Latest news with #KimberleyLandCouncil
West Australian
27-06-2025
- General
- West Australian
Kimberley school children lead NAIDOC march celebrating ‘next generation'
Brightly coloured school uniforms dotted Broome's streets on Friday morning as children marched in the Kullarri NAIDOC Reconciliation Walk, bringing to life this year's theme: The Next Generation – Strength, Vision, Legacy. The walk kicked off a week of events in Broome, including academic talks, art exhibitions, and music performances, all celebrating the enduring strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The zealous crowd of hundreds, made up of schoolchildren, nurses, doctors, legal organisations, and local businesses, cheered 'Happy NAIDOC Week' and waved flags as they marched through Broome. The lively energy gave way to quiet respect at Our Lady Queen of Peace Cathedral Park, where Yawuru elder Neil McKenzie spoke about the gathering's significance to the community. 'It's about the people that are connected to the land, the Yawuru people of Broome, not to assert our dominance, but to express respect and gratitude to the rest of the community,' Mr McKenzie said. 'We encompass reconciliation.' Yawuru elder Diana Appleby led a call-and-response in Yawuru language, with both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal schoolchildren joining in together. Mr McKenzie described the teaching of Yawuru language in junior schools across Broome as vital. 'We encourage children to speak our language, so it is never lost. It's the only place in the world where you can speak this language, Yawuru,' he said. Kimberley Land Council CEO Tyronne Garstone said NAIDOC Week holds particular significance in the region, especially given the Kimberley's Aboriginal population of 45 to 50 per cent. 'Acknowledgement of the next generation is fantastic for the community to see, we have such fantastic leaders coming through,' Mr Garstone said. He welcomed the strong turnout from local schools and the involvement of young people. 'It's great to have school kids down here, acknowledging who they are, their heritage and their connection to country as well, it's a fantastic community vibe.' Mr Garstone also praised the ongoing efforts of Aboriginal organisations that took part in the march. 'A lot of Aboriginal organisations do fantastic work throughout the year, playing a vital role in regards to achieving some of our Closing the Gap targets.' NAIDOC Week traces its origins to the 1938 Day of Mourning, when Aboriginal leaders protested Australia Day and demanded Indigenous rights across the country. What started as a single day grew into a week-long event by 1975, held every July to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and achievements. Now observed nationwide, NAIDOC Week brings together Indigenous communities, schools, governments, and workplaces to recognise and honour Australia's first peoples.
West Australian
21-05-2025
- General
- West Australian
Nyul Nyul country gains protected status
The Nyul Nyul people have gained national recognition for their efforts to protect country, with the declaration of a new Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) spanning 144,000ha on the Dampier Peninsula. The IPA will help safeguard freshwater springs, monsoon vine thickets, threatened species including the greater bilby and short-nosed sea snake, and stretches of sea country. It also cements Aboriginal-led conservation at the heart of land and sea management in the region. Kimberley Land Council (KLC) land and sea unit Manager Daniel Oades said the recognition was the result of years of dedicated work by the Nyul Nyul prescribed body corporate and ranger team. 'IPA recognition does not happen every day, and this hard-won milestone ensures that Nyul Nyul can assert authority over their country and shape land management according to the vision of the Nyul Nyul people,' Mr Oades said. The Nyul Nyul rangers have been actively managing their country since 2008, carrying out prescribed burning, biodiversity monitoring, cultural education, and sea country care. Their work has already earned national recognition through programs like their award-winning two-way science partnership with the local school. 'This IPA recognises 15 years of proactive land management, led by the Nyul Nyul rangers and guided by the PBC,' Mr Oades said. 'Their efforts have already made a significant impact on the health of country and community. The IPA now provides national recognition and a stronger foundation for future work.' Nyul Nyul ranger co-oordinator Preston Cox said the formal recognition marked an emotional and long-awaited achievement for the community. 'It's a good feeling in my liyan,' Mr Cox said. 'This is a great thing for Nyul Nyul country and people. We have been looking forward to this moment for a very long time. This is about more than just land — it's about continuing stories, knowledge and connection,' he said. 'We've passed this knowledge down from generation to generation and with this recognition, all the young people at the ceremony today will be able to do that.' Nyul Nyul PBC director Fiona Smith said the declaration honoured the work of ancestors and future generations alike. 'We are carrying on the legacy of our old people,' Ms Smith said. 'I'm doing this work for my mum who is no longer with us — I continued this work for her because I want to see Nyul Nyul country protected now and into the future. My liyan felt good today.' The new IPA links with the Bardi Jawi protected area to the north and is expected to strengthen further efforts by neighbouring traditional owner groups, including the Jabbirr Jabbirr and Nimanburr, who are also developing their own IPA plans. The Kimberley Land Council says it remains committed to supporting Aboriginal-led conservation in the region.
