingsex scientists to investigate theeffects ofincreased with sea levels. TheTiwiLandCouncilispartnering threatened by rapidclimate warmingandrising are expectedtoSea turtles beparticularly inAustralia.the ecologyofOlive Ridley turtles a significantcontribution to knowledgeabout coastofMelvilleIsland,hasmade the north-west conducted atImaluBeachCapeVan Diemenon research, Thisimportant whichhasbeen turtles. a rangeoforganisations to study Olive Ridley with 2003 theTiwiLandCouncilhaspartnered to Traditional important is very Ownersandsince populations remain healthyinthelong-term turtle largest inAustralia Ensuring forOlive Ridley turtles. coastofMelvilleIslandare amongthe north-west rookeries atPirripatiriyi(SeagullIsland)andthe islands free from pressure. harvest TheTiwiIsland place closeto communities,leaving mostofthe collected onland.Traditional huntingmainlytakes speciesare the waterwhileeggsofallseaturtle in harvested areGreen themainturtles turtles speciesislistedasthreatened. marine turtle imbricate mydas ( particularly on the south-east of Melville Island. A onthesouth-eastofMelville Island. A particularly curlews andupto 40,000shorebirds ontidalflats, PigeonsandBushStone-Red Goshawks,Partridge relativelybecause they highdensitiesof support Bird Areaas anImportant by BirdLife International the TiwiIslands. The islandshave beenidentified A total of222speciesbird have beenrecorded on Birds ), but Green turtles ( Chelonia Lepidochelys olivacea), butGreen turtles ), and Hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys ), andHawksbillturtles ) alsonestonTiwibeaches.Eachofthese AN INFORMATION BOOKLET SUPPORTING TIWI PEOPLE’S ASPIRATIONS FOR AN IPA FOR THEIR ISLANDS 9 i). ward Attacus Territory Parks Parks Territory , and many of Amphidromus cognatus Amphidromus ), and Atlas Moth ( ), and Atlas Ogyris iphis doddi Philippines). Ten monsoon rainforests on the Tiwi on the Tiwi monsoon rainforests Philippines). Ten listed on the Register of the National Islands are Big Pig including: values, Estate for their natural Hanguana Jungle, Gully Jungle, IIinga Jungle, Jungle, Jump Up Creek Gully Jungle, Tarracumbie Spring Jungle, Jungles, Imanawudi Jungle, Third Jungle. East Tjipripu Spring Jungle and Mangkipp listed of nineteen Tiwi plant species are A total An additional 36 plant species as threatened. and 41 ‘Near Threatened’ been listed as have as ‘Data Deficient’ under the Conservation Act and Wildlife in qualify as threatened to likely the latter are of their conservation status. reviews future used traditionally plants are 200 native least At Tiwi people for food, in artby and as construction associated material. Most of these plants are and eucalypt open forests. with rainforest Invertebrates The Tiwi ant fauna has high national significance, else inwith many species occurring nowhere than 200 species of ants have the world. More and on the Tiwi islands to-date been recorded of especially high levels have Tiwi rainforests been recorded endemism. Six pest ant species have on the islands. The Tiwi ant fauna includes that do not genera and species-groups several species dragonfly mainland. Two occur on the NT and a skipper the Tiwi Islands to restricted are Other Bathurst Island. butterfly from is only known well known. not as are invertebrates, however invertebrate species on the Tiwi Islands Four in the Northern listed as threatened Territory are including two Land snails ( Butterfly Azure melvillensis), Dodd’s and Trochomorpha (

Eucalyptus miniata Eucalyptus Mirafra javanica melvillensis). javanica Mirafra Melanodryas cucullata melvillensis) Tyto novaehollandiae melvillensis), Tiwi novaehollandiae Tyto Scientists have recorded at least 1200 native plant at least 1200 native recorded Scientists have in been recorded plant species have taxa. Eleven the world only on the Tiwi Islands, and a further the Tiwi Islands only from known in the NT 17 are mostly in north the NT, (but also occur beyond Queensland, New Guinea, Indonesia and the (Woollybutt) and Wurringilaka Corymbia nesophila and Wurringilaka (Woollybutt) about 75 per (Melville Island Bloodwood) cover cent of the islands and include the best developed There in the Northerneucalypt forests Territory. patches number of monsoon rainforest a large are on the Tiwi Islands, supporting a unique diversity of species including many of the plants endemic the Tiwi Islands. The most common weeds on to Mission grass and Guinea grass. the islands are The vegetation of the Tiwi Islands includes open of the Tiwi Islands includes The vegetation and woodlands, Punkaringa eucalyptus monsoon rainforest, (paperbark) forest, plains, freshwater Acacia shrublands, treeless swamps, sedgelands, grasslands, , forests coastal dunes and saltmarsh. Tall Jukwartirringadominated by tetrodonta Eucalyptus Plants (Stringybark), Timirraringa record number of 12,000 Great Knots, more than one more Knots, number of 12,000 Great record been recorded population, have per cent of the global Lesser and Stints, Greater as well as Red-necked Pirripatiriyi and Bar-tailed Godwits. Sand Plovers, off the north-western