Provision of Archaeological and Ethnographic Services to the Yinhawangka Aboriginal Corporation

⁠⁠⁠The Yinhawangka People, who have also be known as Innawonga, traditionally lived in an area of the Pilbara to the south-east of Onslow. Yinhawangka country includes areas of the Angelo, Ashburton and Hardey River catchments, the Kunderong Range and the Mount Vernon, Rocklea and Turee Creek pastoral stations.

The Yinhawangka People are the Native Title Claimants and traditional custodians of approximately one million hectares of land and waters that include a number of Rio Tinto (RTIO) mine sites (Paraburdoo, Eastern Ranges, Channar and West Angelas) and the town of Paraburdoo.

In early 2013 the Yinhawangka People and RTIO reached a major agreement (RTIO and Yinhawangka People Claim Wide Participation Agreement) that covers the existing, current and future RTIO iron ore mining operations within Yinhawangka country and established protocols for the protection of homeland communities and areas of special significance, including the exclusion of an area of outstanding cultural significance to the Yinhawangka People.

The Agreement also provides a range of economic and non-economic benefits for the Yinhawangka People, including significant financial benefits from the mining taking place on their traditional country; special treatment of areas of high cultural significance; training and employment opportunities; support for Pilbara Aboriginal business development and contracting; and a collaborative approach to environmental and cultural heritage management

The Yinhawangka Aboriginal Corporation was established in early 2013 with twelve Traditional Owner Directors.

The Yinhawangka People anticipate a Native Title Determination within a relatively short period. The Determination, when it occurs, will result in the Corporation undertaking the Native Title Prescribed Body Corporate (PBC) responsibilities of the Yinhawangka People.

The Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) is currently providing heritage management services to the Yinhawangka People. The Yinhawangka People have now determined the growth in the capacity and capability of the Yinhawangka Aboriginal Corporation has reached the stage where the Corporation should manage Yinhawangka heritage and a transition program is now in place to affect the transfer.

The transfer is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016.

One of the tasks to be undertaken by the Corporation to affect the transfer is to establish an Archaeological Services Panel and an Ethnographic Services Panel.

The members of each Panel will be prequalified to provide archaeological and ethnographical consulting services to the Corporation, through competitive bidding for work packages through to the end of 2017.