Binalup Aboriginal Corporation keen to build on relationships and be guided by elders after ranger funding

Binalup Aboriginal Corporation will continue to grow its ranger program under the guidance of its elders after receiving funding from the State Government last week.

BAC has been allocated $702,466 to support its rangers over the next 18 months and was one of three Great Southern ranger programs to receive funding in round seven of the WA Aboriginal Ranger Program.

Ranger program manager Shawn Colbung said the funding was important because it gave its rangers job security until 2026 so they could continue doing their good work.

As well as a host of restoration projects in and around Albany, one of BAC’s biggest projects is the ecological restoration of a 140ha area near Tambellup.

“We are working closely with the Shire of Broomehill-Tambellup and the Odonata Foundation — who have set up wildlife sanctuaries all over Australia — and the local Noongar community as well,” Mr Colbung said.

He said it was important to BAC that it continued to work under the direction of elders when it came to restoring country.

“That’s a big thing for us, bringing order back within our Noongar community and getting our elders back involved to create strong role models for future generations,” he said.

It was also important to BAC that it continued “creating and building relationships” while trying to educate the wider public.

“Whether that is between Indigenous groups such as ourselves, non-Indigenous groups, local governments — it’s about bridging the gaps through really meaningful work,” Mr Colbung said.

“The history of it all is very important and we work to identify, protect and preserve a lot of that knowledge as well as our cultural places.”