Traditional owners relieved as sacred gorge permanently protected from mining

A profound sense of relief has washed over the Wangkamadla people as their sacred Nganganterre gorge, also known as Painted Gorge, is now permanently protected from mining activities. This designation averts the potential destruction of significant cultural sites, a fear that loomed large following the devastating Juukan Gorge disaster in Western Australia.

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I was really worried … I was quite upfront about the risk of harm to this site, that it would be more significant than what happened in Juukan Gorge

Avelina Tarrago, a Wangkamadla woman, barrister, and director of the Mulligan River Aboriginal Corporation, expressed her deep worry about the risk of harm to Nganganterre. She had been upfront about the potential for damage to be more significant than what occurred at Juukan Gorge. Her efforts, alongside the corporation, were instrumental in convincing mining and petroleum companies to withdraw four exploration leases from the remote reserves, including Nganganterre, located on Queensland's border with the Northern Territory.

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No doubt it would have been destroyed

The Queensland government officially granted the request in April to permanently protect Pilungah Reserve, which encompasses Nganganterre, as a special wildlife reserve. This status, unique to Queensland, is based on both cultural and environmental values. The protection ensures that the petroglyphs and song lines, integral to the Wangkamadla people's ceremonial history and knowledge, remain undisturbed. The celebration of this protection included traditional practices like a smoking ceremony and singing, reinforcing the deep connection between the people and their ancestral land.

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If anything had happened to the site, it would be like personally harming our people, our Wangkamadla people, the holders of knowledge here.