Australian Heritage Grant obtained
Australian Heritage Grant obtained in March 2022
“Ngarrabullgan – Cultural and Natural Responsibility to Care for Country” Project
Ngarrabullgan mountain is central to Djungan People’s identity and the very name ‘Djungan’ (People of the Rock) reflects that connection. Djungan People view the mountain as a major spiritual site at the heart of their country and have been residing on its tabletop and in its shadow for thousands of years.
The Australian Heritage Commission included Ngarrabullgan on its register of the National Estate on 24 June 1997. Following that, the Queensland Government formally registered Ngarrabullgan as “The Mount Mulligan Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Area” under its Aboriginal heritage legislation (Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2006 (Qld)) in 2006. And it was further added to the National Heritage List in 2011.
About Project
In line with the above acknowledgment of Ngarrabullgan, the aim of this Project is to:
- Protect evidence of Aboriginal occupation of Ngarrabullgan through Pleistocene, Holocene and into the Anthropocene.
- Protect large diversity of well-preserved archaeological sites and features, some of which are directly associated with locally known initiation sites and places still sacred to Djungan People (both on top of the mountain and around the mountain's base)
- Protect yet to be investigated archaeological and cultural sites with strong potential to yield new and important information about Aboriginal occupation, use, beliefs and lifestyles
- Protect excellent examples of the rock art
- Protect natural and cultural features of the mountain valuable to the Djungan People and surrounding tribes, the people of Mareeba Shire, the North Queensland region and Australia as a whole
- Provide easy and safe access for Traditional Owners and Elders so they can express traditional cultural practices and reconnect Djungan People through cultural activities
- Promote cultural and natural values of the site and surrounds to a wider local and global community, which will consequently lead to further research, education and protection projects
Result
Therefore, the outcomes of this Project can be summarised as follows:
- Development of revised Ngarrabullgan Management Plan (also called Healthy Country Plan) will provide a roadmap to assist Djungan with realisation of their vision of managing Ngarrabullgan site in a sustainable, economical and collective way, without compromising on their Cultural and Natural responsibilities to Care for Country and, at the same time, have the opportunity to share its hidden treasures and assets with the wider community.
- Construction of new and improvement of existing firebreaks around Ngarrabullgan will expand fire safety of cultural heritage and endangered ecological sites. New and effective firebreaks will also allow application of planned and controlled fire management practices to further protect and enhance biodiversity and improve effective management and monitoring of sacred initiation sites, endemic fauna and flora, protected species, feral animals and weeds.
- Installation of a fences around Ngarrabullgan along proposed firebreaks lines will help to keep cattle, brumbies and trespassers away from Ngarrabullgan and its numerous cultural heritage sites and sensitive ecosystems giving strategically planned conservation and protection projects a chance to be successfully implemented.
- Awareness improvement of Ngarrabullgan will bring the cultural and natural values of the site and surrounds to a wider local and global community, which will consequently lead to further research, education and protection project opportunities.
