Working with Traditional Owners and Elders

Giya/Gia Kaiyu Official Women's Business Corporation

TMR partnered with the Giya/Gia Kaiyu women when conducting geotechnical works that occurred in 2020 on the Goorganga Flood Plains. The Giya/Gia Kaiyu women assisted in documenting the value of their heritage to our geotechnical team before the start of works. The Goorganga flood plains were a significant hunting ground for the Giya which have major tangible and intangible heritage values. 

This work was undertaken as part of the Bruce Highway (Mackay-Proserpine) Goorganga Plains Plan and Preserve project. This $15 million project will plan and preserve the highway corridor for the potential future Goorganga Plains project as part of the jointly funded $12.6 billion, 15-year Bruce Highway Upgrade Program (Australian Government $10 billion; Queensland Government $2.6 billion). Business case development for this flood mitigation planning project is expected to be finalised by mid-2022. 

Local Elder conducting cultural heritage survey finds family relic

During a heritage survey north of the Oyala Thumotang National Park for the Mein Deviation Project, Particia Clamont, an Aboriginal Elder found a scar tree from her childhood. The survey was in conjunction with local gravel and water supply investigations for road construction associated with sealing works on a section of the Peninsula Developmental Road known as Sourayas Hill.

In the 1960’s when Mrs Clarmont was a child, her father would take her and her siblings hunting and fishing in the area. Mrs Clarmont said she came across the tree which was cut by her father for the sugarbag, or native honey, inside. 

TMR has registered the tree as an artefact and will protect it in its existing location, preserving it for future generations.