Island), (Seagull tip of Melville supportsIsland, of about 60,000 colony a breeding known colony), the largest (Sterna bergii Tern Crested on the colonies of Little Terns in the world. Three of national significance. considered islands are species occur on the TiwiThirteen bird threatened subspecies Tiwi including the endemic Islands, Owl ( Masked Hooded Robin ( ( Bushlark Horsfield’s and 10 TOWARDS A TIWI ISLANDS INDIGENOUS PROTECTED AREA proportion of the Darwin Bioregion. oftheDarwin proportion Cobourg Bioregion, aswellasmall the entire Tiwi Subregion oftheTiwi The proposed TiwiIslandsIPA incorporates cent ofthetotal TiwiIslandsland mass. means thatanIPA willcover closeto 90per under anIPA where land tenure permits.This whole oftheTiwiIslandsshouldbeplaced Management Committeemeetingthatthe determined attheirApril11,2018Executive 800,000 hectares andTiwiLandowners The TiwiIslandscovers atotal area ofaround other leaseareas wouldbeexcluded from theIPA. Land UseAgreements, township leaseholdand Territory)Rights (Northern Act1976(ALRA),S.19 of allAustralians. Areas undertheAboriginalLand protecting thenation’s biodiversity forthebenefit System, oftheNationalReserve part important recognised by theAustralian Government asan owned ormanagedlandseacountry. They are dedicated by Indigenousgroups onIndigenous Indigenous Protected Areas are voluntarily , Tiwi LandRanger Mentor andSupervisor – about doingthingsinnewways.” our peoplehealthywe’ve gotto think keep healthyandto ourcountry keep “Things are changingontheTiwis.To the TiwiIslands Protected Area for An Indigenous

Willie in parallel with conservation management. in parallelwithconservation significant sustainableuseofnatural resources V wouldbeappliedforareas where Tiwienvisage protection will betheparamount land use. Category to areas where andcultural heritage conservation VIwouldbeapplied (IUCN) categories.Category International UnionforConservation ofNature A TiwiIPA wouldbededicated undertwo 1) steps wouldbecompletedwithin12months: would bepreceded by thefollowingsteps.These Programme, dedicationoftheTiwiIslandsIPA through theIndigenousProtectedsupport Area be successfulinsecuringAustralian Government Tiwi Landowners.ShouldtheCouncil the beginningofIPA development process for Management andConservationFund. Itmarks TerritoryNorthern AboriginalRangerGrantsLand booklet aftersuccessfullyapplyingforagrantfrom The TiwiLandCouncilproduced thisinformation Steps toaTiwiIPA 3) 2) Tiwi Cobourg Darwin (IBRA7) Bioregion Australian

T De Community-based par endorsement forthededication ofanIPA. finalise theIPA andsecure statutory boundary Natural Resource Management Strategy. updating theexistingTiwiIslandsRegional draft planofmanagement natural andculturalresource management. raditional AboriginalOwnerconsultations velopment anddistributionof anIPA Tiwi coastal Darwin Subregion ticipatory planning –integratingand Bioregion orSubregion) (%oftotalarea Tiwi IslandsIPA –for –to 100% 47% 5% 5% AN INFORMATION BOOKLET SUPPORTING TIWI PEOPLE’S ASPIRATIONS FOR AN IPA FOR THEIR ISLANDS 11 ; Territory Territory ; , and a total of , and a total e listed as e listed as threatened e listed as threatened Environment Protection and Protection Environment estricted to the Tiwi estricted to , and a total of 27 which , and a total estrial vertebrate taxa, with a largely estrial vertebrate taxa, with a largely Islands) plant taxa, with a further 17 plant species known in the Northern the Tiwi Islands; only from Territory unknown diversity of invertebrates;unknown diversity under the national Conservation Act Biodiversity under the listed as threatened 19 which are Conservation Act and Wildlife Parks Territory under the under the national threatened and Biodiversity Protection Environment Conservation Act under the listed as threatened are Conservation Act and Wildlife Parks 11 endemic (i.e. r at least 1200 plant taxa and 340 terr 6 plant taxa that ar 20 animal species that ar

• • • • the formation of sub-committees specialising the formation of sub-committees landowners. in matters of particular to interest Management Resource The Tiwi Islands Natural in July 2007 to Committee was established business management focus on natural resource Islands and Subcommittees include the Tiwi AdvisoryCommittee and the Tiwi Islands Water These Management Committee. and Weed Fire authorities functions and committees have the Aboriginal Land Rights through devolved Act 1976 and would provide (Northern Territory) and well-tested mechanism for an appropriate on the Tiwi Islands. the management of an IPA Statement of Significance importance of great for The Tiwi Islands are contain: conservation because they biodiversity The importance of natural resource management The importance of natural resource on the Tiwi Islands has been formally the Tiwi Land Council through acknowledged by IPA Governance IPA The Tiwi Land Council understands that IPA The Tiwi Land Council understands that IPA between both on agreement establishment rests with the Owners and an agreement Traditional this In progressing Government. Australian