State government funding will provide a boost to seven not-for-profit Aboriginal organisations in Western Australia.
The organisations will be able to carry out 11 projects aimed at safeguarding important Aboriginal heritage sites in the region.
Grants up to $50,000 will be awarded under the 2023-24 Preserve, Promote and Protect our Aboriginal Sites program to fund on-site projects at Aboriginal sites, raise awareness of Aboriginal cultural heritage, and contribute to the social and economic development of nearby communities.
The Yued Aboriginal Corporation will receive over $130,000 through three grants to carry out preliminary heritage and environmental evaluations of registered Aboriginal sites in the South West region.This includes the former Mogumber Mission, where they will identify any potential threats or harmful conditions and document digital narratives of the area.
The Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation in the MidWest region will utilise more than $100,000 in grant funding for three initiatives.
These projects include the investigation and construction of fencing at Lyndon Station to safeguard significant rock art from livestock, the implementation of a water monitoring program and potential cattle barrier fencing at the Djadabunna Trapyard water source, and the restoration of Nungingay Springs.
The Budadee Aboriginal Corporation in the Pilbara has been awarded a grant exceeding $48,000 to implement signage at Tambourah Spring. This signage will educate visitors about the cultural heritage significance of the site.
Nowanup Noongar Boodjar Ltd, based in the South West, has been awarded grant funding for a project. This project aims to bring Elders to the Carlawilgieup Rockhole, along with an anthropologist/historian and an ecologist.
The purpose of this endeavour is to document stories and cultural knowledge, as well as to establish suitable measures for site protection and rehabilitation.
The Grants Program for the Preservation, Promotion, and Protection of our Aboriginal Sites, running for over a decade, forms a crucial component of the State Government's dedication to empowering Aboriginal communities in the preservation of their distinct cultural heritage.
Funding is allocated towards site restoration, safeguarding Aboriginal burial grounds, implementing interpretive signage, and carrying out land management activities on-site.
Aboriginal Affairs Minister Dr Tony Buti said that the Government's substantial funding allocation for this year's program is a clear indication of our steadfast commitment to promoting robust economic and social advantages for Aboriginal communities.
"Over the past 10 years, the State Government has committed more than $2.5 million through the grants to support Aboriginal organisations and communities in preserving and protecting Aboriginal heritage sites across Western Australia,"
"In particular, grant funding has increased significantly under my term as Minister for Aboriginal Affairs as we explore opportunities each year to bolster the allocated funding and support more projects," he said.
"These sites hold great social and cultural significance for Aboriginal communities, connecting them with their past, present and future,"
"Aboriginal people are best placed to manage their unique cultural heritage and this grant program is empowering Elders and young people alike to promote greater cultural understanding and appreciation of their heritage to all Western Australians." said Mr Buti.
