Weld Range gets media attention

The Weld Range, in Wajarri Yamatji country, has been getting alot of media attention lately. Since it was included on the National Heritage List earlier this year, the National Native Title Tribunal has made the unusual ruling that a mining lease should not be granted there because of the significance of the area to Traditional Owners.

This week the ABC has published an informative story highlighting the historical importance of Wilgie Mia and the Wajarri Yamatji people's dedication to its maintainance and protection.

Read the ABC story here

NNTT finds Wajarri heritage is more important than money

Traditional owner Colin Hamlett in the Weld Range

The National Native Title Tribunal (NNTT) has recently made a very important decision for the Wajarri Yamatji people. The NNTT ruled that four mining tenements in the Weld Range cannot be granted because of the cultural significance of the area to the Wajarri Yamatji people.

This is only the second time that the NNTT has ever made such a decision, and it comes after parts of the Weld Range were accepted on to the National Heritage List earlier this year.

Weld Range Metals, the company that wished to mine the area, has been reluctant to meet with the Wajarri Yamatji people and did not come to agreement over the proposed mining project.
Deputy President Sumner of the NNTT came to the conclusion that, "the interests, proposals, opinions or wishes of the [Wajarri Yamatji people] in relation to the use of the Tenement area should be given greater weight than the potential economic benefit or public interest in the Project proceeding. The Weld Range area (including the Tenement area) is of such significance to the [Wajarri Yamatji people] in accordance with their traditions that mining on it should only be permitted with their agreement."

The NNTT's decision was reached after an on-country hearing earlier this year which included visits to important places in the Weld Range. The Wajarri Yamatji people and YMAC staff gave evidence about "caves with rock art, waterholes and old corroboree and ceremonial grounds, all of which remain of particular significance to the [Wajarri Yamatji people] in accordance with their traditions."

This is a fantastic result for the Wajarri Yamatji people and YMAC congratulates them for their strength in fighting to protect their cultural heritage.

Watch GWN's coverage of the story here: http://au.gwn7.yahoo.com/w1/video/-/watch/26753825/native-title-tribunal-vetoes-mine/ 

Check out the new look YMAC News

The latest issue of YMAC News is out today, with a new look and expanded format. In issue 13 of YMAC's newsletter you can catch up on what has been happening at YMAC over the past three months with stories on the agreement between the Yugunga-Nya people and Sandfire Resources, the National Heritage Listing for the Weld Range, YMAC's uranium community guides, the Premier's Australia Day Award for the Aboriginal Communities Charitable Organistaion, the three YMAC women who were honoured for International Women's Day, as well as profiles of some of our board members.

Click the link below for an electronic version or email srosenfeld@ymac.org.au to request hard copies for yourself, your family, your business or workplace.

YMAC News March 2011

Weld Range added to the National Heritage List




Signpost - road leading to Wilgie Mia/Thuwarri Thaa, Weld Range in distance



This week the Weld Range in WA’s Midwest joined other iconic Australian sites on the prestigious National Heritage List.

The Weld Range is approximately sixty kilometres north-west of Cue, and is of significant cultural importance to the traditional owners of the area, the Wajarri Yamatji people, as well as neighbouring Indigenous groups.


The 45ha area of the National Heritage Listing includes Wilgie Mia, Little Wilgie Mia and the Marlu Resting Place. These sites contain sacred law grounds, dreamtime places, thousands of examples of rock art, extensive archaeological material, and the Wilgie Mia red ochre mine.

The inclusion on the National Heritage List will help Wajarri Yamatji people to manage the area effectively, alongside the growing mining and tourism industries in Western Australia.

Click here to read more about the Weld Range on the National Heritage List