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Award winners stand their ground

21 July 2014

Jeffrey Lee and Stewart Gangale with the Ochre Green Environmental awards at the Blue Tongue dreaming site, Koongarra Saddle. PHOTO: DOMINIC O’BRIEN Jeffrey Lee and Stewart Gangale with the Ochre Green Environmental awards at the Blue Tongue dreaming site, Koongarra Saddle. PHOTO: DOMINIC O’BRIEN

Kakadu Traditional Owners Jeffrey Lee and Yvonne Margarula have been honoured with the inaugural Ochre Green Territory Environmental Awards at a private ceremony at Koongarra Saddle on Saturday June 28. 

The Environment Centre NT awarded the Djok Traditional Owner Jeffrey Lee for offering his land for induction into Kakadu National Park. Mirarr Traditional Owner Yvonne Margarula was given a lifetime achievement award for her long fight to protect country and culture from uranium mining. Stewart Gangale accepted the award on her behalf. 

Djok senior Traditional Owner Jeffrey Lee effectively ruled out uranium mining on his country when he lobbied for the Koongarra Project Area to be included within the World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park. Environment Centre NT Director Dr Stuart Blanch said the day of the awards marked three years since Jeffrey took his fight from Kakadu to Paris to address the UNESCO World Heritage committee. 

“Jeffery’s victory saw Australia’s largest national park get even bigger, a gift to all Australians,” Dr Blanch said. “It also closes an important door on unwanted uranium mining in the Kakadu region. We wish Jeffrey all the best in building a home and living his life on his land at Koongarra.” 

He said the Environment Centre had received more than a thousand messages and postcards congratulating Jeffrey on his achievement, including messages from France, Japan and Germany. 

Senior Mirarr traditional owner Yvonne Margarula received the Ochre Green Life Time achieving award for leading the fight against the development of the Jabiluka uranium mine on her country.

The NT Environment Centre’s Cat Beaton, said Yvonne Margarula’s long-term efforts had provided a light for people around the country and the world. “This is an example of what sticking to your guns can achieve,” Ms Beaton said. “Yvonne and the Mirarr put culture and community above all else and won. We recognise these achievements as nothing less that extraordinary.” 

When Kakadu National Park was formed, three areas were excluded from the Park to accommodate uranium mining interests – Koongarra, Ranger and Jabiluka. The Koongarra handover leaves only the Ranger and Jabiluka leases excluded from the park.