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‘Nearly swallowed the whole community’: Elders join efforts to protect communities from future flooding in southern Cape York

Housing solutions are being led by First Nations elders in southern Cape York as part of a return to country program launched prior to Tropical Cyclone Jasper crossing the coast.

Homes at Wujal Wujal were inundated during last December’s flood, with residents scrambling to avoid the raging torrent. Picture: Supplied
Homes at Wujal Wujal were inundated during last December’s flood, with residents scrambling to avoid the raging torrent. Picture: Supplied

Housing solutions are being led by First Nations elders in southern Cape York as part of a return to country program launched before Tropical Cyclone Jasper crossed the coast last December.

A report is being prepared to assist Eastern Kuku Yalanji people to live on their homelands in partnership with the Wet Tropics Management Authority and Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation, the prescribed body corporate for the region’s traditional owners.

Jabalbina CEO Josh Patterson is working with elders to facilitate a return to country for Eastern Kuku Yalanji people in southern Cape York.
Jabalbina CEO Josh Patterson is working with elders to facilitate a return to country for Eastern Kuku Yalanji people in southern Cape York.

Jabalbina CEO Josh Patterson said the project took on added importance after flooding last year inundated dozens of homes throughout the region between Mossman and Cooktown, leading to Wujal Wujal’s dramatic evacuation.

“After the flood, we pivoted the project to look at supporting the community of Wujal Wujal and address some of the geographical issues around land supply to find safe land that could be used for residential housing,” Mr Patterson said.

“Based on last year’s flood, it’s almost a third of the community that’s at risk of future flooding.”

Identifying parcels of land across the Douglas and Cook shires in consultation with an elders reference group had the potential to create new residences and reduce overcrowding in some communities.

“The purpose is to look at land supply solutions on Native Title land for Yalanji people,” Mr Patterson said.

“There are lots of barriers to using some land from ecology, sensitive environmental landscapes, slopes, flooding, fire risks and other issues.”

Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council's Lucas Creek fled his home for higher ground during the Far North flood.
Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council's Lucas Creek fled his home for higher ground during the Far North flood.

Wujal Wujal councillor Lucas Creek, whose town house located more than 300m from the Bloomfield River was almost entirely submerged during the flood last year, said finding new land for housing was critical to the region’s future.

“The flood … you’d have to go through it to believe that it happened,” the first term councillor said.

“It nearly swallowed up the whole community.”

The council – which has struggled with overcrowding in its houses for years – are now calling on the state government to increase its boundaries “as a matter of urgency”, Mr Creek said.

“That’s to create safer land to build on,” he said. “It’s going to be interesting to see what we map out.

“We just want to expand so that people have more areas to live in where they feel safer.”

The flood had affected the psyche of the community, Mr Patterson said.

“People are still suffering trauma from Tropical Cyclone Jasper and the flood,” he said.

“These conversations are conjuring up a lot of trauma and fear about the coming wet season.

“The solutions that we’re identifying in terms of new land supply aren’t addressing the immediate issues that people are experiencing right now when it comes to addressing their fears of another potential flood event.”

Originally published as ‘Nearly swallowed the whole community’: Elders join efforts to protect communities from future flooding in southern Cape York

Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/news/cairns/nearly-swallowed-the-whole-community-elders-join-efforts-to-protect-communities-from-future-flooding-in-southern-cape-york/news-story/a46384280a0b2efbc244e9f0ac7cc3ad