Cassowary Coast Region Traditional Owners
Despite the fact that Captain Cook sailed along the Cassowary Coast between 8-9 June 1770, he did not make landfall until further north at Cape Grafton. Diary notes by Joseph Banks during their journey past Rockingham Bay stated ‘…we saw with our glasses about 30 men women and children standing all together and looking attentively at us…’. Cook also described the people as having short hair - they were Girramay.
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Years later, on his third expedition north, Edmund Kennedy landed at the southern end of South Mission Beach on 24 May 1848. The Girramay people have stories handed down where Kennedy had been assisted and fed by their forebears. The Edmund Kennedy Walkway (aka ‘Kennedy Walking Track’) now commemorates his landing. Aboriginal people in the region lived harmonious traditional lives until European settlers began occupying their homelands from 1872. Aboriginal language names remain in use for the name of many locations within the Cassowary Coast Region.
Today, Registered Native Title Body Corporates (RNTBC) are traditional owner organisations in the Cassowary Coast Council Region who have received formal Native Title determination through the Federal Courts. These traditional owner organisations should respectfully be the first point of contact to learn more about their history, or for Welcome to Country, consultation and inclusive engagement.
In accordance with the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003, any artefacts, stone tools, scarred trees etc found on country, must not be removed and traditional owners should be notified of the location as it is their responsibility to either collect or leave on site.
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Innisfail Region
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Mamu people are traditional owners with Native Title since 2013 for lands from Canal Creek to Coopers Point in the north, Little Maria Creek in the south, and west to Dirran Creek at Tarzalli. The Mamu cultural group has five clan groups – Warribarra, Dugulbarra, Mandubarra, Dyirribarra and Bagirbarra with distinct areas of country identified. Mamu people have ongoing custodial responsibilities and contribute to the Wet Tropics Aboriginal Cultural and Natural Resource Management Plan (www.wettropicsplan.org.au). Mamu Aboriginal Corporation serves to ‘protect, preserve and advance the traditions, laws, languages, special knowledge, culture and customs of the Mamu native title holders.’ The Mamu Aboriginal Corporation logo depicts totemic animals - Gayambula (white cockatoo), Jaban (spotted eel), Gumbugan (cassowary), Jigirrjigirr (willie wagtail) and Gugu (Mopoke owl).
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Services: Mamu Aboriginal Corporation should be first contact for
Welcome to Country at events and formal meetings within the Innisfail region.
They provide educational talks if pre-booked.
Website: Nil
Ref: Mamu Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC | PBC (nativetitle.org.au)
Contact: Mamu Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC
Address: 2 Stitt Street, INNISFAIL QLD 4860
Postal Address: PO Box 50, INNISFAIL QLD 4860
Phone: (07) 4043 8050
Mobile: 0484 144 073
Email: mamurntbc@gmail.com
ABN 20 894 321 353
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Mission Beach Region
Djiru people are the traditional owners with Native Title since 2011 for lands around Mission Beach including parts of the Tully Gorge National Park, Clump Mountain National Park, Djiru National Park, Hull River National and Walter Hill Ranges Conservation Park. Djiru people have ongoing custodial responsibilities and contribute to the Wet Tropics Aboriginal Cultural and Natural Resource Management Plan (www.wettropicsplan.org.au).
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Services: Djiru Warrangburra Aboriginal Corporation should be first contact for Welcome to Country at events and formal meetings in the Mission Beach region. They provide educational talks if pre-booked and have a display of art and artefacts at their office on Porters Promenade in Mission Beach. Some Djiru people are artists at Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre in Cardwell.
Website: Nil
Ref: Djiru Warrangburra Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC | PBC (nativetitle.org.au)
Contact: Djiru Warrangburra Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC
Address: Shop 4/10 Porters Promenade, MISSION BEACH QLD 4852
Postal Address: 3 Tramway Street, INNISFAIL QLD 4860
Mobile: 0422 511 823
Email: djiru_warrangburra@icloud.com
ABN 22 996 297 688
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Tully Region
Gulngay people are the traditional owners with Native Title since 2019 for the Tully region including eastern sections of Tully Gorge National Park, Tully River in the west, across the Murray River in the south, and up to and including the Walter Hill Range in the north. Gulngay people have ongoing custodial responsibilities and contribute to the Wet Tropics Aboriginal Cultural and Natural Resource Management Plan (www.wettropicsplan.org.au).
