IPA

Partnerships and Governance

Our IPA provides the framework for our involvement in the management of Commonwealth, State and Local Government Protected Areas on our Country.

Recognition of our native title, Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAs), Traditional Use of Marine Resource Agreement (TUMRA) and other agreements over each part of the IPA enables coordinated management of our Country

IPA Component

Partner Agency

Management Instrument

Fish Habitat Area

Fisheries Queensland  

Exclusive Native Title
ILUA / MOU

Marine Park

DNPRSR

Exclusive Native Title

TUMRA / MOU

East Trinity Environmental Reserve  

DNPRSR
Southern Cross
University

MOU
Research Agreement

National Park

DNPRSR

Co-existing Native Title

ILUA /MOU

Malbon Thompson
Forest Reserve

DNPRSR

Co-existing Native Title

ILUA /MOU

Giangurra Reserve

Cairns
Regional Council

Co-existing Native Title

ILUA

World Heritage Area

WTMA

Co-existing Native Title
ILUA

Special lease

DNPRSR

Native Title under claim

Strategic decisions are made by the Mandingalbay Yidinji Strategic Plan Implementation Committee (MYSPIC), which includes representatives of Traditional Owners, partner management agencies and the IPA Program.

Goal

To achieve stable and effective governance of the IPA that equitably reflects and supports the rights, interests and obligations of Traditional Owners and partner agencies. 

Targets

  • Convene Djunbunji Ltd and Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation board meetings and Annual General meetings as per the relevant constitutions;
    (Target completion date: ongoing)

  • Maintain effective communication with Mandingalbay Yidinji Traditional Owners regarding the governance of Djunbunji Ltd, Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation and the IPA;
    (Target completion date: ongoing)

  • Convene at least two meetings per year of the Mandingalbay Yidinji Strategic Plan Implementation Committee (MYSPIC) (or its successor);
    (Target completion date: ongoing)

  • Maintain effective communication and collaboration with relevant partners on each project.
    (Target completion date: ongoing)

Monitoring and Evaluation

  • Record and distribute minutes of Board and MYSPIC meetings;

  • Report on key achievements and/or challenges at each MYSPIC meeting, as appropriate;

  • Report on all targets in annual IPA Program reports;

  • Assess progress towards achieving Goal in the five-year review of the IPA Management Plan.

Partnerships and Governance

Mandingalbay Yidinji IPA is governed and managed through partnerships between Traditional Owners, government agencies and other stakeholders, underpinned by legal and other effective (non-legal) mechanisms and arrangements.

The Partners

Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation

Other key functions of the Corporation include:

  • Pursuing additional native title claims, with the support of the North Queensland Land Council;
  • Negotiation and implementation of Indigenous land use Agreements (ILUAs);
  • Planning for areas of determined or claimed native title, including the development of the IPA Management Plan;
  • Any other issues relating to land use planning or exercise of native title rights and interests.

MYAC is governed by a Board comprising between 5 and 12 Directors appointed at a General Meeting. The majority of Directors must be members of the Corporation.

The Chair of MYAC also chairs the Mandingalbay Yidinji Strategic Plan Implementation Committee (MYSPIC), the multi-agency committee that coordinates the implementation of the Strategic Plan and will oversee the implementation of the IPA management Plan.

Djunbunji Ltd

Djunbunji Ltd is an Australian Public Company, limited by guarantee and registered by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC). The company is governed by a Board comprising a minimum of three Directors appointed at an Annual General Meeting.

A key function of Djunbunji is to manage the Djunbunji Land and Sea Program which employs and trains Rangers to manage Mandingalbay Yidinji country, including the IPA.

Djunbunji is the development arm of MYAC and provides administrative services for MYSPIC.

Queensland Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing (DNPRSR)

DNPRSR, which includes Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, is the government agency with legislative responsibility for the following protected areas located wholly or in part on Mandingalbay Yidinji country:

  • Grey Peaks National Park
  • Malbon Thompson State Forest
  • East Trinity Environmental Reserve
  • Great Barrier Reef Coast State Marine Park

DNPRSR, through its predecessor the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency, is a signatory to several ILUAs covering Grey Peaks National Park and Malbon Thompson State Forest, negotiated as part of the 2006 Mandingalbay Yidinji native title determination. DERM is also a signatory to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that sets out collaboration between DERM, Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation and Djunbunji Land and Sea Program in the:

  • Implementation of the Strategic Plan for Mandingalbay Yidinji;
  • Implementation of IULAs on Mandingalbay Yidinji country
  • Planning and management of Grey Peaks National Park, Malbon Thompson State Forest, East Trinity Environmental Reserve (including acid sulphate spoils remediation) and Great Barrier Reef Coast State Marine Park;
  • Planning and management of Mandingalbay Yidinji Indigenous Protected Area;
  • Training and mentoring of Djunbunji Land and Sea Program Rangers

The Queensland Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts is now responsible for the remediation of acid sulfate soils which were exposed as a result of land clearing for sugar cane farming in the 1970s on what is now the East Trinity Environmental Reserve.

