Our Country
Indigenous Protected Area
Rangers
Fee-for-service
Lardil, Yangkaal, Gangalidda & Kaiadilt People of the sea, we are Wellesley
Indigenous Protected Area
Our spiritual connection with our Sea Country, and our use and management of our Sea Country resources have continued without interruption since time immemorial.
Though we were denied recognition of our inherited rights until recently, we never left our traditional country, never stopped our cultural practices, never stopped relying on our country to feed our families and were never physically dispossessed, displaced or outnumbered by the European settlers.
In 2004 the Federal Court formally recognised our Native Title right to our Sea Country.
The Thuwathu-Bujimulla Indigenous Protected Area (IPA), spanning across the Wellesley Islands, is located off the coast of North Queensland in the Southern Gulf of Carpentaria. Dedicated in 2013, the IPA comprises of over 1.6 million hectares of sea country and over 120,000 hectares of land.
The 29 remote, low-lying continental islands and the surrounding expansive reef systems harbour extremely rich biodiversity and contain some of the most significant habitats for threatened sea turtles, shorebirds and seabirds in Australia. The region is also culturally rich, with over 160 documented sites of cultural heritage significance, including the largest collection of stone fish traps in the southern hemisphere.
The proposed area for inclusion in this IPA incorporates the area of the original Wellesley Islands Sea Claim boundary (which includes more sea country than the determination area).
This is the area that forms our traditional sea country and as such we have a duty to protect it.
The Islands
The majority of the islands within the region are also included as IPA, including:
Albinia
Dalwayi
Allen
Dijara/Ngaarkinab/Thaliwirndiwuru
Andrew
Walbadiin/Kuriyalkan
Bayley
Jurrmanki
Beahgoo
Beahgoo
Bentinck
Dulkawandith
Bessie
Bildi-Kaarku
Bountiful
Kalngkawa/Kangadaa
Denham
Bathungan
Douglas
Nathayiwinda
Forsyth
Mayiyanba/Mayenba
Fowler
Barthayi
Horseshoe
Dijir/Jawari/Dararrbayi
Ivis
Jirke
Lingeleah
Little Allen
Little Bountiful
Manowar
Delmerriya/Wudma
Margaret
Karndingarrbayi
Moondalbee
Mundalbi
Mornington
Gununa
Robert
Marrandkarba
Rocky
Kalamburriya
Sweers
Ringurrng
Sydney
Langunganji
Turrermurrer
Kanhthathurru
Turtle/Pisonia
Meldan/Meldanga
Wallaby
Lingunganji
This area is recognised by adjoining Traditional Owner groups as the traditional country of the Lardil, Yangkaal, Gangalidda and Kaiadilt. The extent of this area has never been disputed with our neighbours, the Garawa People to the west and the Kukatj People to the east, all being represented by the Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation.
The proposed management area provides a logical management boundary across a region facing similar threats and issues, eliminating the gaps provided for in the Sea Claim determination. This allows for the effective management of our country using a mix of “legal and other means” – as envisaged in the IUCN protected area.
Wellesley Islands Rangers
Based at Gununa on Mornington Island
Established in 2016, the Wellesley Islands Ranger unit delivers diverse on-ground land and sea country management activities.
Managed, delivered and operated by GRAC’s wholly owned subsidiary Wellesley Islands Land Sea Social Economic Development Pty Ltd (WILSSED), the activities of the unit are informed by the Thuwathu-Bujimulla IPA Management Plan. The Rangers incorporate traditional knowledge with western science to protect and care for an area comprised of 29 islands over a million hectares of sea country.
The team consists of representatives of each of the three clan groups the Lardil, Kaiadilt and Yangkaal, and it plays a critical role in the sustainable management of their land and sea country, including priority programs in marine turtle and migratory shorebird research, fire and weed management, as well as cultural site management and restoration.
GRAC and WILSSED recognise the generous support of Indigenous Protected Areas (IPA) through the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) and Dept Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry (DAFF) who have funded many projects, both past and ongoing.
Ranger Unit Projects & Activities
Marine settlement array project, marine debris & ghost net clean-up program in partnership with the Australian government biosecurity department
Cultural restoration and maintenance of significant sacred sites
Biosecurity: monitoring and management of invasive weed species
Educational: the Rangers conduct NAIDOC activities and school visits as part of the Junior Ranger Program, playing an active role in educating the younger generation and community about traditional food sources and environmental issues
Cash for Containers: A community-first initiative, the unit initiated introduced is the Cash for Containers program. Marine debris and other plastic waste are collected for recycling, with all profits funding future community engagement.
Biodiversity: Shorebird and turtle monitoring - many of which species are threatened or critically endangered
Cultural burning to reduce fire loads and protect Country and communities
Beach Cleanup
The Rangers also conduct fee-for-service work for Mornington Shire Council and other organisations.
Fee-For-Service
Our Ranger unit is constantly expanding its capacity to deliver specialised, highly regulated activities.
These require extensive training and licencing, and include contract programs on a fee-for-service basis for the local council. These include:
Burning
In conjunction with Rural Fire Service, Rangers conduct large-scale controlled burning around Gununa on Mornington Island to protect the township from wildfire.
Weed Management
Chemical control of weeds for Mornington Shire Council.
Biosecurity
Delivering on biosecurity activities such as coastal and aquatic structure pest surveillance, marine debris surveys, and animal health monitoring
For more information on our fee-for-service activities please contact our office.