Protecting Country – ranger base set for south-west Queensland

A much-needed, permanent ranger base in a vastly remote part of Country, up in far south-west Queensland is almost complete.

Spanning over 55,000 square kilometres, almost equivalent to the size of Switzerland, Mithaka Country is filled with beautiful red sand dunes and stony gibber plains and is managed by the Mithaka Aboriginal Corporation (MAC) rangers.

With its rich archaeological heritage, the area is known for its historic features, including industrial sized sandstone quarry sites, which are noted as being some of the largest in the southern hemisphere.

Managing these sites is just one of the Mithaka rangers’ responsibilities, as well as preserving up to 800 cultural heritage sites within the region. With land restoration, animal and fire management also among their duties, there is never a dull moment for the rangers.

However, due to limited resources, it is often difficult for MAC rangers to travel and cover significant distances to manage their Country. This is made harder being in an arid and remote area prone to flooding, hence bringing various challenges to MAC’s land management practices.

That is why the Betoota Base Station will be a breakthrough.

The Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC) has proudly supported MAC’s venture, granting over $560,000 of funding to MAC to purchase essential ranger equipment and construct the base to better manage Mithaka Country.

MAC General Manager and Mithaka Traditional Owner, Josh Gorringe, said the new base will help MAC ranger teams travel large distances each day, due to Betoota being the centre of Mithaka Country.

“The Betoota Base Station will let us build our Aquaculture area for the restoration of the blue claw yabby population, store equipment and vehicles and cut down the cost of going out on Country,” said Mr Gorringe.

“The base will also help to support our bi-annual youth camps and give our Elders a comfortable base for an evening.

“The funding provided by the ILSC and NIAA has helped us reach one of our many goals for Mithaka Country, we could not have completed this without their help,” said Mr Gorringe.

ILSC Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Joe Morrison, said this investment will support rangers to effectively care for Country in a safe and profound way, strengthening MAC’s vision for Mithaka.

“The ILSC works with First Nations peoples, so they can prioritise their environmental aspirations as the rightful owners of land, water and sea.

“Mithaka people have lived and worked across their lands for generations and hold strong connections to the region’s communities, the Barcoo and Diamantina Shires. This base will only strengthen this connection.

“The ILSC looks forward to soon seeing the Betoota Base Station and ranger equipment enhance the rangers’ abilities and broaden the area of Mithaka Country that is managed by MAC,” said Mr Morrison.

The ranger base will also provide a central point for ongoing archaeological work with research partners, while housing events to enhance cultural learning for up to 50 Mithaka people and Elders.