that IPA is aware the TLC for an IPA, initiative or status is non-binding, has no legal force and has no bearing on the operation and effect or Commonwealth laws. of NT enforcement Inclusion of surrounding marine areas beyond beyond marine areas Inclusion of surrounding the intertidal is envisaged as a second zone these Tiwi people regard stage of the IPA. waters as their traditional sea country and a combination manage them through hope to rights of rights and other arrangements. Their marine registered to exist in relation here un-determined native sites and as yet sacred means currently other title. Management by the rangers’ formal involvement occurs through and commercial in policing recreational surveillance. fishing, quarantine and border The land and intertidal sea country that would Indigenous Protected comprise a Tiwi Islands as inalienable Aboriginal held entirely are Area The Tiwi Land Council is a statutory freehold. Rights authority under the Aboriginal Land Act 1976 administering the (Northern Territory) Tiwi peoples’ interests. land and representing owners enjoy Tiwi traditional freehold’ As ‘ALRA their country and are rights over virtual sovereign see fit. implement management as they to free IPA Management Management IPA 12 TOWARDS A TIWI ISLANDS INDIGENOUS PROTECTED AREA 1

• • • • • • •

http://www grasslands and restricted to theTiwiIslands),mangroves, “treeless plains”(alowwoodland,almost wetlands, coastalduneformations, Eucalypt a br TerritoryNorthern mainland;and is distinctlydifferent to thatofthe v and otherinternationaltreaties; for specialprotection underbilateral Eucalypt (i.e. tallestandwithgreatest basalarea) extensiv types ofuniquefloristiccomposition; Territory,Northern andcomprisingrainforest in thelandscapethananywhere elseinthe constituting ahigherdensityofrainforests mor value to Tiwilandowners; impor many plantandanimalspecieswith 54 migrat some butterfly, dragonflyandsnailspecies; butknowntoof otherinvertebrates, include known antspecies,andanunknownnumber subspecies, about10percentofthe200 include 8bir many endemicanimalspecies–these ertebrate species compositionthat ertebrate oad mixofenvironments including e than1200rainforest patches, .territorystories.nt.gov.au/bitstream/handle/10070/213462/09_tiwi.pdf tant culturalandsubsistence openforest andwoodlands, forests in the Northern Territory; forests intheNorthern e areas ofthe bestdeveloped ory animalspecieslisted ory d subspecies,twomammal Melaleuca forests. because ofthevalues describedabove. with anInternationalSignificancerating, Scientific PrioritiesforBiodiversity Conservation: Specifically, itwouldaddress thefollowing Australia’s System(NRS). NationalReserve conform to theScientific Framework underpinning The proposed TiwiIslandsIPA wouldclosely Biodiversity Conservation Scientific Prioritiesfor Significance as aSiteofConservation Territoryby theNorthern Government The entire TiwiIslandshave beenrecognised reservation statusto near100percent. Establishment ofthisIPA wouldliftthe represented System. intheNationalReserve The TiwiIBRAsubregion iscurrently not the existingNationalReserveSystem Native habitatsunder-protected within management programs to mitigatethesethreats. of for NRSreservation andon-goingsupport IPA establishmentistheonlysuitableoption pests, weedsandtheimpactsofclimatechange. islands are increasingly atriskfrom introduced wildlife. However, theseexceptionally biodiverse enjoy near-sovereign rightsover thelandand Freehold where Traditional AboriginalOwners The Tiwisubregion isheldentirely asNT Aboriginal a real threat native to thatarea andwhere they are under little legalprotection forplantsandanimals Bioregions andsubregions where there isvery 1 , AN INFORMATION BOOKLET SUPPORTING TIWI PEOPLE’S ASPIRATIONS FOR AN IPA FOR THEIR ISLANDS 13 Looking After Tiwi Looking After Tiwi Country Marine Rangers which The Tiwi Marine Ranger Program, commenced in 2001, was the first Indigenous in the NorthernMarine Ranger Program Territory. Land Council, the Tiwi initiated by The program, Owners Traditional to in response was developed in sea country role active wanting a more concerns about were management. There vessels, and of foreign illegal fishing, the arrival management of the internationally significant nesting sites for sea turtles, rookeries seabird populations on the islands. The and shorebird was so successful that it became Tiwi program the model for other Indigenous Marine Ranger End of the NT. the Top across Programs Special species, groups or circumstances – for or circumstances groups Special species, example, veryhabitat requirements, special range, large species with an exceptionally to species, species vulnerable migratory process other threatening climate change or wetland and extent of coastal and The diversity in Tiwi Islands IPA, habitats within the proposed low levels combination with their good condition, other threats, from and protection of development, be relatively to likely means that these habitats are the impacts of climate change. With to resilient and remote of largely than 1,000 kilometres