Phil s Views Girringun Newsletter Girringun Aboriginal Corporation PO Box 303 235 Victoria St Cardwell Phone: 07 4066 8300 Fax: 07 4066 8353 Website: www.girringun.com.au December 2013 Merry Christmas everybody. I hope that all you guys wish for come true. It is an absolute pleasure and privilege to work with and for you mob. The immense passion I had from the first day I started is even stronger today. The Girringun Aboriginal Corporation has grown to be the leading Indigenous land and sea management centre in Queensland. I thank our mob that attended our AGM recently and the contributions that came forward on the day, we acknowledge that we still have a lot of work to do and the AGM was a timely reminder of that. In closing I again want to sincerely thank you all for being a part of Girringun and being a part of the success s that come from your organisation. As a people we need to be strong and united. It is every bodies business but above all it is the business of our leaders to ensure that this is our core agenda. Please, have a safe and enjoyable festive season. I look forward to us all becoming even stronger in the new year. Biodiversity Buzz and Nursery News Well, summer is upon us! The humidity has hit and so has storm season The flowering of Flame Trees signals Xmas is coming up and we are working hard at getting the nursery constructed before the full force of the rainy season starts. We are getting very excited about the new nursery we will be building at the Jumbun Community!! As required by our grant conditions, we are now getting three quotes for each aspect of the works to be done to construct the nursery. The site is fantastic! So much room to grow more plants and we are really looking forward to working with the people of the Jumbun Community. We had a community BBQ at Jumbun last month and many people expressed interest in becoming involved with collecting seeds and growing plants at the nursery already which is great!! The Biodiversity and Nursery Team have also been getting out and about to let people know about the Girringun Nursery and Biodiversity Project. As part of the 25th year celebration of the declaration of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, the Girringun Biodiversity and Nursery Team did a presentation at the Botanical Gardens in Cairns about the Girringun Nursery and Biodiversity Project. Abe and Jean spoke about the use of plants as food, fibre and medicine and Daniel spoke about the project and his personal journey that led him to the working at the Girringun nursery. We also used this opportunity to launch the Wabu Jananyu book to the general public and have had great feedback about the book, with a number of books already sold to the wider community. A reminder for Girringun members, that if you would like a copy of the Wabu Jananyu Cultural Plant Use by the Girringun Tribal Groups, it is available to you for FREE!!! If you would like a copy, please contact Mel at Girringun on 40 668 300. If other people who are not Girringun members want a copy to buy, they will need to also contact Mel who can arrange payment by credit card or tax invoice. We have sold quite a few copies already. Remember the money raised from the sale of books goes towards the Girringun Nursery and to produce a second edition of the book. Once the Wet season starts and the rain is pouring, we will be starting to plant at our revegetation sites Warrami lagoon (Murray Upper), Wongaling Beach (Mission Beach) and Mungalla (Ingham area). As we are concentrating on constructing the nursery in the coming months, we will need help with the revegetation projects!!! Therefore we would like to invite Girringun members who are interested in working on revegetation sites in the Tully, Murray Upper and Mission Beach area to please contact Mel at Girringun and register your interest. Please give her your name and address and a resume, so when I am looking for revegetation crew, I know who is interested. I cannot promise work for everyone, however I need people to let me know that you are interested before I can give you work!!
It s been a great year!!! We have done so much this year!! Big thanks to everyone who helped us with seed collecting, working in the nursery, working with the schools, at revegetation sites, removing weeds and supporting us through buying books and plants!!! We really appreciate your help!!! The Biodiversity Team would like to wish all the Girringun members and their families a big Happy Xmas and a prosperous New Year! Looking forward to seeing you all next year for more planting!! Flowering and Fruiting this month BULL OAK (Cardwellia sublimis) Our forests are now in bloom with two of our most beautiful species of the Proteacea family - the Bull Oak (Cardwellia sublimis) and the Brown Silky Oak (Darlingia Darlingiana). The Bull Oak is a very large, rainforest tree growing to around 30m. The leaves have brownish or silvery sheen on the underside of the leaves. Young, opening shoots look like little, partly clenched human hands. The tree is only found in the Wet Tropical forests of North Queensland between Townsville and Cooktown. In rainforests areas, the showy, cream-coloured flowers can now be seen at the top of the trees, often above the canopy. The cream spikey flowers grow in pairs in larger bunches of flowers. These beautiful flowers, are followed by big, woody pods, growing to about 11 cm long. These pods stand erect on the stem and eventually split, to expose up to 12 brown, papery, winged seeds that are blown and dispersed by the wind. These pods are often found on the rainforest floor and some fall and dry in heart shapes. Small seedlings look like little butterflies. The Bull Oak is one of the most useful timber trees in North Queensland rainforests. The timber is used for cabinet making, as it has a beautiful oak grain. Many homes in North Queensland were largely constructed from this species due to its useful and moderately durable wood. The timber was used from the framing to the interior and exterior cladding. They have been trialed in plantations but have not been viable as a plantation timber. Unripe fruits are eaten by Sulphur Crested Cockatoos. Left to right Bull Oak pods and seeds wind
