Update!

It's been over a year now that a team from EWB, Aurecon and CAT have been working with the Kuku Ngungkal people at Shipton's Flat in Far North QLD.  It's been a long road but it looks like we're finally getting there.  Catch up on where the basic infrastructure project is at.

Posted by Lizzy Skinner to Shipton's Flat Basic Infrastructure project, 7th September 2010, 3:50pm

A team of EWB volunteers, in conjunction with Centre for Appropriate Technology (CAT) and engineering consultancy firm Aurecon, have been working closely with the Kuku Ngungkal people at Shipton’s Flat in Far North QLD. The project brief for Stage One of the project is to assist with the engineering and design of a basic amenities block, which will be constructed with members of the local community. The amenities block is a small part of a greater vision for the site, driven by the strength and commitment of elders Marilyn and Peter Wallace. Under the banner of Bana Yarralji Bubu Incorporated (the organisation established by Peter and Marilyn)  they envisage a place of cultural healing, learning and land management.  last year they were successful in gaining 4 years of funding to establish an indigenous ranger program employing over 8 local rangers.  This EWB project is now a critical part of establishing the facilities to run and manage this ranger program.

Bana Yarralji Bubu Incorporated initially started making plans for the site with the support of CAT when in 2007 Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation was formed to receive native title and aboriginal land grants under the Kuku Yalanji[1] determination. Shipton’s Flat was the first piece of land to be handed back as Aboriginal Freehold Title..

With a small amount of funding granted in early 2009 they requested the assistance of EWB to establish basic infrastructure on site. EWB quickly gained significant support from Aurecon who agreed to take on the responsibility of pro-bono design and construction management. After the first site visit by the EWB project team and through meetings with the local council, it became apparent that the development approval process would be more extensive as (in contradiction to the Indigenous Land Use Agreement) the land was zoned for conservation. To allow for construction of amenities on the site, a complex Material Change of Use planning application would be required..

To clarify issues surrounding the conservation overlay on the site, Aurecon with assistance from the Ngungkal Rangers have conducted two ecological surveys of the site with the aim of rezoning the incorrectly mapped vegetation communities at Shipton’s Flat.

The assistance provided to BYB from Aurecon, EWB, and CAT in addressing the planning requirements has become as significant a form of assistance as the actual infrastructure. The highly complex nature of Planning Approvals processes would have been a major barrier to the Kuku Nyungkal people to being able to benefit from the Native title determinations.  If Aurecon and the EWB team had not agreed to take on this unforeseen challenge BYB would have been trapped behind yet another wall of red tape.  

With the designs finalised and the whole team raring to go, we are eagerly waiting for planning approval from the council before construction can commence. Hamish and Caitlin from the EWB team and Andre from CAT recently visited Shipton’s Flat to meet with community members and undertake a detailed site survey for the planning application. The visit also allowed scoping out of recycled materials and local trades people to assist with construction.

It was fantastic to spend some time with the Ngungkal rangers out on country at Shipton’s Flat. Marilyn welcomed us with a traditional smoking ceremony and we spent the day mapping out the future infrastructure on the site. This proved to be a very valuable exercise as a few adjustments to the building layout were needed to optimise solar access for the hot water system on the roof and to ensure enough space was available for greywater trenches. 

The whole team and the community all have our fingers crossed that the council will give the go-ahead in the coming weeks, and we can get up there by the end of the year and get our hands dirty! The construction will be undertaken by a team of 5 Ngunkal workers and 5 EWB volunteers over a period of 3 weeks. As the wet season runs from December to April it is critical that we can start this as soon as possible to beat the rain!

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[1] The Kuku Nyungkal are one clan group of the Kuku Yalanji People who are the traditional owners to the world renown Daintree region from Mossman to Cooktown

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