more will remain undisturbed coastline the Tiwi Islands in importance,important, increase as a or even for the 54 migratory species that use this refuge including marine turtlesarea, shorebirds. and Due to their size, isolation from the mainland, from isolation their size, Due to the Tiwi intact condition, and habitat diversity most one of NorthernIslands are Australia’s plants and animal important with native refugia, many of the threatening species insulated from mainland areas. affecting processes Places that offer refuge, centres of native of native centres refuge, Places that offer of national species richness, or areas importance such as wetlands The Tiwi Islands IPA would support a very high The Tiwi Islands IPA including species or threatened number of rare animal plant taxa, 27 threatened 19 threatened to species, 11 endemic plant taxa (restricted the Tiwi Islands), and a further 17 species only the Tiwi Islands. There from known in the NT endemic animal species including many are subspecies, two mammal subspecies, eight bird about 10 per cent of the known ant species, and dragonfly and snail species. some butterfly, Rare or threatened species and habitats or threatened Rare The Tiwi Islands also have particular have biodiversity The Tiwi Islands also of with being islands. A number associated values on the islands, developed endemic species have of the islands has allowed size and the large time. evolutionary persist over these taxa to insulated from the Tiwi Islands are Additionally, biodiversity to threats some of the most severe northern mainland across Australia, prevalent species such as cane toads most notably exotic a present and gamba grass. The Tiwi Islands near unique opportunity manage extensive to populations of maintain secure landscapes to declining elsewhere. many species that are 14 TOWARDS A TIWI ISLANDS INDIGENOUS PROTECTED AREA abatement, weedmanagement andpest developed areas, fire management for carbon and sacred siteassessments,rehabilitation of providing forecologicalresearch, support heritage environmental contractwork,biologicalsurveys, management andliaisonactivitiesincluding outarangeofland Tiwi LandRangerscarry management capacityacross theIslands. to country, andhelpsto address gapsinland 2006, drawsonthisknowledgeandconnection Land RangerProgram, whichwasestablishedin fosters culturalwellbeing.TheTiwiLandCouncil’s strengthens environmental sustainabilityand developed andharnessedknowledgethat Over thousandsofyears, Tiwipeoplehave Land Rangers inFisheriesCompliance. hold Certificates under theNT Fisheries Act,andcurrently NT Fisheriesto regulatory undertake activities groups.and advisory They have beentrainedby positions onTerritory andnationalcommittees accredited Coxswain qualificationsandhold Rangers have attainedinternationalstandard for future communityplanning.TheTiwiMarine of coastalregression, andresults are beingused number ofmonitoring siteshave provided arate and restore andrehabilitate damagedareas. A developed to investigate coastalprocesses of theregion. Arangeofprojects have been to protect thehighnaturalandculturalvalues marine managementissueswithallstakeholders issues. TheRangersprovide inputoncoastaland raising communityawareness aboutmarine Tern rookeries, visitor sitemanagementand nestingandCrestedmonitoring ofseaturtle patrols,surveillance marinedebrissurveys, Marine Rangeractivitiesincludecoastal experience withLandandMarineRangers. Training andEducation Board (TITEB), andwork Management through schoolsortheTiwiIslands andLand inConservation such asCertificates by foraccredited increasing training opportunities land andseamanagers.Thiswouldbeachieved enhance thetrainingandmentorship offuture Tiwi providedsupport by aTiwiIPA wouldsignificantly forworkexperience.The students oncountry visiting schools,givingpresentations, andby taking rangers act as role modelsforyoung Tiwi people by interacting withthebroader community, the role incommunity engagement. As wellasregularly Tiwi LandandMarineRangerscurrently play akey Rioli, Tiwi LandRanger Mentor andSupervisor – some ofthemwillendupbeingaranger like me!” they learnmore abouttheircountry. Hopefully future. We includeTiwistudentsinourworkso for ourkidssothey canhave choicesforthe It’s that weprovide important very opportunities Training fortheFuture role inongoing management of threatened species. monitoring targeted speciesandplay a significant indiscovering and outstanding expertise the islands.TiwiLandRangershave developed is thenincorporatedinto landuseplanningon of listedthreatened species.Thisinformation the TiwiIslands,aimedatincreasing knowledge withcommercialbeen undertaken operators on projects haveaddition, arangeofpartnership III inConservationandLandManagement.In They either hold,orare trainingfor, aCertificate monitoring, and biosecurity.quarantine surveillance

