CIRU: Cardwell Indigenous Ranger Unit

Partnerships in conservation and Aboriginal cultural heritage.

What is CIRU (the Cardwell Indigenous Ranger Unit)?

How CIRU was born:

the interactions between the various authorities who came together to form CIRU.

Partnership Establishment:

• how the partnerships were established.
• expbul1a.gif Commitment from Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), Qld Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS), Girringun Aboriginal Corporation (GAC) and Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F).
• expbul1a.gif Funding from State and Commonwealth and in-kind costs from Girringun Aboriginal Corporation.
• expbul1a.gif Good relationships between the parties.
• expbul1a.gif Open and productive dialogue between the parties.

Directing CIRU

The Steering Committee is chaired by Girringun, and comprised of the Girringun board, QPWS, GBRMPA, DPI&F. It provides management of the CIRU work plan.

• Terms of Reference of the Steering Committee are in place.
• Steering Committee is functioning.
• Agreements are reached by consensus.
• Implementation and follow up of directions are happening, although not systematic.

Operation of CIRU

How CIRU operates (and how we would like it to operate)

• Three full-time Traditional Owners rangers, although often only two on duty.
• It is seen as a Unit within the Cardwell office of the QPWS(Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service), and also shares activities with Land and Sea Units.
• Training opportunities have been present, although not all have been taken.
• Girringun would like to have more culture-related activites carried out on country in the future.

Other CIRU Connections

Other current Management connections with CIRU.

With GBRMPA (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority):

Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreement (TUMRA).

Monitoring of fisheries with DPI&F (Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries).

Shared Space Concept

The many possibilities for a shared agenda between Indigenous peoples and Agencies.