YMAC Annual Report 2022

Key highlights:
Ngarlawangga Country
During the reporting period, YMAC’s
Heritage and Research units were
engaged by Ngarlawangga Aboriginal
Corporation RNTBC to undertake social
surroundings fieldwork for Rio Tinto’s
Environmental Protection Authority
application. Staff continued to
conduct field trips with Ngarlawangga
community representatives to discuss
the potential impact of mining on
important cultural sites, as well as
the aesthetic, economic and social
aspects of the landscape.
Nganhurra Thanardi Garbu Aboriginal
Corporation RNTBC
In 2022, YMAC facilitated an on-theground
survey to record the cultural
values of water at Cape Range National
Park. Baiyungu and Yinnigurrura
Heritage Custodians drove this project
to record and protect local heritage
values because increased development
and intensified WA tourism may have
an impact on the landscape in Exmouth
and Cape Range.
Further to this, in June 2022, a team
from YMAC went to Qualing Pool in
Exmouth with Baiyungu and Yinnigurrura
Heritage Custodians to discuss cultural
values and boundaries for a proposed
conservation reserve with the DBCA.
These consultations will allow Baiyungu
and Yinnigurrura Heritage Custodians to
celebrate the heritage of the area with
visitors to Exmouth while protecting
important cultural values.
Yinggarda Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC
During 2021 and 2022, YMAC facilitated
discussions with Yinggarda Heritage
Custodians regarding the Gascoyne
River. Main Roads Western Australia
plans to improve the safety of bridges
in the region and were keen to protect
the cultural values of the waterways
during this process.
Key outputs:
• Coordinated 99 survey and
monitoring trips; 62 were surveys
or other investigations.
• With Traditional Owners, YMAC staff
conducted 16 of these surveys.
AIATSIS Summit 2022
In June, a member of the Heritage
unit travelled with other YMAC staff
and Directors to the Sunshine Coast
to attend the National Native Title
Conference.
This year, the conference celebrated
the 30th anniversary of the Mabo
decision, with many excellent speakers
from around Australia addressing a
multitude of topics including cultural
information and intellectual property
protection, fire management and
Indigenous-led research.
On the final day, Federal MP Linda
Burney gave her first address to First
Nations people since her appointment
as Minister for Indigenous Australians
and popular singer Christine Anu
delivered a spectacular concert
at the Friday night gala dinner.
Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation | Annual Report 2022 | 45