Meet the Madanaa Nada Aboriginal Corporation (MNAC)

Madanaa Nada Aboriginal Corporation (MNAC) promotes the interests of the Warrwa people who live in the Karmulinunga Reserve area of Derby, Western Australia.

An important function of MNAC is to ensure that the Warrwa people are acknowledged as the traditional owners of the land, and have a voice in negotiations affecting the land. An aspiration of MNAC is to establish projects that will generate income and create employment opportunities for the Warrwa people. A recent success for MNAC has been securing funding for an Aboriginal Ranger Program.

Community Aspirations

To transition the community towards economic independence by setting up a range of projects and businesses that will attract tourism, including a market garden, tourist church shops and a museum.

Economic Development Journey

Key business development stages that Madanaa Nada Aboriginal Corporation went through include:

2020: Madanaa Nada Aboriginal Corporation received Native Title determination.

2021: Awarded $1,000 grant for culture and capability from Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

2022: Joined the CED program

2024: Successfully secured $140,000 Aboriginal ranger program grant from the WA DBCA for the Madaana Nada Rangers.

Outcomes

“We are now on the map, on the Kimberly Map Land so speak. Point to us as –Madanaa Nada. Tom’s experience has been guiding me in the right way. Number 1 is recognition and acknowledgement of the traditional owners of the country. Since we got Native Title, it has made everything easier and opened paths towards self-sustaining and economic independent and have businesses that employ people, Warrwa people first and foremost.” – Gail Williams, Managing Director of MNAC

The future of MNAC

MNAC intends to establish a market garden in Bungarun that will supply fresh fruits and vegetables to a café in the art centre, within the next year. In the long term, MNAC has goals to expand the market, set up a tourist church shop, as well as organise workshops and bush walks to increase tourism spending in the area.