Nyamal Traditional Owners are celebrating the creation of Purungunya Conservation Park and Purungunya National Park — the first new conservation estate created in the Pilbara for more than ten years.
East of Port Hedland, the park will be jointly managed by Nyamal Traditional Owners and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions (DBCA). Through joint-management, Nyamal people will make decisions with DBCA about how their Country is managed. Nyamal Traditional Owners will be engaged in a variety of positions across the new parks, including in management and as rangers.
The Nyamal People have traditional rights in around 35,000 square kilometres of land in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Tuesday's announcement was described by Traditional Owners as the first step towards embedding their perspective in the management of these areas. Their cultural views will inform the protection of plants, animals and water as well as historic and cultural sites, and the land itself.
The Purungunya parks are in a national biodiversity hotspot — one of 15 in Australia — and will provide protection to 91 threatened species, including the bilby, Pilbara olive python, Pilbara leaf-nosed bat, night parrot and northern quoll. The parks will also protect a world-best example of fossilised stromatolites — formations that were involved in processes that transformed Earth's atmosphere 2.72 billion years ago, enabling complex life to evolve.
The new parks and reserves will protect more than 200,000 hectares of Nyamal Country, contributing to a total amount of 4 million hectares added to WA's conservation estate through the WA government's Plan for Our Parks initiative.
Nyamal people have been connected to and lived on this land from time immemorial. They celebrated the recognition of their connections to Country in the creation of these parks and said they look forward to collaborating with the Department to manage this part of their Country.
Nyamal Aboriginal Corporation chief executive and Traditional Owner Troy Eaton said "caring for the Country is at the heart of all Nyamal People".
"The recognition of the Purungunya is a step towards ensuring that our land, animals, plants, water, and culture are safeguarded for Nyamal's future generations. Purungunya is a beautiful and significant part of our Country, and we look forward to looking after it in partnership with DBCA," he said.
Nyamal Ranger and Traditional Owner Rodney Monaghan said: "We've just had this Country given back to us and now we're going into a partnership with DBCA, so we want to have a say on our Country. We want to have leadership on our Country, and with everything we do on Country."
Nyamal Elder Doris Eaton said "signing of joint management will help us".
"Connection to our Country and our spirit by healing our Country. Healthy Country keeps us safe and our visitors," she said.
WA Environment Minister Reece Whitby said Plan for Our Parks has now delivered four million hectares of new conservation areas across WA following the creation of Purungunya Conservation Estate.
"This part of the Pilbara has been used by the Nyamal People for tens of thousands of years and the newly created reserves will protect its rich cultural and natural heritage," the minister said.
"It's a breathtaking area that we have protected while enabling future opportunities for cultural and nature-based tourism among the 460 species of wildlife that can be found locally."
Partnership for the Outback spokesperson Dr Bill Kruse, from Pew Charitable Trusts Australia, said the new parks were a huge win for people and nature.
"Today we celebrate a huge achievement for Nyamal Traditional Owners, conservation in the Pilbara, and everyone in Western Australia," he said.
"The Pilbara region has some of the most unique biodiversity in our state, and it's wonderful to know that wildlife, landscapes, plants and culture will be protected for future generations to experience and enjoy.
"The Pilbara is home to many Traditional Owner groups who hold native title to their Country and who seek to actively manage their Country for culture and conservation, alongside their involvement with the Pilbara's mining and pastoral economies. The Purungunya parks show us what the future of the Pilbara can be – a place where partnerships with Traditional Owners such as Nyamal can support conservation at scale in a region of major economic importance."
Dr Kruse said Plan for Our Parks has "contributed significantly" to enhancing protection for WA's most iconic landmarks, while also supporting regional communities with economic development and tourism opportunities.
"A sincere congratulations to the Nyamal Traditional Owners, Nyamal Aboriginal Corporation, and the WA government on this new partnership for the Pilbara," he said.
The Nyamal people are represented by the Nyamal Aboriginal Corporation (NAC), their Registered Native Title Body Corporate (RNTBC). NAC holds native title rights and interests in trust for the Nyamal people and aims to improve the lives of Nyamal People through the preservation of our Culture, Land and Language.
