Nantawarrina rangers find new revenue streams to support their community

Tourism opportunities and feral goat control are just some of the ways the Nipapanha Community Inc. Council and the Nantawarrina rangers it employs are creating jobs and wealth for the local communities.

The Nantawarrina Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) is located in the rugged North Flinders Ranges of South Australia on an important tourism route through the Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park and Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary. Declared in 1998, Nantawarrina was Australia’s first IPA and sits in the heart of traditional Adnyamathanha lands. Working on Country funding then started in 2009/10 to employ six fulltime and four part-time rangers to manage the IPA.

The Community Council formed Adata Madapa which was given responsibility to create a tourism strategy and business which would benefit the local communities.

At first, tourism revenues at Nantawarrina were low but rose just over 10 per cent from 2012 to 2013 and by 150 per cent in 2014.

Greg Moore, Chief Executive Officer of Nipapanha Community Inc. Council explains the increase in tourist numbers.

“Positive word of mouth and brochures describing the IPA for tourists were distributed at key tourism sites around the Flinders by our Rangers,” Greg said.

“We’ve since received a number of letters from tourists describing how wonderful the IPA looks. One said it is “the best place I have visited in travelling around Australia over 45 years”.”

A number of tourism infrastructure projects were completed in 2013/14. These projects included a walkway at Moro Gorge, a culturally significant site and the main tourist destination in the IPA and the renovation of an old pine and pug hut called Irish Well (Nantawarrina homestead).

“We are building and erecting self-registration shelters where tourists can buy permits to enter the IPA. We have also improved our main road signage to direct people into the IPA,” Greg said.

The Community Council uses the tourist revenue to build more tourism infrastructure and for priority community projects. A café and guided tours will eventually provide jobs for other community members.

The money raised from feral goat mustering will also benefit the local communities. Nine-hundred animals were removed from the IPA in 2013/14 and 2100 in 2014/15.

The rangers are now trying to make the most of  their traditional skills but also gain more through specialised training in Vegetation Impact Assessment (particularly around the impacts of feral goats) and Aerial Survey Techniques. This will provide further options to earn money, secure future contract work outside of the IPA and therefore reduce their dependence on Government funding.