Blog

Carnarvon Community Workshop – Have Your Say on Yamatji On-Country 2025

Posted: May 16th, 2025

Date: Tuesday, 27 May 2025
Time: 10:00am – 2:00pm
Location: Carnarvon Motel, Carnarvon WA

This year YMAC’s Yamatji Regional Committee are taking on a new approach to the annual Yamatji On-Country event and will be holding a series of community consultation workshops across the region in the lead up to the event.

This first workshop in Carnarvon is your chance to be part of the conversation and ensure your voice helps shape the 2025 On-Country gathering in September.

We’ll be talking about the key issues raised in the 2024 Call to Action, including:

• Systemic Change
• Housing & Accommodation
• Police & Justice
• Employment, Training & Economic Development
• Racism
• Education
• Health & Wellbeing

Check out the Yamatji on-Country website page for more information here

Closing the Gap – Have your say!

Posted: March 26th, 2025

Have your say on the implementation of Closing the Gap, through the Independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led Review.

This independent review provides an opportunity for First Nations people to share their experiences of the implementation process of the Closing the Gap agreement.

Through a national survey, a national submission process, intensive forums, stakeholder interviews, and an in-person assembly, First Nations people are invited to share their lived experience, success stories, and ideas for building momentum for Closing the Gap.

The Independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led Review of Closing the Gap takes place after the Productivity Commission Review, which recently revealed government failure in addressing the issues faced by Aboriginal communities. After this year’s Productivity Commission Review, YMAC called on the State Government to urgently address the requests from Traditional Owners in the Pilbara and Yamatji regions, which are outlined both the 2024 Yule River Call to Action and Solutions Roadmap, and the 2024 Yamatji On-Country Call to Action.

Both of these documents are directly tied to the Closing the Gap Outcomes.

The Independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led Review of Closing the Gap is being conducted by the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research. The national survey and submission process is now open, with both closing on 16 April 2025.

To complete the survey and find out how else you can get involved, visit the Coalition of Peaks website.

Experience Tjaabi – Flood Country

Posted: March 24th, 2025

The Joondalup Festival is bringing stories and sounds from the Pilbara to Perth through Tjaabi – Flood Country, a celebration of Country and culture through immersive theatre, music, spoken word, and animation. With performances at Padbury Hall this Friday, 28 and Saturday, 29 March, get your tickets ($11-$19) via the Joondalup Festival website.

A tjaabi is a form of song unique to the Pilbara region, capturing stories, dreams, thoughts, and moments. Each song is sung by a particular person and relevant to a particular place, handed down through the generations.

Led by Ngarluma man Patrick Churnside, Tjaabi – Flood Country explores the many cultural and ecological pressures facing Aboriginal people in the Pilbara. A gifted storyteller, Patrick shares his life story through music, narrative, and humour. He grew up with the tjaabi song tradition; his grandfather Bob Churnside one of the West Pilbara’s most renowned singers. In Tjaabi – Flood Country, Patrick shares his own story of growing up the Pilbara, the lineage of cultural knowledge, contemporary relevance of Indigenous ecologies, working on Country, and the power of Ngarluma language.

“Tjaabi has become one of my passions and life’s work,” Patrick said. “I pour my heart into it, researching, learning and performing. Through my commitment to awakening and sharing tjaabi in this innovative intercultural project, I hope understanding and reconciliation will grow, greater awareness of country and stronger song, story and culture.”

For those in other parts of the state, the performance will also be touring later in the year:

• Cockburn – Sunday, 6 July
• Geraldton – Friday, 11 July
• Beverley – Wednesday, 16 July
• Harvey – Saturday, 19 July
• Margaret River – Saturday, 26 and Sunday, 27 July
• Port Hedland – Sunday, 16 November
• Karratha – Friday, 21 and Saturday, 22 November

Find out more about Tjaabi – Flood Country on the Big hART website.

Photo: Leith Alexander

YMAC’s New Strategic Plan – Have Your Say!

Posted: March 7th, 2025

Throughout 2025, Think Culture is supporting YMAC with consultation and the development of a new strategic plan for 2026 – 2030.

Think Culture is currently inviting people and organisations connected to YMAC’s work in our Yamatji and Marlpa regions to contribute their thoughts and ideas in this process by completing the online survey.

YMAC is committed to creating a plan that meets the current and future needs and aspirations in our regions, while also fulfilling our governance and native title representative body (NTRB) responsibilities for these areas.

Scan QR code in our flyer below or please click here to complete a survey. Survey closes 30 April.  

Do you want to have your say on the services available for Aboriginal people in Geraldton?

Posted: February 20th, 2025

The Midwest Aboriginal Organisations Alliance (MAOA)  – of which YMAC is a member – want to hear from all Aboriginal people in Geraldton about the services that you may use. Are they doing a good job? Can you access those services? Are there any services you need that aren’t already in Geraldton?

