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Cairns hosts First Nations Dingo Forum

22 May 2024
Jobs, Land and Economy
Minyumai Rangers Jessie McGellicott, Keith Morgan, Sam Wilson with ‘Red’ the Dingo.
Minyumai Rangers Jessie McGellicott, Keith Morgan, Sam Wilson with ‘Red’ the Dingo. Gathering Dingo knowledge before attending the First Nations Dingo Forum.
Minyumai Rangers and Girringun Rangers at the Girringun Art Centre.
Minyumai Rangers and Girringun Rangers at the Girringun Art Centre.

Indigenous Rangers from the Minyumai Indigenous Protected Area in NSW have attended the Inaugural First Nations Dingo Forum hosted by Girringun Aboriginal Corporation in Queensland.

The Dingo is an Australian icon, who holds a special place in First Nations culture and daily life as a hunting companion, family member and protector.

The Inaugural First Nations Dingo Forum has been held in Cairns, hosted by the Girrugun Aboriginal Corporation, bringing together First Nations Rangers with dingo geneticists, ecologists, lawyers and advocates from across the country.

They have come together to discuss the plight of the dingo, their cultural significance, management and greater representation of First Nations voices in decision-making in dingo conservation.

Bandjalang woman Maitland Wilson is a conservation and land management bush ranger and project manager with Minyumai, The Minyumai Rangers were one Ranger group in attendance,

‘My experience at the National Inaugural First Nations Dingo Forum was phenomenal. It was such a heart-warming feeling knowing everyone in the room was there for the same reason – protecting a native Australian species, the king of country, the Dingo,’ Maitland shared.

The Minyumai (Bandjalang word for 'camping’ or ‘meeting place') Indigenous Protected Areas (IPA) is a 2000ha property bordering the Bundjalung National Park and Tabbimoble Swamp Nature Reserves.

The Minyumai Rangers aim to preserve, conserve, and help rehabilitate Ngugum (Dingo) on the Minyumai IPA.

The forum helped in the Rangers’ work to create a safe environment and expand the population of Dingoes. The Rangers monitor the Dingoes movement along trails with camera traps, and examine what they eat.

When Dingo habitat is preserved, Dingoes remain living in their natural environments so ongoing conservation is an important part of their ecosystem.

Attendees at the Forum also had the chance to visit K’gari (Fraser Island) to gain new knowledge and skills on the protection of and vital role Dingoes have on the Island’s ecosystem.

‘I learnt how the Girringun Rangers and TO’s (Traditional Owners) care for their lands, freshwaters and saltwaters in their country.

We’ve learnt an abundance of Dingo knowledge. Our objectives and goals align with each other in protecting such an amazing culturally significant species,’ Maitland explained.

This was also the first time Minyumai Rangers and Girringun Rangers met to discuss potential partnerships and share experiences, skills and techniques on how they manage Dingo conservation and protection.

Attendees of the Forum delivered a National First Nations’ Dingo Declaration a national dingo declaration calling for legislative protection of Dingo’s from lethal protection.

Find out more

The Minyumai and Girringun IPA’s are supported by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. The Minyumai Rangers and Girringun Rangers are supported by the National Indigenous Australians Agency’s Indigenous Ranger Program.