Gumala Aboriginal Corporation (GAC) is one of Australia’s largest Aboriginal corporations, serving the Banjima, Yinhawangka and Nyiyaparli people of the Pilbara region in Western Australia. Gumala’s unique and transformational approach to poverty alleviation in a socially complex environment is enabling economic, social and community developmental solutions for Traditional Owners.
Three Language Groups… One Corporation
GAC was created in 1996 to represent the collective interests of the Traditional Owners — the Banjima, Yinhawangka and Nyiyaparli people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia — following negotiations with Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto).
As a result of these negotiations, the Yandi Land Use Agreement (YLUA) was signed on 1 March 1997. GAC is the Manager of the General Gumala Foundation, which is a Charitable Trust established for the distribution of the compensation monies from the YLUA.
GAC has become one of Australia’s largest Aboriginal corporations. It’s unique and transformational approach to poverty alleviation in a socially complex environment is enabling economic, social and community developmental solutions for Traditional Owners. GAC is a member-based organisation with almost 2,000 Members.
Celebrating a Milestone
March 1 2022 marks an important day in Gumala’s history. Twenty-five years ago on this date, Gumala Aboriginal Corporation (GAC) signed the Yandi Land Use Agreement (YLUA) with Rio Tinto (then called Hamersley Iron).
The YLUA outlines how mining compensation royalties from Rio Tinto’s Yandicoogina iron ore mine would be delivered to Gumala Traditional Owners. The YLUA was a pivotal turning point in the history between resource companies and Traditional Owners. The original signatories to the YLUA were the founding Members of Gumala Aboriginal Corporation.
Thanks to their steadfast determination and perseverance, the founding Members negotiated and secured the agreement with Hamersley Iron, who in good faith gained the trust of the Traditional Owners. The YLUA was the first major Indigenous Land Use Agreement of its kind following the historic Eddie Mabo High Court decision in 1992 which overturned the fiction of “terra nullius” (land inhabited by no-one) and later recognised Native Title in Australia for the first time.
The YLUA was a pivotal turning point in the history between resource companies and Traditional Owners. The original signatories to the YLUA were the founding Members of Gumala Aboriginal Corporation. Thanks to their steadfast determination and perseverance, the founding Members negotiated and secured the agreement with Hamersley Iron, who in good faith gained the trust of the Traditional Owners.
