Consultation with Indigenous communities

The Alligator Rivers Region has a continuous history of occupation by Aboriginal people dating back more than 50,000 years. The Ranger mine is located on Aboriginal land, and Aboriginal people continue to live and undertake their traditional cultural practices in the area surrounding the Ranger mine, including the collection of bush foods. Accordingly, ongoing consultation and information exchange with the local Aboriginal people is of particular importance.

Supervising Scientist works with Traditional Owner work crews to protect the Alligator Rivers Region

Supervising Scientist works with Traditional Owner work crews to protect the Alligator Rivers Region

Communicating with Aboriginal communities

We keep the Traditional Owners and other Aboriginal communities in the region informed about our work in a number of ways:

  • through our Community Liaison Officer who maintains a relationship with Aboriginal people in the region;
  • collaborative research work in the region;
  • meetings, briefings and regular personal contact between senior Supervising Scientist Branch (SSB) staff, traditional owners and senior managers of local Indigenous organisations;
  • Indigenous training and employment opportunities within SSB;
  • through resources developed for Indigenous audiences in their language;
  • school-based education programs.
Bushtucker is tested for radiation by Supervising Scientist Branch

Bushtucker is tested for radiation by Supervising Scientist Branch

The local knowledge of Aboriginal people in the ARR is invaluable and Aboriginal people are often employed on SSB research and monitoring projects as a way of exchanging knowledge and building relationships.

We work closely with the local Aboriginal people to identify the traditional foods collected in proximity to the Ranger mine, and study how they are prepared and eaten. SSB tests these bush foods to ensure that their consumption does not pose a radiological risk to Aboriginal people.

Further information