A new co-management plan between Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) and the Waanyi people of the state’s northwest could be a blueprint for other First Nations groups.
Launched on Tuesday, the joint management plan ensures the protection of Country and the revival of cultural practises on Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park.
"The significance of the joint management announcement and the plan moving forward is a historic one that will go down in history for Waanyi mob in taking back our Country," said Waanyi, Garawa and Gangalidda man Alec Doomadgee. "
“For all the hardships and all the negative stuff that has happened up in the lower gulf region, and... Aboriginal communities across the country, these are some real positive things that are really going to make a change in our homelands.
"To me, being a part of caring for Country through our ranger program and looking at economic development in our national parks is the way forward for Aboriginal people."
As part of the plan the Waanyi people are eager to venture into the ecotourism space, and also hope to establish keeping places for their numerous artefacts and sacred objects that have been collected over many years.
Waanyi traditional custodians holding the Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park Plan, standing side by side with members of the Queensland Government and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.
"We also want to build an arts and cultural centre on our Country, especially at Boodjamulla, and we believe it could be an economic base where we gain financial freedom," he said.
"Where we can finally be unshackled from that old thing called poverty."
'It's our Vatican'
Lawn Hill National Park, traditionally known as Boodjamulla, has been a place of healing for Waanyi people, who have had a spiritual connection with the land for over 30 thousand years.
The breathtaking Country famously featured in the 2018 Super Bowl advertisement, with actors Chris Hemsworth and Danny McBride taking in the spectacular gorges, sandstone ranges and World Heritage fossils.
While the co-design of the management plan started nearly two years ago, it’s really been decades of fighting for the Waanyi mob to reclaim their rightful land.
"Boodjamulla is the spiritual home of our creator. Boodjamulla is the mother of everything that is Waanyi culture, lore, ceremony," said Doomadgee.
"The park itself, the gorge, is our Vatican.
Alec Doomadgee and his son, Bailey, perform cultural dance to begin the event proceedings at Parliament House in Brisbane.
"It’s our place of healing. It’s the place where our women would give birth to our babies and the waters there would heal our women after giving birth and even the warriors after battles.
"But it’s also a place of our spiritual connection to land, to country, to our belonging."
Environment Minister for Queensland, Meagan Scanlon, conceded that for too long Government and other authorities have undermined and under-appreciated the knowledge First Nations peoples hold.
"I think it’s really important that government listens to the aspirations of First Nations communities," Minister Scanlon said at the launch event at Parliament House in Brisbane.
"We’ve been doing things one way for a really long time and that needs to change because there are thousands and thousands of years of other practise that we could learn from.
Queensland Minister for the Environment, Meaghan Scanlon, addressing attendees at the launch event in Brisbane.
"Processes like this allow us to sit around a table and have a genuine, open, frank discussion around how the path should look going forward."
Hopes for state-wide model
Senior Project Officer at QPWS, Erin Witten, who co-wrote the management plan with the Waanyi people, hopes a similar partnership will be developed over time with all First Nations groups right across Queensland.
"It was very emotional, and it still is very emotional," Ms Witten said.
"These people were incredible to work for and it’s just been such an honour that they intrusted me with their knowledge and with their time and I’ll be forever thankful.
While the community will come together in celebration on June 20 and 21, Mr Doomadgee says it will be a time of reflection for those who fought for many years but didn’t get the chance to see such an agreement come to fruition.
The Waanyi people gifted Erin Witten with a framed document for her contribution to the co-management plan.
"We’ve lost a lot of Elders recently and we lost a lot of young ones recently due to social issues..." he said.
"[The co-management plan] is something that I look at my mob and hope that, the fact that we’ve now got a contract with the state government and QPWS to care for our country, it will give them hope.
"Because that’s what we need, hope."