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Services: Gulngay Kinjufile Aboriginal Corporation should be first contact for Welcome to Country at events and formal meetings in the Tully region. They provide educational talks if pre-booked. Some Gulngay people are artists at Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre in Cardwell.
Website: Nil
Ref: Gulngay Kinjufile Aboriginal Corporation | PBC (nativetitle.org.au)
Contact: Gulngay Kinjufile Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC
Address: 8 Plumb Street, TULLY QLD 4854
Postal Address: PO Box 679, CAIRNS NORTH QLD 4870
Mobile: 0488 503 660 or 0456 504 270 (Rachel Salmon)
Email: gulngaykinjufile@gmail.com
ABN 94 573 727 020
Tully Gorge Region
Jirrbal people are the traditional owners with Native Title since 2008 for western sections of Tully Gorge National Park in the Cassowary Coast region, and further west to Ravenshoe and Herberton, east to Evelyn Central and south to Davidson Creek at the bottom of Tully Gorge. The Jirrbal people are represented by the Wabubadda Aboriginal Corporation (WAC) based in Atherton. The Jirrbal people have ongoing custodial responsibilities and contribute to the Wet Tropics Aboriginal Cultural and Natural Resource Management Plan (www.wettropicsplan.org.au).
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Services: Wabubadda Aboriginal Corporation should be first contact for Welcome to Country at events and formal meetings at the Tully Gorge. Some Jirrbal people with WAC also work as guides with Echo Creek Adventure Centre and artists at Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre in Cardwell.
Website: Nil
Ref: Wabubadda Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC | PBC (nativetitle.org.au)
Contact: Wabubadda Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC
Address: Suite 1/7 Herberton Road, ATHERTON QLD 4883
Postal Address: PO Box 930, Atherton QLD 4883
Phone: (07) 4091 7215
Mobile: 0418 349 833
Email: rntbcadmin@wabubadda.org
ABN 27 042 616 622
Cardwell Region
Girramay people are the traditional owners with Native Title since 2009 for lands around Cardwell, including Bilyana and Murray Upper area. The Girramay people have ongoing custodial responsibilities and contribute to the Wet Tropics Aboriginal Cultural and Natural Resource Management Plan (www.wettropicsplan.org.au).
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Services: Girramay People Aboriginal Corporation should be first contact for Welcome to Country at events and formal meetings in the Cardwell region. They provide educational talks if pre-booked. Some Girramay people are artists at Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre in Cardwell.
Website: Nil
Ref: Girramay People Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC | PBC (nativetitle.org.au)
Contact: Girramay People Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC
Address: Shop 2/65 Victoria Street, CARDWELL QLD 4849
Postal Address: PO Box 28, EURAMO QLD 4854
Phone: (07) 4066 2138
Email: girramay@gmail.com
ABN 60 556 714 466
Hinchinbrook Island
Bandjin people are the traditional owners for Hinchinbrook Island and are represented by the Girringun Aboriginal Corporation.
Girringun Aboriginal Corporation (GAC)
GAC is not a Registered Native Title Body Corporate but does represent some traditional owners from within the Cassowary Coast region such as Djiru, Girramay, Gulngay and Jirrbal. GAC is also the parent body of Girringun Art Centre in Cardwell with artists from these cultural groups. GAC also represents traditional owners and artists from outside the Cassowary Coast region including the Bandjin, Gugu Badhun, Nywaigi, Warrgamay and Warrungnu peoples. Traditional owners from these cultural groups have ongoing custodial responsibilities and contribute to the Wet Tropics Aboriginal Cultural and Natural Resource Management Plan (www.wettropicsplan.org.au). The Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre was established in 2008 and has many artists who have exhibited nationally and internationally. Based in Cardwell, it is the only Aboriginal Art Centre in the Cassowary Coast region. Artist members produced a series of upscaled ‘Bagu’ sculptures as public art along the Cardwell foreshore.
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Services: Girringun Aboriginal Corporation manages Ranger Programs, plant nursery, Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre and a Keeping Place for cultural display.
Website: Home | GIRRINGUN ABORIGNAL CORPORATION
Contact: Girringun Aboriginal Corporation
Address: 235 Victoria St, CARDWELL QLD 4849
Postal Address: PO Box 303, CARDWELL QLD 4849
Phone: (07) 4066 8300
Email: eo@girringun.com.au
Enquiries: admin@girringun.com.au
ABN 55 744 388 981
Website: ART | GIRRINGUN ART CENTRE | Queensland
Phone: (07) 4066 8311
Email: ArtsManager@girringun.com.au