The Indigenous elders reviving Cape York’s vital ecosystems

When the Queensland Government announced it was handing the northernmost section of Cape York Peninsula back to traditional owners, it was an obvious win for the precious plant life and rare animals that call the region home. The historic transfer would help secure the protection of the region’s coastal lakes, open woodlands, cloud forests and vibrant wetlands. 

  It was a momentous day for Angkamuthi elder Sandra Woosup, who’d spent 27 years fighting for the recognition and return of her ancestral lands. But the joy she experienced was about much more than environmental conservation. It was about ensuring the survival of her people’s culture.

  Sandra had grown up listening to her elders talk about the deep connection between the Angkamuthi Clan and Country. But as an adult, she noticed how far many of her people had drifted from their land. “Most of them have lost that connection,” Sandra says. She found herself wondering who would reconnect them. The answer, she soon realised, was that it  had to be her and the other emerging Angkamuthi elders. 

“We have to get it right for our children,” Sandra says, “so we don’t leave them with nothing.” 

That motivation inspired Sandra and other elders to create the Angkamuthi Country Plan, a comprehensive roadmap outlining the Angkamuthi clan’s goals for the next ten years, including how to manage their land and revive their cultural traditions. 

Like the battle for recognition of their land rights, developing the plan was a long process – though one made easier with support from The Nature Conservancy. “We were still struggling, looking for funding. And then The Nature Conservancy was there to help us.” Now, Sandra says, “Everything is just falling into place.” 

The Nature Conservancy also played a key role in helping the Angkamuthi people rediscover and document their language, identify traditional bush foods, and navigate complex decisions about mining and land use.

There’s still more work to be done, but the positive impacts are already visible even in the two short years since the handover. 

“We've mapped all the places, recorded all our stories, and archived them, so when future generations come, they can just follow the path we’ve set. They’ll know their Country, their protocols, their practices,” Sandra says. This includes how to care for the land: which areas to burn, which scrub to keep intact, where the turtles are and how to protect them. 

  For Sandra, the most important thing is teaching young people the principle of stewardship. “We always say, look after Country, because the Country will look after us.” 

Read the full Conservation Impact Report: January 2022-June 2024 here