If you are interested in having a say, you can join MAOA at one of two community meetings being held in Geraldton on 25 and 26 February,  See flyer below to learn more.

Congratulations to the Wajarri Yamatji people on their successful Native Title Determination

Posted: February 18th, 2025

Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) congratulates the Wajarri Yamatji people as they celebrate the Federal Court’s recognition of their connections to Country as Native Title Holders.

The Wajarri Yamatji people are celebrating Part F of their Native Title Determination, held on Southern Yamatji Country at the Geraldton Surf Life Saving Club on Thursday 13 February. The decision handed down by the Honourable Justice Murphy of the Federal Court of Australia was the sixth and final native title determination for the Wajarri Yamatji people, resolving all their claims.

This important event for the Wajarri Yamatji Native Title Holders is the culmination of a legal process spanning almost 30 years. YMAC is proud to have worked with the Wajarri Yamatji people to provide legal advice and other support for this and previous claims.

The determined area covers around 14,706 square kilometres of land and waters in Wajarri Yamatji Country, with the Wajarri Yamatji people also being recognised as holding exclusive native title over around 3,239 square kilometres.

The day’s proceedings ended with cultural dancing from Wajarri Yamatji people and time shared together over lunch.

Read more about the Wajarri Yamatji Determination in our Media Release, and view more images from the Wajarri Yamatji determination in our photo gallery.

Nanda people celebrate the Federal Court’s recognition of their connection to Country as Native Title Holders

Posted: February 18th, 2025

Last Thursday 13 February, the Honourable Justice Murphy of the Federal Court of Australia delivered the Nanda Part C Native Title Determination on Southern Yamatji Country at the Geraldton Surf Life Saving Club. This is the third successful native title determination for the Nanda people, with all native title claims now resolved.

Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) congratulates the Nanda Native Title Holders, and the Nanda Aboriginal Corporation who will be taking on the important responsibilities of managing the rights and interests associated with this claim.

The area of land determined last week covers around 1,831 square kilometres of land and waters, with Nanda being recognised as holding exclusive native title over around 1,104 square kilometres.

YMAC is proud to have provided legal and other advice to the Nanda claims over the almost 30-year process.

Read more about the Nanda Determination in our Media Release.

You can also check out images from the Nanda determination in our photo gallery.

CSIRO internal Indigenous Research Grants opening soon

Posted: February 3rd, 2025

Applications for CSIRO’s internal Indigenous research grants will be opening on 24 February 2025.

There are four grant categories available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, communities, and organisations, designed to champion Indigenous-led research for the empowerment of community. These categories support a range of projects, from planning to large scale projects, with preference given to medium and large-scale proposals with a 50% co-contribution.

CSIRO research areas and programs include:

• The Living STEM Initiative – connecting Indigenous knowledge to the classroom
• Water – mine-dewater assessment and evaluation for cultural use and benefits
• Addressing the energy transition challenge – overcoming environmental issues such as carbon emission
• Critical minerals – consider historical abandoned mine shafts and mine dumps on Country.

CSIRO also offers research and development support for start-ups and small business, including matched funding of $10,000 – $50,000. Find out more on the CSIRO website.

For more information and to apply, contact Humera Rind at humera.rind@csiro.au or on 0472 793 522.

Badimia Guwaga First Nations Language Project launches with community workshops

Posted: January 31st, 2025

The Badimia Guwaga Team – including the Bundiyarra-Irra Wangga Language Centre, Badimia community members, and linguist Dr James Bednall – have been awarded a $300,810 grant from the Department of Education for the Badimia Guwaga First Nations Language Project.

In partnership with Mount Magnet District High School, the project aims to foster the use of Badimia language in community and assist with the intergenerational transfer of language and culture among Badimia people. The project is led and directed in consultation with Badimia Elders, organisations, and community, with this recent funding expanding an existing online Badimia language learning portal.

Five trainee educators from the local community will receive comprehensive training in Badimia language, with the aim of participating in classroom teaching at Mount Magnet District High School, as well as leading on-Country activities in partnership with the school. This training will bring the educators in line with the Department of Education’s Aboriginal Language Teacher Training.

In-person activities will also be held on-Country for members of the Badimia community, as well as online opportunities for those off-Country.

This project is entirely driven by the Badimia people and carries on the legacy of the late Gami Ollie George. It also aligns with the Yamatji on-Country 2024 Education Call to Action from young people across the region who have called for an opportunity to learn about culture from a young age, as well as language education in both primary and high school so that language can be passed through the generations.

To kick off this exciting program, a series of community workshops will be held from Thursday, 27 February to Sunday, 2 March 2025, in Mount Magnet. To find out more, download the Badimia Community Language Workshop Flyer.

Read more about the Yamatji on-Country Call to Action here.