Working with Traditional Owners

Working with Traditional Owners


In November 2022 the owners of El Questro, G’day Group, announced the signing of a deal that secured a 99-year lease on the El Questro property, and returned 165,000 hectares of pastoral lease land to its Traditional Owners. Part of the Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) struck by representatives of the Traditional Owners, the Wilinggin Aboriginal Corporation (WAC) and the Western Australian Government, under the terms of the agreement part of the returned land will now be leased to G’day Group to continue tourism operations.


Employment and opportunity

While establishing the stability needed for G’day Group to progress plans for El Questro Wilderness Park, the ILUA provides the local Indigenous community with immediate and long-term economic benefits. Firstly, through the existence of a long-term commercial lease, and secondly through opportunities for its young people to be trained, gain employment and lead cultural tourism activities under the guidance of an experienced industry player.This will include annual scholarships and traineeships at El Questro that will provide pathways to full-time employment and rewarding careers in tourism, hospitality and land management for local indigenous students.


Wilinggin Fire Project

In the spirit of the partnership created by the ILUA, El Questro is also proud to partner with the Wilinggin Aboriginal Corporation to be carbon-neutral in 2023.

To make this ambition a reality, El Questro will purchase Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) from the WAC, which are activated via the Wilinggin Fire Project, an initiative which focuses on protecting vulnerable habitats, cultural sites and community infrastructure from destructive wildfires across Wilinggin Country.

Applying a combination of traditional Indigenous bush craft and best practice modern science, the aims of the project are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by late dry season wildfires, and to train Traditional Owners to be employed as fire specialists and park rangers.

Importantly, this will enable the multi-generational transfer of traditional Indigenous knowledge in the region and strengthen our connection to country.

For more information on any of the above please contact Communications Manager Myles Wallace mwallace@discoveryparks.com.au or 0432 866 094.