Supporting Indigenous management of Queensland’s sea country

Supporting Indigenous management of Queensland’s sea country

The Hon Mark Butler MP

Media Release

17 July 2013


Supporting Indigenous management of Queensland’s sea country

The Rudd Government has committed $930,000 to Indigenous organisations and Traditional Owners across Queensland to manage marine turtles, dugongs and sea-country.

Under this second round of Caring for our Country grants administered in partnership with the Queensland Government, eight projects will be supported to undertake a range of activities including sea country planning, managing threats to species, leadership forums as well as raising sustainability awareness in the community.

Federal Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Water Mark Butler said this round of funding was part of a broader commitment to assist Indigenous groups to sustainably manage sea country.

"Indigenous Rangers across Queensland are doing great work protecting turtles and dugongs from threats such as marine debris and illegal hunting,” Mr Butler said.

“Our continued support for Traditional Owners to manage their sea country is resulting in real environmental improvements and a better understanding of the sustainable use of resources in our Indigenous communities.

“We’ve responded to feedback from Traditional Owners and developed a package that increases community engagement, knowledge sharing and the sustainable participation of Indigenous people in culturally important activities.

Mr Butler said with rising seawater temperatures and an increase in extreme weather events due to climate change, programs to understand and protect Australian sea-country such as this were vital to the long-term future of our natural marine life.

This initiative builds on existing Federal Government investment under the Working on Country Indigenous Ranger and Reef Rescue programs and is undertaken in conjunction with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Organisations to receive funding include:

  • Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation
  • Indigenous Sea Country Strategic Policy Group (Girrigun Aboriginal Corporation)
  • Dawul Wuru Indigenous Corporation
  • Juunjuwarra Aboriginal Corporation Land Trust
  • Kapay Kuyan Steering Committee
  • Darumbal Charitable Trust
  • Jabalina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC
  • Port Curtis Coral Coast Traditional Owners

Media contacts:
Tim O’Halloran 0409 059 617

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