Our Region

The Partnership acknowledges the continuing land and sea country management of the Traditional Owner groups within the Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac region and Great Barrier Reef whose rich cultures, heritage values, enduring connections and shared efforts protect the land and Reef for future generations.

There are seven traditional owner groups within the Partnership reporting region, Juru, Gia, Ngaro, Yuwibara, Koinmerburra, Barada Barna and Wiri.

Juru Country includes lands north of Bowen. The Juru People have Native Tile in our reporting region. Click here to see a map of the Juru determination area.

Gia Country includes the mainland adjacent to the Whitsunday Islands, north to Bowen, south to O’Connell River and east to the Clarke-Connors Range.

Ngaro Country includes the Whitsunday Islands and the mainland coastlines.

Yuwibara Country includes Midge Point, south to Cape Palmerstone, west to the Clarke-Connors Range and ten nautical miles east of the coastline. Yuwi have Native Tile in our reporting region. Click here to see a map of the Yuwi determination area.

Koinmerburra Country includes Pine Mountain (Normanby Range) across to Styx River, north along the coast to Cape Palmerston, west to the Clarke-Connors Range.

Barada Barna  Country is west of the Clarke Connor Ranges, south of Homevale National Park. Click here  and here to learn more about the Barada Barna Native Title determination area.

Wiri Country is west of the Clarke-Connors Range, north of Homevale National Park. Click here or here to learn about their determination area. 

Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac Traditional Owner Reference Group 

Reef Catchments, the Natural Resource Management (NRM) group for the region, host the Mackay-Whitsunday-Isaac Traditional Owner Reference Group (TORG). The TORG  has representatives from families of the  Yuwibara, Koinmerburra, Barada Barna, Wiri, Ngaro, and Gia and Juru peoples. Read more about the TORG here.