A significant pastoral company has been doing a lot more than just producing beef over the past two decades.
During a recent tour of far north Queensland, a group of Australian and International journalists heard from Garry Cook, General Manager of the Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC) on how agriculture is empowering Indigenous Australians.
ILC was established by the Federal Government in 1995, with the aim of providing quality training for Indigenous youth in cattle work.
Speaking a Rural Press Club event in Cairns earlier this month, Mr Cook said ILC was aiming to put “indigenous back in the saddle” through the acquisition of land and by working in partnership with private pastoral companies.
Since its establishment, the ILC has acquired 2.15 million hectares, across 14 stations. It is currently Australia’s 15th largest producer of beef.
Their portfolio also includes a sheep station in Tasmania, a meatworks in North West Arnhem Land, and an export depot in Broome.
In addition to their physical assets, last year they sold 15,000 carbon offset units and have 14,000 currently for sale.
The operation is a synergy between ILC and the Indigenous title owners of the land. It is this cooperative model that is their biggest achievement.
The National Indigenous Pastoral Enterprise was created around Mabo and land title rights. It uses a federal fund to purchase land, that is then held by the traditional owners with the purpose of agricultural production and training. .
John Ross, a supervisor on ILC’s Crocodile Welcome station, has been overseeing the selection and training of many Indigenous youth for seven years.
Better known as ‘Sir John’, he comes from a cattleman background.
He has worked on properties in the north, since he was 16, becoming head stockman by the time he was 19.
He gave a few insights into what kind of supervisor he was on Crocodile Welcome station.
“I put all the kids under my wing - if you can’t deal with something, you come to me,” he said.
“Everyone has a talent,” was his take home message.
