Welcome Aboard Project Numbat Incorporated

Yesterday I had an enjoyable meeting with Tamara Wilkes-Jones and local landowner Chris Murphy, both representing Project Numbat Incorporated. For those who don’t know Chris, he owns the property on York-Williams Road with the red bucket entry statement to Red Bucket Lane.

Project Numbat Incorporated have in the past provided written letters of support for the Boyagin Rock Day-Use Area Redevelopment Project and now wish to become involved in the project with financial and/or in-kind support with interpretation of the fauna which make Boyagin their habitat and home. This will add greatly to the provisions already made within the project budget and will no doubt add value to the experience by visitors to Boyagin Rock. Particular emphasis is proposed for signage as visitors enter the site from the proposed car parking facilities so that visitor immediately become aware of the special attractions at this site and within the nature reserve. Given this commitment Project Numbat will not only assist us but also promote their own efforts toward their cause for the preservation and promotion of endangered fauna species with particular emphasis on the Numbats.

I have given Tamara direct contact for Greg and Chris at Parks and Wildlife as there is a strong case for both parties to work together and share resources in the creation of any interpretation to be situated at the site as part of this redevelopment project. I am sure you will all welcome Project Numbat aboard and I look forward to working with them moving forward

Vince Holt
Project Coordinator

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If you are interested in following the progress of this important project and want to keep informed please click on the "Follow by Email" button. Any progress will be posted here. Please don't rely on me sending reports by other means as it is very time consuming and not all of you may be updated.

Boyagin Rock Project - Where to from here?

With Thursday's announcement of Royalties for Regions funding for the Boyagin Rock Day-use Area Redevelopment Programme we now have committed funding as follows:

• $48,000 Royaties for Regions
• $10,000 Dept. for Aboriginal Affairs (DAA) Heritage Preservation Grants 2015
• $10,000 In-kind support from the Shire of Brookton
• $10,000 In-kind support from the Shire of Pingelly
• $20,000 In-kind support from Department for Parks and Wildlife (DPaW).

Add to this the $15,000 received from Lotterywest to fund the creation of the project Master Plan, and we are looking really good to go! What a great effort by all over the past 3 or more years!

My role now is to coordinate the project through to completion. Expectations are that we can start to get things rolling in the spring of 2016 with a target completion date prior to the end of June 2017. I will keep this blog fresh as we go.

On 4th August 2016 I will be meeting with DPaW to establish a detailed operational plan and to seek some commitments to negotiated timelines. Again, I will report here when more information is available. DPaW are working with DAA to finalise Section 18 approval to proceed with works at the site. Results of that process should be available in August 2016.

Don't forget to follow this blog as it will be one of the main channels of communication as the project progresses.

Vince Holt
Project Coordinator - Boyagin Rock Working Committee.

BOYAGIN ROCK PICNIC AREA TO RECEIVE A FACELIFT

On Thursday 7^th July 2016 Ministers Terry Redman and Mia Davies announced the successful recipients of the 2016 Community Chest Fund, a Royalties for Regions programme. Notably, Seabrook Aboriginal Corporation, as a key stakeholder in the Boyagin Rock Redevelopment Project championed by the Pingelly Tourism Group, were successful in receiving close to $48,000 toward a project to redevelop the Boyagin Rock Day-use Area. This is a community initiative under the umbrella of Boyagin Rock Working Committee (BRWC) which comprises representation from the Pingelly Tourism Group, DPaW, Seabrook Aboriginal Corporation and members of the Pingelly Noongar community.

In his media statement Minister Redman stated The Seabrook Aboriginal Corporation will receive $47,640 to upgrade tourist facilities at Boyagin Rock.

The Minister said the fund supported region-specific priorities driven by local communities to develop infrastructure, services and community projects that helped build vibrant regions with strong economies.

Members of the BRWC with WDC CEO Wendy Newman and Ministers Terry Redman and Mia Davies

The RforR funding certificate for Seabrook Aboriginal Corporation

This announcement adds to funding already received from the WA Department for Aboriginal Affairs for Preservation of Aboriginal Heritage Listed Sites. Boyagin Rock is heritage listed and is of significant cultural value to the Noongar peoples. Other stakeholders in this redevelopment project include DPaW and the Shires of Brookton and Pingelly.

This project started back in early 2013 with the establishment of the BRWC, a sub-committee of the Pingelly Tourism Group. The initial stages involved creation of a Master Plan funded by Lotterywest and a series of many meetings and discussions with the traditional owners. Over time and with much patience it became clear there was much common ground in the support of the concept to use the project to promote tourism, enhance visitor experience, promote indigenous culture and to provide a place of educational experiences for schools and visitors in general. The BRWC are now in a position to “get things happening” at Boyagin Rock and we hope to commence works at the site in the spring of 2016.

A copy of the draft site plan is included so that readers can get some idea of what to expect once the redevelopment works are completed. Click Here to View.

The BRWC acknowledges the efforts of all stakeholders and its volunteer members in reaching this important milestone. We will post updates as we progress.

Vince Holt
Project Coordinator
Boyagin Rock Working Committee.