FLAME TREE (Brachychiton acerifolius) DILLA (Girramay and Jirrbal language) The Flame tree, our own Northern Queensland Christmas tree, is out in bloom now covered in bright red, bell-shaped flowers at the end of the branches. It is a medium sized tree growing to 30-35m in height, but usually grows smaller in cultivation. Flame trees will generally drop all of their leaves in the Dry Season, before flowering in October to December. However not all Flame Trees will drop all their leaves every year. In some seasons the tree will retain the leaves on part or all of the tree. The tree out the back of Girringun, has kept some of its leaves but is flowering beautifully this year, carpeting the backyard area in red flowers. Fertilized flowers are followed by large, leathery seed capsules, which contain corn-shaped seeds covered in bright yellow, fine irritant hairs. It is important not to inhale these tiny hairs as they can irritate the throat. They can also irritate the skin and cause blindness. We use gloves when we collect and plant these seeds. The seeds were roasted and eaten by Aboriginal people in some parts of Australia, being carefully prepared due to the irritant hairs. Fibre from the inner bark was also used to make twine for fishing nets and fishing lines in some places of Australia. Hunters Forum, Stradbroke Island - 11 th to 13 th November 2013 A delegation from Girringun, including TUMRA Steering Committee and senior staff members, attended the forum on Stradbroke Island. One of the objectives of the forum was to develop a shared vision statement of the future of Indigenous Sea Country Management. Coordinator of the Indigenous Land and Sea Strategic Policy Group (ILSSPC) Gary Lui, used information collected from participants, to form a statement that would reflect this shared vision. This vision statement is in draft form and is being reviewed by participants for further comment and input. The review closes on 30 November 2013 and the final statement will be included in the next newsletter for your information. Mandubarra Turtle Rehabilitation Centre Opening 23 rd November 2013 More than 60 people were on hand to help celebrate the opening of the Mandubarra Turtle Rehab Centre located at Coquette Point, just outside of Innisfail. The centre will care for sick and injured turtles in the Cassowary Coast region and if necessary, be held until a place can be cleared for them at the Cairns Turtle Hospital. Congratulations to Henry and Nellie Epong and the Mandubarra people for their ongoing dedication and commitment to this project. TUMRA Induction Workshop, Cardwell 26 th and 27 th November 2013 Members of the Girringun TUMRA Steering Committee together with senior staff members and departmental staff (QPWS, GBRMPA and Fisheries) were invited to a 2-day Induction workshop which was held at the Cardwell Community Hall. Traditional Owners from Mamu, Yirrigandji and Koinmerburra were also invited.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) Strategic Assessment, Cairns - (28 th November 2013) The TUMRA Coordinator was invited to attend an Indigenous Stakeholder workshop for the purpose of providing feedback and comments on two parts of a comprehensive strategic assessment of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage area and adjacent coastal zones. These two parts are as follows:- Two draft reports have been prepared from the assessments - a Strategic Assessment Report and a Program Report These reports were discussed at the forum and will also be available for public consultation until 31 January 2014. Coming Up:- Thursday, 12 th December - TUMRA Steering Committee meeting For further information, please contact the TUMRA Coordinator, Cheryl Grant at the Girringun Office. The Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre was invited to submit a range of bagu with jiman for selection to be used as trophies for the annual Museum & Gallery Services GAMAA Awards. Five works by Theresa Beeron, Charlotte Beeron, Ethel Murray and John Murray were selected and these were presented at their gala awards night in Brisbane in November. Sponsored by Brian Tucker of Brian Tucker Accounting the feedback we received was that the bagu with jiman trophies were received very well. Winners included the Qld Museum Development Officer Program; Kombumerri Aboriginal Corporation for Culture Beenleigh; Wondai Regional Art Gallery, Virginia Rigney of the Gold Coast City Gallery and Peter Almond of the Hervey Bay Museum. Left Kombumerri Aboriginal Corporation for Culture. Winner Organisations: Staff of Under 4. Photographer: Chelsea Sipthorp. Trophy by Charlotte Beeron, represented by Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre. The Gallery and Museum Achievement awards are presented by Museum & Gallery Services Right Virginia Rigney Gold Coast City Gallery. Winner Individuals: Paid. Photographer: Chelsea Sipthorp. Trophy by Theresa Beeron, represented by Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre. The Gallery and Museum Achievement awards are presented by Museum & Gallery Services
Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) IPA Yay! Hello, I recently started in the position of Girringun Region Indigenous Protected Area Coordinator with Girringun Aboriginal Corporation. I have had the pleasure of meeting and working with some Girringun members and Traditional Owners from the region and look forward to getting to know more people and country within the Indigenous Protected Area (IPA). While there are many impacts affecting the land and sea country of the Girringun Region, there is also some excellent work being undertaken by Girringun Rangers and our partners to manage the country. The IPA provides Girringun an opportunity for greater Indigenous regional engagement in management planning and on ground activity. I am excited to have the opportunity to work together with Girringun Members, Rangers, Staff and IPA Partners to ensure that Traditional management practices are recognised and incorporated to keep Girringun country and culture healthy and strong. I would like to wish all a peaceful and restful holiday season and happy New Year. I look forward to seeing you soon. Girringun Office will be closed from 23rd December and will reopen 6th January 2014. FOR SALE at Girringun For $35 each Members receive a book for free. Call Girringun office to order. Can Girringun members please notify the office of new addresses. Girringun would like to acknowledge and thank the following funding bodies Australian Government Caring for Country GBRMPA SEWPAC