Mutjuŋ Rangers
'Our dream is to manage and look after our western Miyarrka land, freshwater and sea country as an Indigenous Protected Area through our Mutjuŋ Ranger Program'
Goŋ-Ḏäl Aboriginal Corporation established Mutjung Rangers as a small self-funded independent ranger group in 2023 so Yolŋu leaders in our area can manage their own land and sea country using a ‘both-ways, ground-up’ approach which combines cultural knowledge and traditional land and sea management practices with scientific environmental expertise.
Mutjung Rangers are guided by the Western Miyarrkapuy Waṯaŋu Mala – the Yolŋu land owners and managers who are the cultural authority (advisory group), who have drafted a Healthy Country Plan for the Western Miyarrka area. Our HCP guides our Mutjung Rangers Action and Monitoring Plan, and Work Plans.
Currently we employ casual part-time 12 highly motivated trainee men and women rangers through our Homelands CDP Pathways To Real Jobs On-Country initiative. Our aim is to grow Mutjung Rangers from a CDP-funded ranger program into a fully-funded Indigenous Ranger Program.
Our amazing partner - Plan International Australia - is providing funding for Healthy Country Planning and a Ranger Development Coordinator, while WWF are funding inclusion of women’s knowledge and participation in Healthy Country Planning and Mutjung Rangers.
The western Miyarrka area is in north-east Arnhem Land. It is bordered by the Buckingham River to the west, extending half-way across Arnhem Bay to the east, and south to the Central Arnhem Road.
This area includes the homelands and areas of Bunhaŋura, Dhamiyaka, Raymangirr and Yalakun, and areas of Baralmana, Dhuwalkitj, Gupawupa and Maŋatha, as well as the small town of Gapuwiyak.
OUR WESTERN MIYARRKA
HEALTHY COUNTRY PLAN
OUR VISION
Western Miyarrka land and sea country is healthy and our cultural knowledge, gurruṯu (kinship system), rom (law) and buŋgul (ceremonies) are strong, with a strong ranger program guided by Yolŋu Waṯaŋu Mala (Yolŋu cultural authority).
Our people are healthy, living in our homelands, speaking our Yolngu matha (languages), walking on country following the footsteps of our ancestors, singing and mapping our manikay (songlines) and wäŋa (places).
Our young people are educated both ways and old people are passing on knowledge.
Western Miyarrka area has a strong economy, good employment, supported enterprises and partnerships.
OUR TARGETS
Djalkiri maṉapanmirr gurruṯu ga rom – Foundation of Yolŋu connection and law
Mulkurr djambatj – Strong knowledge
Makmakthurr wäƞaw' – Respect for country and sacred areas
Ḏiltjiw’ wäŋa ga gapu rapiny – Bush and freshwater country
Mathalaw’ ga raŋiw’ wäŋa ga gapu moṉuk – Coast and sea country
Latju marrkap’ wäŋa – Strong homeland communities
Ralpa Mutjuŋ wäŋa djägamirr mala – Strong Mutjuŋ Ranger team
Manymak gurtha djäma – Right-way burning
THREATS TO OUR TARGETS
Loss of cultural knowledge
Poor homelands infrastructure and services
Lack of good supervision and guidance
Lack of funding and resources
Weeds
Wrong way burning
Problems caused by climate change
Lack of communication and poor relationships
People doing the wrong thing in wrong place
Feral animals
Lack of ranger experience
Rubbish and pollution
Targets are the really important things that we want to look after to have healthy country.
Threats are things that will do damage or stop us from reaching our targets
MUTJUŊ RANGER ACTIVITIES
Since 2023, Mutjuŋ Rangers has engaged in many activities as we learn about managing our country and running a ranger program. These include:
Healthy Country Planning - Western Miyarrka Waṯaŋu Mala, GDAC directors and managers, and Mutjuŋ Rangers working together with Conservation Management to finalise our Western Miyarrka Healthy Country Plan
Accredited training - in Chainsaw use and safety, Fire Management, Remote First Aid and 4WD training
On the job-training and mentoring - work-readiness and planning, small motor and vehicle maintenance, safe storage and care of equipment, welding, mowing and whipper-snipping, WHS
Fire management - working alongside Yirralka Rangers to undertake asset protection - clearing and burning around our homelands and important infrastructure like houses, tanks and pipes, and to patch burn areas of country under the guidance of our Waṯaŋu Mala.
Welding projects - learning how to weld so we can use these skills to repair and construct shelters, infrastructure, BBQ’s and outdoor furniture, shelves, storage and other things we need
Cultural Mapping - identifying the many hundreds of names, stories and songlines held in our land and sea country, and finding new ways to map these and pass this knowledge on
Learning On Country - working with Gapuwiyak School and Yirralka Rangers to support the learning-on-country program
Making signs and looking after popular recreation areas
Supporting homelands and CDP - working with the CDP team to clean up and mow our Homeland communities
Weed management - hand pulling mission grass in our homelands
Welding BBQs.
Healthy Country Planning workshop with Conservation Management facilitators, Waṯaŋu Mala and Rangers.
Cultural mapping work.
Burning with Yirralka Rangers to protect the Bunhaŋura community water pipe.
Making BBQs, tables and chairs to practice welding skills.