$11.5 million to support Indigenous economic opportunities in the NT

The development of employment and business opportunities for Indigenous people in the Northern Territory, including expanded tourism accommodation, more training for Indigenous rangers, film making and new community market gardens are among 24 projects to receive grants from the Aboriginals Benefit Account (ABA).

The ABA was established under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976. It receives financial compensation from the Australian Government equivalent to the value of royalties paid in respect of mining interests on Aboriginal land.

More than $11.5 million in funding is being invested in a range of projects aimed at opening up new economic opportunities for Indigenous people in the Northern Territory.

Increasingly, Indigenous people are taking advantage of the Territory’s great economic potential – in tourism, the arts and business. Through these grants, we can provide the funding that’s essential to get new ventures off the ground, back established businesses to expand and invest in skills and training for Indigenous people.

Near Katherine, Nitmiluk Tours will use its grant of $3.7 million to expand its thriving tourism business with the construction of a 24 room lodge and reception area at the popular Nitmiluk Gorge.

An estimated 255,000 visitors travel to Nitmiluk Gorge every year creating jobs and generating significant income for the local economy.

In the Darwin town camps, the Indigenous Community Horticulture project is being funded to establish three market gardens and to employ 12 Indigenous people along with a horticulture specialist.

Also in Darwin, a grant to the Aboriginal Bush Traders Retail Support Project will mean Indigenous artists from the Larrakia nation, Bagot, Nauiyu Nambiyu and Wadeye can exhibit their work at local markets. It will also fund the expansion of the Aboriginal Bush Traders’ store and four retail management traineeships.

On Groote Eylandt and Bickerton Island, the Anindilyakwa Land Council is receiving a $2 million grant to build a research and education centre to improve the capacity and skills of rangers in land and sea management and to support scientific research to help protect 12 threatened species in the Groote archipelago.

In Tennant Creek, the Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation will be funded to refurbish the recently acquired Barkly TAFE building and the Juno Equestrian Centre to convert them into training campuses for local Aboriginal people.

And the Laynhapuy Homelands Association is receiving four grants, totalling $768,000, to build accommodation for ranger facilitators at Yirrkala, support tourism and cultural ventures at Bawaka and Gangan Homeland, and fund the Garrangali Band’s first album launch and concert.

The Australian Government and the ABA Advisory Council Committee have worked together in partnership to identify these priority projects.

A full list of the successful grant applications is included below.