Country, Culture, People, Future

Weld Range

Traditional Owners and miner work together in Weld Range

Posted: December 3rd, 2014

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The Wajarri Yamatji people of Western Australia have announced an agreement with iron ore miner Sinosteel Midwest Corporation Ltd. The Agreement is over Sinosteel’s Weld Range project 70 kms northwest of the town of Cue in WA’s Midwest.

The National Heritage Listed Weld Range is a not only a very significant area to the Wajarri Yamatji people, but also to the history of Western Australia. Sinosteel and the Wajarri Yamatji people agreed on exclusion zones around areas of particular importance, where Sinosteel has agreed never to mine.

For the full media release click here.

Check out YMAC News issue 16

Posted: December 14th, 2011

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The latest issue of YMAC News is now available from our website, featuring some great stories of Traditional Owners in the Pilbara and Midwest looking after their country, culture and heritage.

Click here to read about steps the Nyangumarta people have taken with the State Government to protect their sea country, a legal decision that supports protection of the heritage-listed Weld Range, YMAC staff learning about Aboriginal culture, and some exciting photos of recent law business at Warralong Aboriginal community.

This issue also includes the outcomes of YMAC’s Annual Regional Meetings, information about YMAC’s operations this summer, and a feature introducing two members of our Board of Directors, Selina Stewart and Ben Roberts.

If you would like to request hard copies of YMAC News or join our e-subscribers list and get information first, please contact srosenfeld@ymac.org.au.

Weld Range gets media attention

Posted: November 1st, 2011

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The Weld Range, in Wajarri Yamatji country, has been getting alot of media attention lately. Since it was included on the National Heritage List earlier this year, the National Native Title Tribunal has made the unusual ruling that a mining lease should not be granted there because of the significance of the area to Traditional Owners.

This week the ABC has published an informative story highlighting the historical importance of Wilgie Mia and the Wajarri Yamatji people’s dedication to its maintainance and protection.

Read the ABC story here

NNTT finds Wajarri heritage is more important than money

Posted: September 27th, 2011

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Traditional owner Colin Hamlett in the Weld Range

The National Native Title Tribunal (NNTT) has recently made a very important decision for the Wajarri Yamatji people. The NNTT ruled that four mining tenements in the Weld Range cannot be granted because of the cultural significance of the area to the Wajarri Yamatji people.

This is only the second time that the NNTT has ever made such a decision, and it comes after parts of the Weld Range were accepted on to the National Heritage List earlier this year.

Weld Range Metals, the company that wished to mine the area, has been reluctant to meet with the Wajarri Yamatji people and did not come to agreement over the proposed mining project.
Deputy President Sumner of the NNTT came to the conclusion that, “the interests, proposals, opinions or wishes of the [Wajarri Yamatji people] in relation to the use of the Tenement area should be given greater weight than the potential economic benefit or public interest in the Project proceeding. The Weld Range area (including the Tenement area) is of such significance to the [Wajarri Yamatji people] in accordance with their traditions that mining on it should only be permitted with their agreement.”

The NNTT’s decision was reached after an on-country hearing earlier this year which included visits to important places in the Weld Range. The Wajarri Yamatji people and YMAC staff gave evidence about “caves with rock art, waterholes and old corroboree and ceremonial grounds, all of which remain of particular significance to the [Wajarri Yamatji people] in accordance with their traditions.”

This is a fantastic result for the Wajarri Yamatji people and YMAC congratulates them for their strength in fighting to protect their cultural heritage.

Watch GWN’s coverage of the story here: http://au.gwn7.yahoo.com/w1/video/-/watch/26753825/native-title-tribunal-vetoes-mine/ 

YMAC CEO in WA Business News

Posted: July 19th, 2011

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This week, YMAC CEO Simon Hawkins, features on page 21 of WA Business News.

The article entitled ‘Travel Talk’ features Simon’s chosen travel destinations and covers some of his favourite places, including Karijini National Park, Weld Range, Coral Bay and 80 Mile Beach.

Click here for a pdf of the article

Check out the new look YMAC News

Posted: March 23rd, 2011

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The latest issue of YMAC News is out today, with a new look and expanded format. In issue 13 of YMAC’s newsletter you can catch up on what has been happening at YMAC over the past three months with stories on the agreement between the Yugunga-Nya people and Sandfire Resources, the National Heritage Listing for the Weld Range, YMAC’s uranium community guides, the Premier’s Australia Day Award for the Aboriginal Communities Charitable Organistaion, the three YMAC women who were honoured for International Women’s Day, as well as profiles of some of our board members.

Click the link below for an electronic version or email srosenfeld@ymac.org.au to request hard copies for yourself, your family, your business or workplace.

YMAC News March 2011

Weld Range added to the National Heritage List

Posted: February 25th, 2011

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Signpost – road leading to Wilgie Mia/Thuwarri Thaa, Weld Range in distance

 

This week the Weld Range in WA’s Midwest joined other iconic Australian sites on the prestigious National Heritage List.

The Weld Range is approximately sixty kilometres north-west of Cue, and is of significant cultural importance to the traditional owners of the area, the Wajarri Yamatji people, as well as neighbouring Indigenous groups.

The 45ha area of the National Heritage Listing includes Wilgie Mia, Little Wilgie Mia and the Marlu Resting Place. These sites contain sacred law grounds, dreamtime places, thousands of examples of rock art, extensive archaeological material, and the Wilgie Mia red ochre mine.

The inclusion on the National Heritage List will help Wajarri Yamatji people to manage the area effectively, alongside the growing mining and tourism industries in Western Australia.
Click here to read more about the Weld Range on the National Heritage List

Country is our mother, the provider and keeper of cultural belongings. Country and Culture go together. You can’t have one without the other.

Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners and custodians throughout Western Australia, and on whose Country we work. We acknowledge and respect their deep connection to their lands and waterways.

We honour and pay respect to Elders, and to their ancestors who survived and cared for Country.

Our offices are located on Whadjuk Country, Southern Yamatji Country, Yinggarda Country, Kariyarra Country, and Yawuru Country. We recognise the continuing culture, traditions, stories and living cultures on these lands and commit to building a brighter future together.

Disclaimer: Caution: Please be advised that this website may contain images, voices and names of deceased people.

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