Project summaries - 2009 Protecting Our Places grants
| 2009 Protecting Our Places grants |
|---|
| Organisation | Project title | Amount $ |
|---|
| Aboriginal Coropration for Employment and Training | Re-establishing Gumbanngyirr traditional use at Pipe Clay Lake | 33,576 |
| Amaroo Local Aboriginal Land Council | Summervale Community Apsley River restoration project | 34,985 |
| BALLOT Land Enterprises Ltd - Brewarrina - Cowga and Euligal Stations | Protecting environmental heritage on Indigenous Land Corporation around Brewarrina | 18,000 |
| Coffs Harbour Local Aboriginal Land Council | Coffs Caring for Country - Aboriginal bush regeneration | 35,000 |
| Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council | Protecting cultural sites from damage due to bushfires (part 1) | 35,000 |
| Dorrigo Plateau Local Aboriginal Land Council | Rehabilitation of Dorrigo Aboriginal land | 34,818 |
| Kempsey Local Aboriginal Land Council | The Coranglula ripian vegetation rehabilitation project | 28,538 |
| Koompahtoo Local Aboriginal Land Council | Connecting Communities with Country cultural tours | 35,000 |
| Lachlan Aboriginal Natural Resource Management Corporation | Lachlan River NRM and cultural heritage canoe tours | 17,822 |
| La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council | Eradicate noxious weeds - plant natives at La Perouse | 34,927 |
| Madhima Gulgan Community Association Inc | Restoration of ancient marriage circle and scar trees at Billinudgel | 34,820 |
Ngulingah Local Aboriginal Land Council | Regeneration of Old Cubawee project | 35,000 |
| Peak Hill Local Aboriginal Land Council | Regeneration of Aboriginal land at Peak Hill | 35,000 |
| Stuarts Point Aboriginal Community Environment Group | Golden Hole community protecting and interpreting homelands | 21,600 |
| Wagonga Local Aboriginal Land Council | Protection and development of a learning place at Gadu Maliaan | 34,108 |
| Ulunja Aboriginal Corporation - Indigenous Business Australia | Protecting environmental heritage on IBA stations around Barmah | 17,000 |
| West Wyalong Local Aboriginal Land Council | Manna Mt restoration and rehabilitation project | 34,979 |
| 17 projects | TOTAL | $520,173 |
The project will build partnerships between Aboriginal communities and state and local government agencies within the north coast region to initiate the re-establishment of traditional uses within the degraded Pipe Clay Lake system, an Intermittently Open and Closed Lake/Lagoon within the Solitary Islands Marine Park. This will occur through the restoration of vegetation, the removal of rubbish and the implementation of a rigorous water monitoring program. Interpretive signage will be installed at the site outlining traditional harvesting activities that have occurred on the site as well as explaining the connections the local Aboriginal community have to the lake.
The project aims to recruit and train a minimum of twelve participants in accredited units of the Certificate III in Conservation and Land Management course which will cover protective fencing, weed eradication of blackberry, St John's wort, hawthorn, briar rose, scotch thistle, black thistle, nodding thistle, saffron and other invasive weed species, stream bank erosion control and revegetation and ongoing maintenance of the project area on the Apsley River on Summervale Aboriginal Community at Walcha. The goal of the project is to teach sustainable natural resource industry skills that will be used beyond the life of the project.
Recent drought and unauthorised access to certain areas have, and will in the future, cause erosion and de-vegetation of the landscape including culturally significant Aboriginal environmental sites. This project aims to increase the awareness in the whole community and maintain and/or increase local biodiversity and land restoration through the implementation of an educational walk and the prevention of land degradation in existing bushland. This project will also encourage local community members to participate in environmental works by gaining new skills and knowledge and help raise awareness in the wider community of Aboriginal cultural connections to the environment.
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The Coffs Caring for Country bush regeneration team will rehabilitate priority sites on Macauleys Headland and share culture with the wider Coffs Harbour community with interpretive signage. Partnerships include Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water, Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority, Coffs Local Aboriginal Land Council, Coffs Harbour City Council and Non Government Organisation's employment provider to support a team of 4 Aboriginal trainees and a supervisor with capacity and experience currently working on bush regeneration contracts. Using techniques that will further put into practice their current TAFE qualified training using weed control techniques that encourages and protects natural regeneration, fauna habitat, slope and erosion potential.
This project will provide education, planning and training on how to protect the cultural and environmental values of sites of Aboriginal significance on the central coast of NSW. The project will contribute to community skills and knowledge about traditional Aboriginal land and fire management practices for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal participants. It will also raise awareness of cultural and biodiversity values and build consensus amongst different stakeholders managing these lands.
