Darumbal People Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC (DPAC) identified that ‘Looking after Country our way’ is an important custodianship value which enables Darumbal-led natural resource management (NRM) activities, ranging from water quality to fire management.

Proposed strategy:

• Training of a workforce in cultural and western knowledge

Result from reduction of identified threat:

Darumbal’s long-connection to Country is sometimes undervalued by the wider community including scientists and natural resource managers. This devaluing threatens Darumbal’s capacity to ‘look after Country our way’. Darumbal People Aboriginal Corporation (2020) shared that Indigenous knowledge is often not considered, is misunderstood or perceived as inferior to western sciences. For example, “Traditional Custodians are regarded as stakeholders to environmental projects without realising that the ecological character of country, and the health of that country, is intertwined with their identity” (DPAC:2020).

The proposed strategy promotes increased Traditional Owner led Natural Resource Management (NRM) activities, ‘Darumbal driving NRM activities.’ By blending western knowledge with traditional ecological knowledge, Darumbal wants to be seen as the drivers of NRM activities on the Capricorn Coast.

Darumbal identifies a staged approach to achieve this strategy through the identification of Darumbal youth and adult learning pathways and work placement partnerships with industry and business, to increased Darumbal employment in a diverse number of industries and business. Ultimately, this will lead to a Darumbal run and owned natural resource management (NRM) business that aligns with black and white-fella business.

Interested in this project and want to learn more?
Get in contact with the Traditional Custodians by contacting Darumbal People Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC – admin@darumbal.com.au