Riverine Site Maintenance a great example of healing Country together
NQ Dry Tropics has developed strong partnerships with Traditional Owners during more than 20 years of operation.
A great example of this is the Riverine Site Maintenance project that focused on building skills, experience, and employment opportunities for Traditional Owner-led crews while supporting the long-term healing of Country across the Burdekin.
On-ground works were delivered by Indigenous-owned and operated businesses, including Gudjuda Reference Group Aboriginal Corporation and Narburra Water Services, working alongside Traditional Owners, landholders, and regional partners.
Proud Bindal Birrigubba man Eddie Smallwood, the Bindal representative in the NQ Dry Tropics Traditional Owner Management Group and proud Juru, Gia, Ngaro, Kaanju, and Anaiwan man with South Sea Islander roots Gary Prior led crews undertaking weed management, monitoring, and maintenance of repaired erosion sites, while also mentoring and training adolescents and young adults.
The project strengthened local capacity through hands-on experience in land management, chemical handling, safety procedures, and environmental restoration. Daily pre-starts, toolbox meetings, and hazard assessments helped build a strong safety culture, ensuring crews could work confidently, efficiently, and responsibly in challenging conditions.
Three sites were identified for mechanical and chemical treatment of invasive weeds to protect ecosystem health and maintain previous restoration works:
- Molongle Creek (Juru Country) – delivered by Narburra Water Services.
- Majors Creek (Bindal Country) – delivered by Gudjuda Reference Group Aboriginal Corporation.
- Two Mile Creek – delivered by Narburra Water Services.
By combining Traditional Owner knowledge with practical on-ground training, the project supported collaboration, employment pathways, and the ongoing protection of native vegetation and waterways.
This project was delivered by NQ Dry Tropics, with funding through the Queensland Government’s Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
On-ground work was delivered by Indigenous-owned and operated businesses, including Gudjuda Reference Group Aboriginal Corporation — a not-for-profit social enterprise and host of the Gudjuda Rangers — and privately owned Narburra Water Services. The leaders of these businesses, Eddie Smallwood (Gudjuda Reference Group Aboriginal Corporation), pictured above, left, and Gary Prior (Narburra Water Services), took on the task of weed management and site maintenance, while training adolescents and young adults.