Willie AN INFORMATION BOOKLET SUPPORTING TIWI PEOPLE’S ASPIRATIONS FOR AN IPA FOR THEIR ISLANDS 15 ). ) and the ) and Guinea grass ), which have much much ), which have Hemidactylus frenatus Pennisetum polystachion Pennisetum Megathyrsus maximus Land Council commenced the Tiwi Carbon Study Land Council commenced Burning for Islands Savanna and in 2016, the Tiwi registered was Project Gas Abatement Greenhouse Emissions Government’s with earn Tiwi people to allowing Reduction Fund, Management The Tiwi Islands Fire carbon credits. annual management plans, Committee produces of fires severity the extent and reduce which aim to gas emissions. of greenhouse and thus the levels in small communities and Tiwi people live closely connected permanent outstations that are the to bush. Compared with the surrounding the largest have of the islands, these areas rest of weeds such as Mission grass infestations ( Water buffalo were introduced by the British from the British from by introduced buffalo were Water Melville Island in 1826 for milk, meat Timor to to introduced while pigs were labour, and heavy Bathurst Island for meat in the early 1900s. Buffalo for an importantand pigs remain food resource Introduced animals the Tiwi Islands to Mammals introduced buffalo, cattle, pigs, include Black rats, Water horses, and cats. Reptiles include the Asian house gecko ( water buffalo and pigs Feral Flowerpot blind snake (Indotyphlops braminus Flowerpot blind snake been recorded. Six pest ant species have ( grasses resulting higher fuel loads than native intensities, especially later in much higher fire to soil in the dry contribute season. Such fires and vegetation destruction of native erosion, a significant also present habitat decline. They lives. people’s to property and even risk to

) 2

Savanna fires also have an important also have influence fires Savanna significant a make gases. They on greenhouse accountable (non-CO the nation’s contribution to The tropical savannas of northern Australia are of northern are Australia savannas The tropical on Earth, ecosystems among the most fire-prone landscapes, half of many savanna with up to each year. including the Tiwi Islands, being burnt in maintaining the open role a key plays Fire plants and that most savanna structure vegetation is concern that there However, animals require. too high, and that is in some areas frequency fire impact on biodiversity. a negative this is having for the Tiwi Islands for the Tiwi Fire Management Priorities Management Burning is an important and cultural expression for Tiwi people, and there land management tool concern about the potential negative is growing occurring late in intense fires impacts of more the dry burning from season. Most emissions that sweep through these fires generated by are late August on the Tiwi Islands from areas remote greenhouse As well as producing onwards. late in the drygases, fires season can threaten can Reducing the extent of fires biodiversity. an economic representing earn carbon credits, opportunity for the Tiwi Islands. In 2009, the Tiwi emissions through the release of methane and of the release emissions through contain about 30 per Savannas oxide. nitrous and carbon stocks, terrestrial cent of Australia’s also influences rates of carbon sequestration fire and survival, growth on tree its effects through production. litter decomposition and charcoal 16 TOWARDS A TIWI ISLANDS INDIGENOUS PROTECTED AREA Islands inbarge cargo from Darwin. These antsmostlikely arrived ontheTiwi Singapore ants( Tropical fire ants( also occurontheTiwiIslands,including Territoryspecies occurringintheNorthern Australia. Two ofthemostseriouspestant environmental andeconomicthreats to northern Introduced pestantsare someofthegreatest Pest ants pigs incommunitiesonMelvilleIsland. Island andhasbannedthekeeping ofdomestic work ontheeradicationofferal pigsonMelville Island. TheTiwiLandCouncilcontinuesto a smallpopulationhasestablishedonMelville Island, where theirnumbersare greatest, and have doneconsiderabledamageonBathurst can spread weedseedsanddiseases.Feral pigs They competewithnative animalsforfoodand watercourses anddestroys native ecosystems. ploughs upvegetation inwetlandsandalong The rooting and diggingbehaviour offeral pigs estimated numberofbuffalofrom 6,800to 5,363. Melville Island,withTiwiRangersreducing thetotal shoots inenvironmentally sensitive areas across overundertaken aperiodofseven helicopteraerial buffalo impacts.Atargeted cullingoperationwas vulnerable toanimals and identify areas particularly Program to estimatethenumberandlocationof Land CouncilimplementedaBuffaloManagement remote areas ofMelvilleIsland. In2010,theTiwi is evidence ofsignificantdamage to wetlandsin to causeenvironmental degradationandthere uncontrolled numbersofbuffalohave thepotential and theirdisease-free status.However, large, contribution to tourism through trophy hunting Tiwi people,andbuffaloare alsovalued fortheir Monomorium destructor). Solenopsis geminata ) and Brown Bandicoots( some ofthesemammals,including Northern mainland Australia, butresearch hasshownthat that are of regionally extinctinmanyparts one ofthelastrefuges forsmall mammals The TiwiIslandsare specialbecause they are for predators suchasferal cats to hunt. be related to frequent, hot fires makingiteasier disappearing are complex,butare