CLOSING THE GAP

Wik
Timber
Collect Seed
Salvage Harvest Trees
Nursery
Salvage Other
Forest Product
Northern
Australia
Timber
Barge
Ship Haul
to Market
Market
2
Mine
Rehabilitation
Woodchip Forest,
After Salvage
Through this project, the ILC earns
carbon credits for the emissions they
avoid. Income earned is reinvested
to support the implementation of
better fire management practices,
improved protection of cultural
and environmental values, and
access to the property—allowing
traditional land owners to reconnect
with cultural values and actively
manage important cultural sites.
“All we’re doing now is using
the old and incorporating it
with the new and now we’ve
derived a dollar value from what
we used to do in the past.”
John Daly, Indigenous Ranger/
Mentor, Fish River Station
The ILC reinvests the income
from the project to support
the implementation of better
fire management practices,
improved protection of cultural
and environmental values, and
access to the property – allowing
traditional land owners to reconnect
with cultural values and actively
manage important cultural sites.
Wik Timber innovative
local solution 2
Communities across Cape York
have a long-standing history of
harvesting local timber, used to
help build communities such as
Aurukun, Napranum and Mapoon.
Products from sawmills operated by
community members were used for
community infrastructure including
houses and churches. Beautiful
examples of this craftsmanship
can still be seen today.
Continuing this proud tradition,
a unique business partnership is
developing between Wik Timber
Holdings, Traditional Owners,
the Ngan Aak-Kunch Aboriginal
Corporation and Rio Tinto to provide
‘on country’ job opportunities and
training for Indigenous people
from the Cape York region.
The partnership supports
sustainable community forestry
and is committed to the protection
of cultural heritage and the
environment as well as using forest
resources constructively rather
than see them go to waste.
Wik Timber is negotiating access
to an estimated 4 million tonnes of
salvageable timber at the Amrun
Bauxite development south of
Weipa. Before mine clearing in
an area of the Amrun Bauxite
development the Wik Timber
team will collect the seeds of
trees in the area to propagate
in the nursery. These seedlings
will be used to rehabilitate the
area once mining has ceased.
In 2017, up to 30 Indigenous people
from Western Cape York will start
forestry operations training.
CLOSING THE GAP: PRIME MINISTER'S REPORT 2017
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