Ngalang Boodja Council Aboriginal Corporation

NGALANG BOODJA COUNCIL

The Ngalang Boodja Council Aboriginal Corporation (NBC) is an Aboriginal Corporation established under the Aboriginal Councils and Associations Act 1976 in September, 1999. The NBC is open to all Collie Noongars and has members from most of the main family groups in Collie.

The objectives of the Corporation are to:
• Secure land and protect heritage on behalf of Noongar peoples, including communal, group or individual rights, interests and obligations of Noongar peoples in relation to land.

• Make policy on Noongar land in accordance with Noongar traditions and values for Noongar culture and language.
• Seek legal, political and historical recognition of Noongar people’s individual, communal and collective rights.
• Support the maintenance, development and advancement of Noongar culture and collective language.
• Promote harmonious community relations with other members of Australian society
• Manage and maintain land given to the Corporation
• Promote advancement of Noongar peoples in health, education, social and business enterprise

The NBC encourages the development of Noongar owned and operated enterprises and actively supports community projects aimed at improving the health and well being of Collie Noongars.

In the area of business development the NBC has been an active partner in the securing of over $1 million in funding from the WA State Government and Wesfarmers Premier Coal for a mine lake aquaculture development at a Collie minesite. Curtin University has donated over $320,000 of aquaculture infrastructure to the Corporation for use in the project. A subsidiary company, Ngalang Boodja Enterprises Pty Ltd, of which the NBC is the sole shareholder, has been formed to manage the enterprise.

NBC has a strong record of conducting successful community based projects. Previous and current projects supported by NBC are as follows:

• Education
An education project with three primary schools in Collie and one in Bunbury that resulted in the establishment of a bush foods garden on the school grounds (2006 – 2007) and an after schools activities project funded by the Shire of Collie (2010)

• Conservation and land management
A bush regeneration project focussed on weed eradication and native plant rehabilitation at two town blocks in Collie that has removed weeds and restored land and established two walk trails on land previously used as an Aboriginal reserve (2006-2009)

• Training and employment
In association with the Collie TAFE, delivery of Certificate courses in leadership development, rural operations, tourism, business administration and community services (2007 – 2010).

• Health, well being and community development
A six month women’s project funded by DET and aimed at introducing Collie and Bunbury Noongar women to stress management techniques and encouraging them to consider undertaking skills training in the natural health area (2008). A two day bus tour of sites of historical interest to Collie Noongars sponsored by the South West Development Commission. A Collie Noongar Awards project funded by the WA State Government Office of Multicultural Interests..

• Enterprise development
A $1 million government and private industry sponsored aquaculture development project adjacent to a minesite in Collie and two enterprise development projects, of 6 and 12 months duration sponsored by DAFF. The six month project aimed at engaging Indigenous people from the Collie region with experts in integrated aquaculture, food technology and seed production industry to develop their knowledge and understanding of how to manage and operate aquaculture, farm forestry and other farming enterprises. The second project is aimed at developing a business plan for a native plant cultivation project focussed on sandalwood and other commercial native plants.

NBC & NBE Contacts

Mr Norman Hayward
Chairperson, Ngalang Boodja Council
PO Box 420
COLLIE WA 6225
Mob: 0415 916 840

Mr Phillip Ugle
Chairperson, Ngalang Boodja Enterprises Pty Ltd
227 Atkinson St
COLLIE WA 6225
Mob: 0406 802 186

Dr Louis Evans
Public Officer
Ngalang Boodja Council & Ngalang Boodja Enterprises Pty Ltd
74 Burgess Crescent
BELHUS WA 6069
Mob: 0417 917 280