- More than $450,000 allocated to preserve Aboriginal cultural heritage in the Kimberley
- Eleven projects received grants in latest round of funding
- Part of Cook Labor Government's commitment to protecting and preserving Aboriginal cultural heritage
Aboriginal communities across the Kimberley will be supported to protect significant cultural sites and preserve cultural knowledge for future generations through the Cook Labor Government's Preserve, Promote and Protect our Aboriginal Sites grants program.
A total of $1.25 million has been allocated to Aboriginal Corporations and not-for-profit organisations across Western Australia to deliver projects that celebrate, conserve and safeguard Aboriginal cultural heritage.
Of that, $451,258 has been awarded to 11 projects across the Kimberley, delivered by nine organisations, to support Aboriginal-led efforts to protect heritage places, share cultural knowledge and strengthen connections to Country.
Successful recipients are:
- Gogolanyngor Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC;
- Mount Pierre Aboriginal Pastoral Corporation;
- Noonkanbah Aboriginal Corporation;
- Yawuru Native Title Holders Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC;
- Walalakoo Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC;
- Bardi and Jawi Niimidiman Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC (two projects);
- Kupungarri Aboriginal Corporation;
- MG Corporation (two projects); and
- Ardyaloon Incorporation.
Among the successful projects, MG Corp received funding for two Gunanurreng (Ord River) The Miriuwung Story projects at Ivanhoe Crossing and Lake Kununurra, which will share Miriuwung cultural stories through the development and installation of heritage signage.
Walalakoo Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC also received funding for the Doodoodoo Site Preservation and Intergenerational Learning Project, supporting rock art preservation, signage and fencing works, and the documentation of stories and traditional language to help pass cultural knowledge to future generations.
Across the Kimberley, funded initiatives include signage and fencing, vegetation management, protection of sacred and burial sites, rock art conservation, and projects that record and share cultural stories and traditional language.
Consultation with Traditional Owners and local stakeholders will underpin the planning and delivery of the projects, ensuring cultural knowledge and community priorities remain at the centre of heritage protection efforts.
The Preserve, Promote and Protect our Aboriginal Sites grants program supports practical, community-led initiatives that conserve Aboriginal cultural heritage while delivering social, cultural and economic benefits for local Aboriginal communities.
For more information about the grants program and funded projects, visit Grants to preserve and protect Aboriginal sites at www.wa.gov.au
As stated by Aboriginal Affairs Minister Don Punch:
"The Kimberley is home to some of Western Australia's most significant Aboriginal cultural heritage places and stories.
"These grants will support Traditional Owners and Aboriginal organisations to protect important sites, share cultural knowledge and strengthen connections to Country for future generations.
"I congratulate all successful recipients and thank them for the leadership they continue to show in preserving and promoting the Kimberley's rich cultural heritage."
As stated by Kimberley MLA Divina D'Anna:
"As a Kimberley local, I'm incredibly proud to see Aboriginal organisations across our region leading projects that protect important cultural sites and keep stories, language and traditions strong for future generations.
"These projects are about more than preserving heritage. They're about strengthening connections to Country, empowering communities and ensuring the rich cultural history of the Kimberley continues to be shared and celebrated."
