AAP: Group to guide Territory mining town transition

DARWIN: Plans are gathering pace to transition the Northern Territory mining town of Jabiru to the tourism and cultural centre of the World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park.

The Northern Territory Government will invest $135 million across four years to complete the transformation following the closure of the Ranger Uranium Mine in January 2021.

The government and the Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corpor-ation yesterday formed a new partnership, Jabiru Kabolkmakmen Ltd, which will guide Jabiru’s shift to a post-mining future.

‘‘Jabiru is an important town, not just as the gateway to Kakadu National Park, but as a service centre for all those who live in the West Arnhem region,’’ Aboriginal Affairs Minister Selena Uibo said.

‘‘Kakadu is home to the oldest continuous culture on earth and the traditional owners, by drawing upon more than 65 000 years of knowledge and wisdom, can improve the visitor experience for those who come to visit this very special part of the Territory.’’

Jabiru’s future will be guided by the Mirarr traditional owners.

Their vision has the town becoming a world-leading, ecologically sustainable hub for Aboriginal culture that will continue to attract visitors from across the globe.

Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation chairwoman Valerie Balmoore said the Mirarr wanted to ensure Jabiru was a great town for everyone.

‘‘We have a great opportunity to show and explain the World Heritage values of Kakadu to give tourists a more meaningful experience and to connect with other Indigenous groups worldwide,’’ she said.

‘‘Jabiru will be a place where we can explore new partnerships for sustainability.’’