Joint Management

Murujuga National Park is privately owned by the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation (MAC) and jointly managed with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) – Parks and Wildlife Service.

Joint management of Murujuga National Park is required by the Burrup and Maitland Industrial Estates Agreement. Its implementation is administered by the Murujuga Park Council (MPC), which is comprised of representatives from MAC (in which the freehold title of the land is vested), the DBCA and the WA Minister for Aboriginal Affairs.

The rangers of the MLSU jointly manage the National Park with DBCA staff.  The Murujuga National Park Management Plan, which is administered by the MPC, guides MAC and the DBCA in their management duties, roles, responsibilities, and decision making. The MPC, which meets on a regular basis, consists of three DBCA representatives, one representative from the WA Department of Planning, Lands, and Heritage, as well as six Traditional Custodian representatives. The Murujuga Cultural Management Plan (MCMP) establishes protocols for ensuring cultural safety while on country.

Joint management arrangements aim to conserve, protect and promote Aboriginal cultural, archaeological, natural and recreational values. They also provide for managed access to the area and sustainable recreational activities for the Burrup Peninsula.

The MCMP also identifies ‘on country’ opportunities for the provision of long-term employment and sustainable business development for the Traditional Custodians of the area (Ngurra-ra Ngarli). These activities include, for example, ‘on country’ land and sea management. Other opportunities include developing the tourist potential for the area while ensuring that the traditional cultural and natural values of the place are maintained.

Important objectives of Joint Management include:

• Respect for Aboriginal traditional knowledge and skills associated with ‘looking after’ and ‘caring’ for land and sea ‘country’.
• Maintenance of the Aboriginal traditional decision-making protocols of the Ngurra-ra Ngarli.
• Best practice, combined with ‘state of the art’ skills and techniques, is used in a culturally appropriate manner to enhance joint management of the park.
• The Ngurra-ra Ngarli will, at all times, endeavour to meet their cultural, social, and spiritual obligations to country while, at the same time, satisfying current and contemporary aspirations of MAC’s members to derive benefits from land ownership.