100% First Nations for a Healthy Community, Healthy Country.

We are a 100% indigenous organisation with a proud 31-year history of building a healthier community and healthy sustainable country.

Cape York Weeds and Feral Animals Incorporated was established to address three serious challenges :

Indigenous health and employment
A lack of training opportunities and
The growing human impact stresses to our precious Cape York natural environment.

We have trained hundreds of indigenous and non-indigenous people, with our graduates in high demand. We think it’s because we take a wholistic approach to our work. While we focus on technical skills we also believe in the importance of supporting self-reliance and personal responsibility, using our traditional culture. Getting our people on the land and caring for it is key to our mission.

Today our award-winning organisation continues our successful work, but we still need support for our work.

For a healthy community, for healthy country.

Driving Healthy Community and Healthy Country

1200 people trained in the last 15 years.

9000 hours of skills training experience in the field.

8500 hours of skills training to first nations people

18 specialist land management courses taught

9 major projects delivered in the last 5 years – 100% on-time and on budget

17 key local and state partners

15 graduates now in key regional roles.

80 kilometres of stunning East Cape York Coastline cleared of pond apple and kept maintained in 12 years.

Key dugong and turtle nurseries have been re-established as a result of this Coastal Rehabilitation and Recovery project

5 “Spade-Ready” projects scoped for funding. Many more that can be initiated with the right resources

All work 100% local, 100% aboriginal-run

Ways We Are Having An Impact

Restoring Endeavour River Dugong Habitat

Invasive Pond Apple removal to allow regrowth of vital native sea grass meadows. These meadows are now bio-rich and home to dugong cows and their calves. Turtle numbers are also rebounding.

Regional Invasive Pond Apple Control Program

One of our great legacy projects with three decades of work between Weary Bay to Cooktown. Removing the invasive Pond Apple from our country is good for coastal health and we have developed a large and experienced skilled workforce to take on this task. This is a great example of our successful partnerships working with the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Jajikal Aboriginal Corporation, KalkaJaka Aboriginal Corporation, South Cape York Catchments, Cook Shire council and the Traditional owners.

Connecting Landowners to Biosecurity Preparedness

Developed new skills and employment working closely with the community. There is a huge demand for our training here, and a growing recognition of applying the latest Bio-security knowledge with local cultural knowledge for maximum impact. Over 1000 people trained, most of whom continue to work in the region using these skills and knowledge.

Feral Pig Control Project

Removal of over a remarkable 600 land destroying feral pigs annually. This program provides important employment, support for pastoralists and Cook Shire baiting programs.

Award-winning non-profit First Nations organisation working in environmental and natural resource management across Cape York.

Our priorities.

- Nurturing Connection to Country
- Sharing Traditional knowledge
- Identification
- Control
- Surveying and mapping
- Identification
- Control-land and air
- Survey and mapping
- Using the latest innovation and Traditional knowledge
- Of human use, climate, weed and animal degradation
- Employment opportunities
- Social engagement
- Well being
- Making Cape York community our priority
- Continuity for the agricultural community
- Sharing scientific knowledge and innovative technologies