Selena Uibo
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
Dheran Young
Member for Daly
Media Release
Rum Jungle rehabilitation program provides career pathways for locals
6 June 2022
As efforts to rehabilitate an historic uranium mine in Litchfield continue, ten Aboriginal trainees working at the site have completed the formal component of studies in land management.
The trainees, who are working at the former Rum Jungle mine, celebrated their achievements at the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education graduation on Thursday.
Uranium was discovered at the headwaters of the Finnis River in the late 1940s, following a call from the Australian Government to locate a substantial uranium deposit as a source of nuclear material for weapons development.
By 1954 the Rum Jungle mine was up and running and for the next 16 years supplied ore to the US and British nuclear weapons programs.
However, the environmental and ecological impacts were devastating. Plant and aquatic life within the area were destroyed as radioactive tailings containing sulphur and a range of heavy metals were discharged into waterways.
Current works are part of a new, modern phase of rehabilitation at Rum Jungle, following on from the first clean-up attempt in the 1980s.
The trainees are involved in revegetation, weed treatment, safety works and ongoing environmental monitoring at the site as part of joint Australian and Northern Territory Government- funded program, that was developed in consultation with the local Kungarakan and Warai Aboriginal communities.
The 11 year plan – which is subject to outstanding approvals – will create jobs, improve heritage sites, and rehabilitate the surrounding environment, including the Finniss River.
Reaching the end of their 12-month traineeship, the team has completed Certificate II in Conservation and Land Management through the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education.
Trainees have received their first aid certificate and construction white card, and have also completed media studies, all-terrain vehicle training, GPS site mapping (including weed and wildlife identification), bush food studies, and chemical handling and weed spraying courses as part of the program.
The trainees have been working closely with consultants, experts and project staff in a team-based delivery to ensure development of knowledge and skills across all team members and they continue the ongoing rehabilitation of the site.
The work has seen the trainees build nesting boxes for threatened species, undertake local species seed collection to prepare for long-term revegetation of the former Rum Jungle mine site and carry out Aquatic Ecology surveys and environmental water sampling.
Trainees have also been actively participating in gamba grass management and fire planning to prepare the land for revegetation and the Stage 3 major earthworks program.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Selena Uibo:
“The Territory Labor Government is dedicated to ensuring that Aboriginal communities are able to be meaningfully engaged in employment and discussions about what happens on their land.
“Our key priority is to rehabilitate the mine site through improved water quality and environmental conditions so that the Kungarakan and Warai Aboriginal communities have more options around the future use of the land.
“Ongoing rehabilitation of mining legacies across the Territory reflects our Government’s commitment to sustainable resource development.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Daly Dheran Young:
“I am really proud of the achievements of the trainees who are carrying out valuable rehabilitation work at Rum Jungle.
“This is an example of locals working to fix their country that was shockingly damaged by neglectful past practices so they can leave it in a better place for future generations.
“It was a privilege to be at the graduation last week to celebrate the achievements of these people who are not only working hard to further their own skills but are making a beneficial difference to their community.”
Quotes attributable to Land Management Trainee Kym Hoffmann:
“We’re all family that I’m working with. The other trainees, they’re all extended family so it was good to meet them.
“For us who are Kungarakan and Warai and speaking specifically for my own clan, it’s been a long time coming and I’m so happy and grateful that I’m on the team that’s part of the fixing of our Country.
“The work that we’re doing, it’s a very natural job.
“I think if you’re interested in growing things, if you’re interested in looking after things and taking care of our planet, if you’re interested in just working, this is the kind of work that is fun. This is a really good job because it’s good work. Its hard work, but we have fun while we’re doing it.”
Quotes attributable to Land Management Trainee Anastasia Goodman:
“I love everything about doing the traineeship.
“I enjoy learning different skills and just going out there and working on the land and trying to fix up what’s been damaged. I think it’s important to try and fix up the damage on our land.
“What I really love doing is weed spraying, because I had been doing something similar before this job, working for the NLC rangers. I really like to do land management work.”
The DITT Rum Jungle Rehabilitation Project group is pictured together after graduating from Certificate II in Conservation and Ecosystem Management (AHC21020) at Batchelor Institute on 2 June 2022. (Back L-R) Leroy Daly, Justin Salzgeber, Lands Management Coordinator Geoff Brook, Christopher McGregor, Aaron Russell, Tyrone Watson, Edward McGregor, David Yates, Winnona McGregor, Kym Hoffman, and Project Director Jackie Hartnett. (Front L-R) Anastaisa Goodman Yates, Denzel Yates and family members. Photo: Batchelor Institute.
