by woppaburra
The five-day workshop held on Byellee Country, was coordinated and facilitated by the Reef Authority, which brought together 20 Traditional Owners from across 11 TUMRA groups involved in implementing or developing TUMRAs. All participants engaged and actively participated in a culturally safe manner, sharing their knowledge and experiences in sea country management. The groups already implementing their TUMRAs collectively interacted and reflected on their TUMRA agreements that have enabled them to manage activities on their sea country, under their traditional lore’s and customs. The groups developing their sea country planning interacted and spoke on their aspirations to developing their own TUMRAs and were encouraged by the support afforded to them by the groups already implementing their own TUMRAs. The accredited ‘TUMRA’ is now widely recognised as a holistic sea country management arrangement with marine parks partnering agencies and has proven to be a great leverage tool for Traditional Owners with sea country estate that enables them to work with: government at all levels; non-government organisations (NGOs); scientific, educational and research organisations; Australian Defence Force; industries such as tourism, mining, and fishing; community groups and other Great Barrier Reef Marine Park users. This was demonstrated in the presentations given by each, and every group participating at this important workshop. The TUMRA Coordinators Workshop had several key focus areas developed in consultation with existing TUMRA groups as well as the Reef Authority’s Partner agency in accrediting TUMRAs being the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Environment and Science (QPWS/DES).
• Traditional use of marine resources,
• TUMRA learnings, shared experiences, enhanced communications, and profile,
• Sea country values, traditional knowledge, Lore and Custom, and
• Short-, Medium- and Long-Term planning going forward (Three-, five- and seven-years).
The TUMRA Coordinators Workshop provided an excellent and well received opportunity for Traditional Owner participants, the Reef Authority, QPWS/DES, and associated staff to explore, examine and establish, or re-establish, networks and relationships with the agencies involved in managing sea country in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Travel restrictions and face-to-face contacts since the advent of the COVID19 pandemic had prevented such a large gathering since the last TUMRA Coordinator Workshop on Yunbenun (Magnetic Island) back in 2019.
