Archer Point, near Cooktown in far north Queensland, has received an environmental facelift thanks to the support of Highways and Byways – A Community of Service.
Archer Point is a highly scenic and popular coastal area but misuse and neglect has resulted in damage to the coastal ecosystem.
Yuku Baja Muliku Indigenous Ranger Group used its grant from the 2021 Highways and Byways Small Grants Program to undertake strategic planting to restore the vegetation of a 240m2 site to a semblance of its natural state. A team of seven Yuku Baja indigenous rangers erected wind break fencing at two beachfront sites and planted over 156 local trees, shrubs and understory plants, including Eucalyptus, Wattle, She Oaks, Lilly Pilly, Bloodwoods, Moreton Bay Ash, Red Beech, Ribbon Grass, Cheese fruit and Crinum Lillies.
The Yuku Baja Muliku people are the Traditional Custodians of Archer Point. The Indigenous Rangers program has a specific focus on land and sea management and conservation in this region and provides employment, skills, confidence and pride for those involved.
Long term, it is anticipated that the works at Archer Point will stablise the foredune, assist the persistence of indigenous wildlife, and provide for low impact nature-based visitor experiences.
Each year Highways and Byways provide small grants to community-led organisations for projects that address disadvantage and exclusion within towns and communities, especially in rural and regional Australia. This year’s program theme is Healing the Land – Healing Ourselves Together. Over 40 community organisations across Australia have now received funding for initiatives that integrate both environmental and human outcomes, including ones involving bees, dung beetles, cultural burns, re-vegetation and restoration, and healing and caring for country. Further information about each of these grants can be found here.