thoughtto quolls. Thereasons whythesespecies are includingpossums,bandicoots and the north, mammal specieshave disappeared from across of Australia butover thelast30 years many occurred mostly insouthernandaridparts by feral catsandfoxes. Theseextinctionshave primarilydueto predationextinction onEarth, Australia hasthehighestrateofmammal Feral cats an ongoingactivityfortheTiwiLandCouncil. from bothislands.Managementofpestantsis African big-headedantshave beeneradicated ants are present inthemaincommunitieswhile infestations persistonMelvilleIsland.Singapore Tropical fire antsontheTiwiIslands,two has beenconsiderablesuccessineradicating Banksia SustainabilityAward. Althoughthere ofthe2015 the IndigenousLeadershipCategory Environment Day Awards. Itwasalsoafinalistin the UnitedNationsAssociationofAustralia World 2015, theproject of wontheBiodiversity category largest anteradicationseverfourth achieved. In eradicated onMelvilleIslandare thesecondand the three areas where Tropical fire antshave been the world’s largest pestanteradications.Two of Plantations Corporation,hasachieved someof between theTiwiLandCouncil,CSIROand The TiwiTropical Fire AntProject, acollaboration Isoodon macrourus ), Black- AN INFORMATION BOOKLET SUPPORTING TIWI PEOPLE’S ASPIRATIONS FOR AN IPA FOR THEIR ISLANDS 17 Mimosa pigra) and LantanaMimosa ). These African grasses out- maximus). These African Megathyrsus of National Weeds Lantana camara), which are Impacts of Climate Change ties of strong a long history Tiwi Islanders have and ancestral lands, habitats and wildlife, to on natural highly dependent are Tiwi livelihoods change the to Climate change is likely resources. support to Rising Tiwi people. available resources the seasonal availability will affect temperatures as plant flowering and fruiting of bush tucker, frequent and more times change. Rising sea levels will cause many coastal freshwater big storms the Over become saltier in the future. places to in northern sea levels Australia past 20 years, This about 10 mm each year. been rising by have rise in southern than the sea level is much greater than times greater three and is two to Australia ( fuel loads, and increase grasses compete native Kumunupunari, in late intense fires in more resulting the dry Mimosa ( season. ( and areas, Significance, occur in two small isolated the Tiwi Land Council. eradicated by being are as the Management of weeds is challenging unpopulated, and remote, large, Tiwi Islands are as partWeed control, of the Tiwi to access. difficult activity of Tiwi Management Plan, is a key Weed ongoing Land and Marine Rangers and requires in the Northern many other areas Unlike resourcing. eradicate many potential to is real there Territory, the Tiwi Islands. Once weeds from invasive the sea barrier been controlled, have outbreaks the mainland combined with improved from would and procedures, quarantine infrastructure weed free maintain a relatively it possible to make help to asked the Islands are to status. Visitors by the Tiwi Land Council fight weed infestations and freight. checking luggage, vehicles carefully ) ) and Conilurus penicillatus Weeds pose a significant threat to the natural threat pose a significant Weeds been a have They of the Tiwi Islands. resources and are for many years of the Tiwi landscape feature and other disturbedto communities mostly confined the Tiwi areas, with other Aboriginal-owned land. As for pasture government selected by were Islands trials, particularlyand plantation forestry research species introduced during the 1960s and 1970s, and The increase the mainland. from over brought were years hasrecent the mainland in in traffic from risk of the introduction in an increased resulted of weeds and weed seed. The most common include Missionweed species on the Tiwi Islands polystachion) and Guinea grass (Pennisetum grass Weeds footed Tree-rats (Mesembriomys gouldii footed Tree-rats ( Brush-tailed Rabbit-rats Tiwi landowners are very the concerned about Tiwi landowners are cats and for many impacts of feral destructive the Tiwi Land Council has been proactive years Working Tiwi Islands. a cat-free in promoting in Rural and Remote Management with Animal of New the University Communities, Indigenous with support Hospital, Animal England and The Ark Threatened Government’s the Australian from the Tiwi Land Council has Species Commissioner, community education a comprehensive delivered must be Permission and cat desexing program. transport the Tiwi Land Council to catssought from animals will be the islands, and only desexed to many other In contrast to for approval. considered Tiwi people generally do communities, Aboriginal overwhelming is cats as pets, and there not keep community support cat control. for feral are in decline. Brush-tailed Rabbit-rats are Rabbit-rats are in decline. Brush-tailed are in the Australian one of 20 priority mammals Species Strategy. Threatened Government’s 18 TOWARDS A TIWI ISLANDS INDIGENOUS PROTECTED AREA people’s mostvaluable asset.They formthebasis The naturalresources oftheTiwiIslands are Tiwi Quarantine CoastAdapt