A NEWLY-CREATED Aboriginal advisory committee will meet monthly at Nambucca Valley Council chambers.
At its first meetings, held on 18 March and 8 April 2025, the group chose to call itself “Duguula Bindarray-Garri”, which means “Together river-with”.
The term symbolises the coming together of Southern Gumbaynggirr people from across the Nambucca Valley to connect and discuss matters of concern to Aboriginal communities with Council.
The committee is open to ‘anyone in community’ to join.
Although no Chair or Deputy will be elected, a moderator will be appointed at each meeting.
Councillor Jane Smith, who attended the committee’s second meeting as a council representative, said some important points had already been raised.
“I’m so proud that we have an Aboriginal advisory committee again and I’m excited to see the work that comes out of it,” Cr Smith said.
The first meeting, attended by 10 people, discussed some of Council’s proposed projects within its four-year Delivery Program, including: a commitment to support the Aboriginal Advisory Committee; cultural awareness training for staff; developing a policy and process for incorporating Indigenous art, language and truth-telling into Council projects; and creating a new position for an Aboriginal Liaison Officer within Council.
The second meeting, with six attendees including Cr Martin Ballangarry, reviewed the committee’s terms of reference and discussed the Valla Urban Growth Area (VUGA) project.
As NOTA reported in December 2024, Nambucca Valley Council instigated the rezoning and planning of the VUGA prior to 2012 and owns a 54 hectare (ha) landholding within the 380 ha precinct.
According to the minutes of the 8 April meeting, committee members agreed that the Valla precinct was a significant and spiritual place for Gumbaynggirr people.
Committee members indicated they had not heard of the VUGA project, apart from Cr Ballangarry, who has been a Nambucca Valley councillor since 2004.
The committee agreed that Council had disregarded the importance of the area to Aboriginal people, stating they would have objected if they had been informed.
At a general meeting of Council in November 2024 Councillor Ballangarry expressed his sorrow at the current state of the site and has consistently voted against the project in the past.
While still in its early stages, the VUGA project is considered a significant opportunity for development in the region, promising more than 700 residential dwellings, 150 industrial lots, 100 business premises, a school and a retirement village.
By Ned COWIE