The project will rehabilitate native vegetation on 3.3 hectares of weed-infested Gumbaynggirr land on the Dorrigo Plateau, including 430 metres of riparian zone, and result in the construction of 1.5 kilometres of fencing to protect rehabilitated land from grazing by stock. The project will also, through on-ground environmental work by local Aboriginal people assisted by an experienced bush regenerator, help to educate the Gumbaynggirr Aboriginal community about the local environment.
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The Corangula property lies adjacent to the Macleay River which covers the southern boundary of the property. Unfortunately, the riparian area is unprotected and heavily modified due to cattle grazing, which has caused damage to this ecosystem through the trampling and introducing weed species. Funding is sought in order to fence this riparian area and remove any introduced weed species found whilst undertaking the fencing project.
The Connecting Communities with Country project will have several education components, one which targets Aboriginal youth, families and individuals to restore their connections with traditional values, e.g. those who were part of the stolen generation. The second educational component will target the general community in order to increase their awareness and appreciation of the Aboriginal culture, e.g. local schools, government service providers as part of the Two Ways Together Local Community Action Plan, and the Toronto Business Chamber. Further educational perspectives include teaching about the respect and conservation of Aboriginal sites.
We are seeking to build on the previously funded Lachlan River NRM and cultural heritage canoe tours. Funding will make the tours more viable and give schools the opportunity to send more students on the tours. Tours will continue to increase awareness of natural resource and cultural heritage management issues providing hands on experience within the outdoor classroom. Further expansion on the successful project will include the implementation of tours and activities to provide educational outcomes throughout the winter months providing year round cultural, educational and environmental experiences.
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La Perouse and its surrounding area have a significant problem with invasive weeds which are now a threat to homes owned by La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council. These weeds are a major threat to the local ecological community and the eradication of bitou bush and other noxious weeds is seen as a step to restoring the area along with the removal of dumped cars and other illegally dumped waste. This project will also educate the local community about the traditional uses of local species and endeavour to encourage better environmental practices.
Madhima Gulgan Community Association Inc
Restoration of ancient marriage circle and scar trees at Billinudgel
Grant: $34,820
The project will achieve restoration of this unique and significant marriage circle and scar trees site, used by Minjungbal people from ancient times to recent as the early 1900's. The area surrounding the site including the riparian vegetation, and two family camp sites of the bride and groom will be restored. Restoration will be by controlling invasive weeds which dominate the site and to regenerate the natural environment and maintain the significant site to a state similar to that in the times of our ancestors. The site will be used to educate school children and the community on local Aboriginal cultural heritage.
The project aims to regenerate the Old Cubawee Mission at Tuncester. The project will promote information on natural resource management including environmental issues/values and traditional Aboriginal cultural heritage values within the local area and extending throughout the Bundjalung nation by installing interpretation boards around the site to use as educational and promotional tools for school children and community members. The project will also involve planting native trees around the site as part of the biodiversity program; this will enhance and assist with the wildlife population to the area. More trees will be planted to provide further koala habitat.
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Peak Hill LALC is the land manager of various parcels of land across three local government areas and two CMA boundaries. Given the complexities associated with location and tenure, some of the parcels we are now responsible for are degraded due to past land use. This project aims to restore and rehabilitate selected parcels of land.
Maintain connection to homelands and country by assisting in the rehabilitation and cultural healing of the Yarrahapinni midden site. This will provide avenues for wider community to understand the importance of wetlands to Indigenous people in both the past and present sense. The project will also develop pride within the community and restore a degraded farmland back to its original cultural landscape through community participation, education on the connection and significance of the area to Aboriginal people and education to local school groups by developing interpretative signage with the local community.
Wagonga Local Aboriginal Land Council
Protection and development of a learning place at Gadu Maliaan
Grant: $34,108
Wagonga Rangers with Wagonga Land Council have begun to develop the Paradise Point site as a place to teach local community about the areas environmental and cultural values. This project aims to further develop the site as an education hub whilst protecting it from inappropriate usage and the threat of weeds. Bridal creeper (weed of national significance) which is threatening the biodiversity value and threatened species habitat at the site will be removed and signs and a history wall will be established to protect and teach the community about threatened species, biodiversity, bush tucker/medicine and local Aboriginal culture.
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Recent drought and unauthorised access to certain areas have had dramatic effects on sand dune stability and natural vegetation diversity. This project will see the implementation of a green corridor to connect existing bushland, preserve local biodiversity, encourage local community members to participate in environmental works by gaining new skills and knowledge and help raise awareness in the wider community of Aboriginal cultural connections to the environment.
The project proposed will re-establish and rehabilitate the land and vegetation of Manna Mt by using traditional Aboriginal vegetation management techniques. In doing so, we will also protect and re-establish culturally significant sites in this area. It is anticipated that the re-establishment of traditional natural resource management knowledge in this field will allow us to undertake further work in the area.
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Page last updated: 27 February 2011