QPWS and DSITIA are represented on MYSPIC.

Queensland Department Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI)

Through Fisheries Queensland, DEEDI is the agency responsible for the management of Trinity Inlet Fish Habitat Area, which includes are intertidal land on which Mandingalbay Yidinji exclusive native title was determined in 2006. Fisheries Queensland is a signatory to an MOU that sets out how Fisheries Queensland will collaborate with Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation and Djunbunji Land and Sea Program in the management of the Fish Habitat Area and in fisheries research, management and monitoring elsewhere on Mandingalbay Yidinji country. Fisheries Queensland is represented on MYSPIC.

Prefeasibility Study, which sets out options for tourism infrastructure development on East trinity Environmental Reserve in the context of broader regional tourism opportunities, including potential links with tourism initiatives elsewhere on Mandingalbay Yidinji country.

Through Biosecurity Queensland, DEEDI Coordinates efforts to prevent, respond to, and recover from pests and diseases that threaten the economy and environment, works to ensure continued market access for Queensland products, maintains Queensland’s reputation for high standards of animal care and keeping, reduces the risk of chemical contamination, promotes a safe food supply and helps to ensure Queensland land and the environment is healthy and resilient. Biosecurity Queensland collaborates with Djunbunji land and Sea Program Rangers in providing training and mentoring in biosecurity monitoring on Mandingalbay Yidinji country.

Wet Tropics Management Authority

Under the primary goal of the World Heritage Convention, the Authority's must provide for the implementation of Australia's international duty to protect, conserve, present, rehabilitate and transmit to future generations the Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area.

WTMA is a signatory to the ILUAs covering the management of Grey Peaks National Parks and Malbon Thompson Forest Reserve, has participated in IPA planning workshops, has provided technical support in the preparation of maps for the IPA Management Plan and is represented on MYSPIC.

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

GBRMPA provides marine park compliance training to Djunbunji Land and Sea Program Rangers and opportunities for Djunbunji Rangers to participate in GBRMP sea patrols. GBRMPA representatives have also participated in discussions regarding a possible Mandingalbay Yidinji Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreement and is represented on MYSPIC.

Commonwealth Dept. of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities

SEWPAC’s IPA Program has funded the development of the IPA Management Plan and participated in IPA planning workshops with other partner agencies. SEWPAC’s Working on Country Program is funding the wages of Djunbunji Land and Sea Program Coordinator and Rangers. SEWPAC is represented on MYSPIC.

Cairns Regional Council

Cairns Regional Council (CRC) is the Local Government authority for the area covered by Mandingalbay Yidinji IPA and is the trustee and manager of Giangurra Reserve, which lies within the boundaries of the IPA. CRC is represented on MYSPIC.

The ILUA between Mandingalbay Yidinji People and former Cairns City Council (the predecessor to the CRC) recognises the authority of Council to undertake its normal local government management activities in Giangurra Reserve (and elsewhere in the native title determination area) without requiring the consent from the native title holders. The ILUA also protects the continued public access to and enjoyment of the Reserve.

The ILUA, however, is silent on collaboration between Cairns City Council (and hence Cairns Regional Council) and Mandingalbay Yidinji People on the management of Giangurra Reserve. Through the implementation of the Mandingalbay Yidinji IPA management Plan we seek to work with the Cairns Regional Council in the sustainable use and management of the Reserve as part of our holistic management approach through collaboration with all the agencies responsible for managing protected areas on our Country.

Ergon Energy

Southern Cross University

Southern Cross Geoscience Research Centre of Southern University is engaged in a long term research project to monitor and contribute to the acid sulfate spoil rehabilitation project being undertaken by QASSIT and now DSITIA. The research is being led by Professor Richard Bush, Director of the Research Centre. Professor Bush has participated in IPA planning meetings and expressed support for the involvement of Mandingalbay Yidinji Traditional Owners and Djunbunji Rangers in the ongoing research.

Research Fellow, Centre for Tourism, Leisure & Work, School of Tourism and Hospitality Management at Southern Cross University regarding a possible research project to explore Traditional Owner led tourism initiatives on the IPA.

University of Queensland

UQ has expressed interest in becoming a research partner.

Mangrove Watch is a program that has been established to address the urgent need to preserve and protect threatened tidal wetland ecosystems as well as addressing both scientific and environmental management needs. This monitoring program targets estuarine and coastal systems where there are mangroves, saltmarsh and saltpans. Like Seagrass-Watch the program uses a partnership between community volunteers and scientists.

James Cook University

TropWATER, the centre for Tropical Water and Ecosystem Research at JCU, will partner Djunbunji Rangers in sea country work as opportunities arise.