workshopheldontheTiwiIslands. Climate ChangeAdaptationResearch Facility established in2017asakey outcomeofaNational proactively to develop adaptionstrategies,was Tiwi ClimateChangeCommittee,whichworks have asignificantimpactoninfrastructure. The ofhigh-intensitycyclonesthe proportion will limited accesstoandanincrease services, in to theimpactsofclimatechangebecause vulnerable Remote communitiesare particularly the sexanddevelopment ofhatchlings. and moisture from risingsealevels may affect nesting sites,andincreased nesttemperatures sea levels may affect to thereturn ofseaturtles severely threatened by rapidclimatechange.Rising which arelinks to predicted seaturtles, to be Tiwi peoplehave strong culturalandsubsistence mean peoplewillhave to move to higherground. by thesea, even moderatesea-level risesmay the globalaverage. For communitieslivingclose the Northern Australia QuarantineStrategy.the Northern frontline andmonitoring to surveillance service Marine RangerPrograms have provided a to Quarantine.Since2001,theTiwiLandand CommendationforOutstandingService Service 2005 theAustralian QuarantineandInspection in quarantineactivitiesandawareness, andin RegionalQuarantineAwardService foritswork the Australian QuarantineandInspection initiatives. In2003,theTiwiLandCouncilwon range ofquarantineandpublicawareness Quarantine Policy andhasimplementeda The TiwiLandCouncilhasaIslands loads upto seven timeshigherthannative grasses. Tiwi Islands, butitsintroduction couldleadto fuel season.Gamba grassiscurrentlythe dry notonthe resulting inmore intensefires late in Kumunupunari, compete native grasses andincrease fuelloads, such asGambagrass( have animmediateanddevastating impact.Weeds not ontheTiwiIslands, buttheirintroduction would toads andAfrican Big-headedantsare currently the biodiversity oftheislandsatgreat risk.Cane weeds, andotherpestsdiseaseswouldplace aspirations. Theintroduction offeral animals, of traditional activitiesandunderpineconomic Andropogon gayanus) out- AN INFORMATION BOOKLET SUPPORTING TIWI PEOPLE’S ASPIRATIONS FOR AN IPA FOR THEIR ISLANDS 19 Environment Environment (EPBC Act) Endemic refers to species that are species that are to Endemic refers only found on the Tiwi Islands. Appendix Tiwi Threatened Species Lists used are The following abbreviations 21: in the tables on pages 20 to under the Status – Status of species listed NT Conservation Act and Wildlife Parks Territory National Status – Status of species listed under the Conservation and Biodiversity Act Protection Acknowledgments is grateful for the The Tiwi Land Council the Northern by support Territory provided Aboriginal Ranger Grants Land Management for the production and Conservation Fund of this publication. Assistance was also Planning, Calytrix Tamarind by provided Department of Communication and the NT and the Environment. Natural Resources to The Tiwi Land Council would also like acknowledge the following people and for the use of their images: Peter organisations Liddle, Robert Heidi Smith, Dave Downie, Eve, the McGregor, Barbara McKaige, Chris Field, Hugh NT. and Tourism Corporation Land Development CR – Species is listed as Critically Endangered EN – Species is listed as Endangered VU – Species is listed as Vulnerable https://nt.gov.au/ https://nt.gov.au/

Woinarski JCZ, Hadden K, Hicks J and McLeod D. 2003. JCZ, Hadden K, Hicks J and McLeod D. Woinarski Conservation on the Tiwi Islands, NorthernBiodiversity Part 3. Management and planning for biodiversity Territory: Department of conservation. Northern Territory Darwin. Planning and Environment, Infrastructure, Woinarski J, Brennan K, Cowie I, Kerrigan R and Hempel C. 2003. R and K, Cowie I, Kerrigan J, Brennan Woinarski conservation on the Tiwi islands, NorthernBiodiversity Territory. Department NorthernPart 1. Plants and environments. Territory Darwin. Planning and Environment, of Infrastructure, Woinarski J, Brennan K, Hempel C, Armstrong M, Milne K, Hempel C, Armstrong J, Brennan Woinarski conservation on R. 2003. Biodiversity D and Chatto Part2. Fauna. the Tiwi Islands, Northern Territory: Darwin. Government, Northern Territory Tiwi Island Economic Development – Bio-Physical Resources Resources – Bio-Physical Development Tiwi Island Economic Report). 2015 of North East Bathurst Island (Technical Report Number 12/2014/D Department of Land Technical Management, Darwin, NorthernResource Territory. Liddle DT and Elliott LP. 2008. Tiwi Island threatened 2008. Tiwi Island threatened and Elliott LP. Liddle DT population monitoring field survey, 2008: plants 2006 to investigate to including establishment of a program Report Natural the impact of pigs and weed control. to 2005/142, Project NHT (NT), Management Board Resource Department Government of Natural Northern Territory The Arts Environment, and Sport,Resources, Palmerston. Cyril Kalippa, Walter Kerinaiua, Matthew Wonaeamirri and Matthew Wonaeamirri Kerinaiua, Cyril Kalippa, Walter Resource Kate Hadden. 