Australia’s largest monolith becomes latest addition to national park land in WA
Australia’s largest rock is now part of Western Australia’s conservation estate after becoming one of the latest additions to national park land in the State.
And no we’re not talking about Uluru, we mean Mount Augustus (Burringurrah) – a geological structure that’s one-and-a-half times the size of Australia’s most famous rock.
The monolith is part of the largest single contribution to Western Australia’s conservation estate under the Plan for Our Parks project, with a 816,000-hectare parcel of land to be added to the conservation estate in WA’s north.
It’s also set to create new opportunities for tourism at Mount Augustus (Burringurrah).
“This is a significant milestone, not only for the Plan for Our Parks initiative, but also for Wajarri Yamaji People,” said Environment Minister Reece Whitby.
“It means Wajarri Yamaji Aboriginal Corporation, in partnership with the State Government, will support efforts to manage cultural sites, create job and economic opportunities for Traditional Owners, and improve conservation efforts.”
The new national parks are just over 850 kilometres north of Perth and have important cultural values and are home to several threatened flora and fauna species.
Under the Indigenous Land Use Agreement, the State Government will partner with Burringurrah and Minangu within the region to manage the national parks.
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This will see 16 Traditional Owners employed as rangers – eight to be based at Burringurrah, six at other national parks, and two joint management support officers.
“This is what our people have wanted for a long time,” said Wajarri Yamaji Aboriginal Corporation CEO Jamie Strickland.
“This ILUA provides Wajarri Yamaji People access to be able to manage Wajarri country,” he added. “While it is a partnership approach with the State Government through the Joint Management Bodies, it is clear Wajarri Yamaji cultural knowledge and authority are critical elements to this.”
Alongside Burringurrah, the other national parks in this new partnership include Muggon, Dalgaranga and Lakeside Conservation Park.
Image Credit: Supplied