The traditional owners of an iconic Queensland national park hope a new management plan will allow them to protect and showcase their culture to the world.
Launched today, the Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park Management Plan formalises the joint management of the park between the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) and the Waanyi people, who have occupied the area for over 37,000 years.
In 2020 Waanyi Advancement Limited took over management of the Adels Grove tourist centre, but the new plan gives the body more control over the future of the entire national park.
"It's now set in stone and it's in a contract that we can actually start setting up all our hopes and dreams and aspirations around the park and lay a foundation to have economic development in our backyard," corporation chairman Alec Doomadgee said.
"It gives us hope and it gives our region aspirations around running business, whether it's eco tourism or whatever, it opens a lot of doors for us.
"We've got five or six rangers at the moment and we're hoping to increase that amount and, in the years to come, hopefully we can get some funding and increase our activities in the area."
Mr Doomadgee said the management plan had been years in the making.
"I've spent the last eight years working towards this point," he said.
In 1994, after several protests, a native title claim was lodged on behalf of the Waanyi people, but it was not until 2010 that they received native title rights over the region.
'Very exciting'
Lawn Hill Gorge, with its sandstone cliffs and emerald waters, is an oasis in the outback that attracts an abundance of wildlife and thousands of tourists every year.
Mr Doomadgee said the launch of the management plan would create opportunities to better preserve historical sites and enrich tourists' experiences.
"It's very exciting for visitors, because they're going to get a firsthand look at Waanyi culture from Waanyi people," he said.
"It's going to increase the popularity of the park and I feel that it's going to increase visitor numbers, because this is going to bring about a cultural experience of the national park that has never been there before."
State Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said the co-design of the management plan started nearly two years ago and involved a range of experts and dedicated individuals.
"The plan identifies a number of opportunities and challenges that QPWS and the Waanyi people would focus on managing over the next 10 years," she said.
Editor's note 7/6/2022: An earlier version of this story had incorrect information as to the managers of Adels Grove tourist centre in 2020. This has been corrected.
