Opening of Bellary Springs Community Centre - Gumala

MEDIA RELEASE
Thursday 28 June, 2012
Gumala Aboriginal Corporation
1 Stadium Road, Tom Price,
WA, 6751
Level 1, 165 Adelaide Terrace
East Perth,
WA, 6004
www.gumala.com.au
Gumala Aboriginal Corporation (GAC) is pleased to announce the official opening of the
Bellary Springs community centre on 29 June 2012.
The community centre will be officially opened by Gumala Aboriginal Corporation’s Deputy
Chairman and respected Innawonga Elder, Stuart Ingie Snr.
This whole-of-community infrastructure project has been made possible thanks to GAC’s
innovative partnership with the University of Melbourne and funding from Lotterywest.
Significant in-kind assistance has also been provided by Rio Tinto.
GAC and the University of Melbourne are building a successful partnership. In 2011, GAC
partnered with the School of Architecture, Building and Planning for the construction of an
Early Childhood Centre in Wakathuni. In 2012, they have teamed up again to construct a
community centre in the remote WA Pilbara community of Bellary Springs, located between
Tom Price and Paraburdoo.
This initiative breaks new ground in the advancement of important developments for the
benefit of Gumala Members through the systematic development of community initiatives
as part of a broad community building exercise.
The project has involved the design and construction of a community centre at Bellary
Springs where the community will be able to host community functions, provide office space
for learning facilities and enable support programs to take place for:
- Dental health
- Paediatric support
- Cultural and education programs.
Bellary Springs is an Innawonga homeland community. The project has included the Bellary
Springs community at all stages and aspects of the research process and the development of
project agreements. GAC, the Bellary Springs community and the University of Melbourne
have worked closely together to deliver outcomes based on an agreed and shared vision.

GAC and the University of Melbourne will continue to explore the development of a long
term, integrated partnership.
Stephen Peterson, Chairman, Gumala Aboriginal Corporation:
“On behalf of Gumala Aboriginal Corporation, I would like to thank Lotterywest for their
funding support that helped make this fantastic community centre project a reality. Thanks
should also go to the University of Melbourne for their ongoing commitment to working with
GAC and Rio Tinto for their significant in-kind assistance.”
“The community had no shared space to gather for community functions and get-togethers.
GAC, the Bellary Springs residents and the University of Melbourne have worked together
with the support of Lotterywest to give the community a place to go and give the residents a
sense of community spirit.”
“Gumala worked closely with the community members to decide on the location for the
community centre. It is important for the community members that the centre had a view of
the mountains in northeast Bellary Springs. The mountain range has a particular importance
to many community members.”
ABOUT GUMALA
Gumala Aboriginal Corporation (GAC) is one of the largest Indigenous corporations in
Australia and the largest Indigenous corporation in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Created in 1996 to negotiate the Yandi Land Use Agreement, which was the first major land
use agreement to be signed in Australia, GAC is a member-based organisation (current
membership: approximately 1200 Traditional Owners).
Gumala Aboriginal Corporation continues to deliver economic and community benefits to
our Members and their children, the Nyiyaparli, Banyjima and Innawonga peoples of the
Pilbara. The Agreement ensures that the following benefits will be delivered to the
Banyjima, Nyiyaparli and Innawonga people for the life of the mine and beyond:
• A wide range of funding programs including the core areas of: Health and well-being
Education and Lore and Culture;
• Education, training and employment opportunities and initiatives;
• The preservation and protection of GAC’s culture, language and heritage;
• Economic, Social and Community Development;
• Business Development Opportunities;
• Capital Works, Community Assistance and Services; and
• Housing Projects.
In June 2012, Rio Tinto announced it will invest $1.7US billion to extend the life of the
Yandicoogina mine to 2021.

For images of the opening ceremony, contact:
Peter Caruso
PR & Communications Specialist
Gumala Aboriginal Corporation
M: 0428 881 847
P: 1800 GUMALA (1800 486 252)
E: peter.caruso@gumala.com.au