2004. Tiwi Islands Regional Natural Tiwi Land Council, Darwin. Management Strategy. NT Threatened Plants Threatened NT JCZ. 1992. Yawulama: RJ and Woinarski Fensham on and Conservation of Monsoon forest the Ecology Report DASET, to the Tiwi Islands, Northern Territory. ConservationCommission of the Northern Territory. Conservation Program. National Rainforest NT Threatened Animals Animals Threatened NT environment/animals/threatened-animals environment/native-plants/threatened-plants Key References Key 20 TOWARDS A TIWI ISLANDS INDIGENOUS PROTECTED AREA Threatened Fauna oftheTiwiIslands Threatened PlantsoftheTiwiIslands Land Snail Pale Field-rat Green Turtle Water Mouse Flatback Turtle Hawksbill Turtle Horsfield’s Bushlark(TiwiIslands) Pigeon Partridge Greater Sand Plover Red Goshawk Butler’s Dunnart Dodd’s Azure Brush-tailedPhascogale Northern Fawn Antechinus Brush-tailed Rabbit-rat Black-footed Tree-rat Hooded Robin(Tiwi) Curlew Sandpiper Great Knot Eastern Curlew Common Name Elaeocarpus Common Name Lesser SandPlover Masked Owl(TiwiIslands) Xylopia Olive Ridley Typhonium Garcinia Typhonium Burmannia Dendromyza Freycinetia Thrixspermum Mapania Cycad Luisia Hoya Mitrella Freycinetia Calochilus Endiandra Cephalomanes Tarennoidea Trochomorpha melvillensis Rattus tunneyi Chelonia mydas Xeromys myoides Natator depressus Eretmochelys imbricata Mirafra javanica melvillensis Geophaps smithii Charadrius leschenaultii Erythrotriorchis radiatus Sminthopsis butleri Ogyris iphisdoddi Phascogale pirata Antechinus bellus Conilurus penicillatusmelibius Scientific Name Scientific Name Mesembriomys gouldii Melanodryas cucullatamelvillensis Melanodryas Calidris ferruginea Calidris tenuirostris Numenius madagascariensis Elaeocarpus miegei Charadrius mongolus Tyto novaehollandiae melvillensis Xylopia monosperma Lepidochelys olivacea Typhonium mirabile Garcinia warrenii Typhonium jonesii Burmannia sp.BathurstIsland Dendromyza reinwardtiana Freycinetia percostata Thrixspermum congestum Mapania macrocephala Cycas armstrongii Luisia corrugata Hoya australissubsp.oramicola Mitrella tiwiensis Freycinetia excelsa Calochilus caeruleus Endiandra limnophila Cephalomanes obscurum Tarennoidea wallichii TSau ainlSau Endemic NationalStatus NT Status Endemic NationalStatus NT Status DD DD CR CR VU VU NT VU VU VU VU VU VU EN EN EN EN VU VU VU VU VU VU EN EN EN EN EN VU VU VU VU VU VU VU VU VU VU VU EN EN EN CR CR CR VU VU VU VU VU VU VU VU VU VU VU VU EN EN EN EN EN EN EN EN VU VU EN Endemic Endemic Endemic Endemic Endemic Endemic Endemic Endemic Endemic Endemic Endemic

AN INFORMATION BOOKLET SUPPORTING TIWI PEOPLE’S ASPIRATIONS FOR AN IPA FOR THEIR ISLANDS 21 Ardea modesta Ardea cristatus Pandion sacra Egretta Apus pacificus Plegadis falcinellus Calidris tenuirostris Charadrius leschenaultii Pluvialis squatarola brevipes Tringa Thalasseus bengalensis ariel Fregata Charadrius mongolus Numenius minutus Sternula albifrons stagnatilis Tringa Cuculus optatus orientalis Acrocephalus Pluvialis fulva Gallinago stenura ornatus Merops Calidris ruficollis interpres Arenaria Calidris alba Calidris acuminata Gallinago megala cinereus Xenus Numenius phaeopus Haliaeetus leucogaster Hirundapus caudacutus Chlidonias leucopterus Oceanites oceanicus Scientific Name VU VU VU VU VU VU VU NT Status Status National Endemic Common Name Egret Eastern Great Eastern Osprey Eastern Reef Egret Swift Fork-tailed Glossy Ibis Knot Great Sand Plover Greater Plover Grey Tattler Grey-tailed Tern Lesser Crested Lesser Frigatebird Lesser Sand Plover Little Curlew Little Tern Marsh Sandpiper Oriental Cuckoo Oriental Reed-Warbler Golden Plover Pacific Pin-tailed Snipe Rainbow Bee-eater Stint Red-necked Ruddy Turnstone Sanderling Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Snipe Swinhoe’s Sandpiper Terek Whimbrel White-bellied Sea-eagle Needletail White-throated White-winged Black Tern Storm-Petrel Wilson’s Amphidromus cognatus Amphidromus Varanus mertensi Varanus Limosa lapponica baueri panoptes Varanus semipalmatus Limnodromus hypoleucos Falco wardi Attacus Scientific Name Natator depressus Natator Chelonia mydas imbricata Eretmochelys Lepidochelys olivacea porosus Crocodylus Scientific Name Limnodromus semipalmatus Limnodromus Limosa lapponica Limosa limosa anaethetus Onychoprion Limicola falcinellus Sula leucogaster caspia Hydroprogne ibis Ardea nebularia Tringa Actitis hypoleucos Sterna hirundo Calidris ferruginea Numenius madagascariensis Orcaella heinsohni Orcaella Balaenoptera musculus Dugong dugon Megaptera novaeangliae aduncus Tursiops Scientific Name Scientific Name Common Name Flatback Turtle Green Turtle Green Hawksbill Turtle Ridley Olive Common Name Cognate Land Snail Mertens’ Water Monitor Mertens’ Water Bar-tailed Godwit Monitor Yellow-spotted Asian Dowitcher Falcon Grey Moth Atlas Asian Dowitcher Bar-tailed Godwit Black-tailed Godwit Bridled Tern Sandpiper Broad-billed Booby Brown Caspian Tern Cattle Egret Common Greenshank Common Sandpiper Common Tern Curlew Sandpiper Eastern Curlew Common Name Common Name Snubfin Dolphin Australian Blue Whale Dugong Humpback Whale Bottlenose Dolphin Indo-Pacific Birds Reptiles Mammals EPBC Act Listed Migratory recorded from the Species waters Tiwi Islands and their surrounding