A $46 million injection of federal cash for Cape York ranger programs could only be topped by one thing - a personal appearance by Peter Garrett.
The Environment Minister yesterday visited the remote Aboriginal community of Napranum, near Weipa, to deliver the news that they will share in a historic funding boost to employ more than 100 indigenous rangers during the next four years across the Cape.
Pictures: Peter Garrett visits Cape York
As part of the $46 million deal, Napranum was promised $2.2 million to employ four more rangers.
Ranger Peter Harper, who has worked "on country" for more than four years, said a lack of money in the past had meant the small community rarely had the opportunity to train their "young fellas" in working on the land.
"We’ve had to put a lot of our personal funds in and ask council, who don’t have the money themselves, to help us out to keep our programs going," he said.
"This funding means we will be able to sign-off and finally see the end results because too often we’ve had to stop things before we know the work is done."
Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council CEO Margaret Barnes said having the surety of four years of funding would give the council and the staff a sense of security and the freedom to plan ahead for the future.
"A lot of young people are really interested in working on country and the extra funding will mean we can offer more significant training and give them good skills they can use for the future," she said.
Mr Garrett said the funding would mean an additional four full-time rangers would be employed, which was significant given only one ranger and one co-ordinator held responsibility for the massive parcel of land.
"We want to be able to give support to indigenous rangers that doesn’t just stop and start," he said.
"I reckon that will make a big difference to country and provide such enormous support to the people, especially the young ones."
Leichhardt MP Jim Turnour said the announcement was "historic".
"This amount has never been given to indigenous communities before," he said.
