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| Goolarabooloo Jabirr Jabirr Aboriginal Corporation | |
|---|---|
| Name | Goolarabooloo Jabirr Jabirr Aboriginal Corporation |
| Type | Aboriginal corporation |
| Location | Dampierland, Western Australia |
| Established | late 20th century |
| People | Jabirr Jabirr, Goolarabooloo |
| Region | Kimberley |
Goolarabooloo Jabirr Jabirr Aboriginal Corporation is an Indigenous corporation representing the traditional owners of parts of the Dampierland coast in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The corporation acts as a native title body, cultural custodian, land manager and community service provider on behalf of Jabirr Jabirr and Goolarabooloo peoples, engaging with Australian federal agencies, Western Australian state agencies, academic institutions and private sector partners. Its activities intersect with notable legal decisions, conservation programs and high-profile disputes over development, heritage and resource use.
The corporation represents speakers and descendants associated with the Jabirr Jabirr language, the Nyulnyulan language family linked to scholars at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, the University of Western Australia, and the Western Australian Museum. Traditional country includes areas documented in anthropological work by Norman Tindale, Donald Thomson, and more recent ethnographers collaborating with the National Museum of Australia and the Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation. Cultural connections reference songlines, kinship systems studied alongside research at the Australian National University, Monash University, and the University of Sydney, and ceremonial practices recorded in archives held by the State Library of Western Australia and the National Archives of Australia.
The corporation functions as a prescribed body corporate established under the Native Title Act 1993 and engages with the National Native Title Tribunal, the Federal Court of Australia, and the Attorney-General’s Department. Native title determinations in the Kimberley have involved parties such as the Northern Territory Aboriginal Legal Aid Service, the Kimberley Land Council, and external legal teams including barristers practising in the High Court of Australia and the Supreme Court of Western Australia. Cases concerning coastal rights have been informed by precedents like Mabo v Queensland (No 2), Wik Peoples v Queensland, and subsequent determinations recorded by the Australian Law Reform Commission and specialised legal research programs at the University of New South Wales.
The corporation’s governance follows the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 model, with a board of directors, membership rolls, and structures comparable to the Kimberley Land Council, Central Land Council, and local Aboriginal medical services such as Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation. It liaises with state entities including the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage, and federal agencies like the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. Governance has drawn on training and funding from organisations including Indigenous Business Australia, the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and philanthropic partners such as the Ian Potter Foundation and the Myer Foundation.
Land and sea country management programs coordinate with Parks Australia, the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, and conservation NGOs including the Australian Conservation Foundation and WWF-Australia. Heritage management engages archaeologists from Flinders University and the Australian National University, as well as curators from the Australian Museum, the Western Australian Museum, and UNESCO heritage frameworks. Management plans intersect with marine science from CSIRO, coastal mapping by Geoscience Australia, and ranger programs supported by the Indigenous Ranger Program and the Working on Country initiative, often in partnership with local shires such as the Shire of Broome and environmental law advice from the Environmental Defenders Office.
The corporation delivers community services in collaboration with organisations including the Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia, the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services, the Australian Red Cross, and Centrelink outreach programs. Education and cultural revitalisation projects have partnered with remote schools under the Department of Education, TAFE Western Australia, the School of Indigenous Studies at the University of Western Australia, and language revitalisation initiatives supported by First Languages Australia. Health, housing and economic development projects have liaised with Indigenous Business Australia, the National Indigenous Australians Agency, and philanthropic programs from the Gandel Foundation and the Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council.
High-profile disputes involving the corporation have intersected with national attention alongside developments involving Woodside Energy, Chevron Australia, and state infrastructure projects; such disputes have been covered in hearings before the Federal Court of Australia and debated in the Parliament of Australia. Protests and campaigns have connected with activists and organisations such as the Australian Conservation Foundation, Friends of the Earth Australia, and media outlets including the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, The Guardian Australia, and The West Australian. Legal challenges and negotiations have involved entities like the National Native Title Tribunal, the Environmental Protection Authority, and NGOs including Sea Shepherd and Amnesty International in advocacy contexts.
Contemporary partnerships include collaborations with research institutions such as the CSIRO, the University of Western Australia, Murdoch University, and James Cook University on biodiversity and climate resilience, and with industry partners in tourism like Tourism Australia and remote tourism operators. Ongoing issues encompass climate change impacts studied by the Australian Academy of Science, maritime rights addressed in submissions to the International Maritime Organization, and policy engagement with the National Indigenous Australians Agency, the Productivity Commission, and state ministers. The corporation continues to navigate economic development, cultural heritage protection, and intergovernmental relations alongside organisations such as the Kimberley Development Commission and national advocacy bodies including Reconciliation Australia.
Category:Aboriginal corporations in Western Australia Category:Kimberley (Western Australia) Category:Indigenous Australian organizations