The Muckaty project has provided assistance to traditional owners of the Muckaty Aboriginal Land Trust during their seven-year struggle to prevent the building of a nuclear waste dump on traditional lands.

This project has provided assistance to traditional owners of the Muckaty Aboriginal Land Trust during their seven-year struggle to prevent the building of a nuclear waste dump on traditional lands, including:

  • Community support for political advocacy
  • Production of Protecting Manguwanku, a documentary film which aired on the national broadcaster NITV
Outback waterhole lined with river gums, a white-barked ghost gum in the foreground, spinifex banks under blue sky.

Protecting Manuwangku documentary (teaser)

Protecting Manuwangku documents the struggle against ongoing attempts to build a nuclear waste dump on Aboriginal Land in Muckaty in the Northern Territory.

Filmed through the lead up to a major rally in Tenant Creek, the film highlights the determination of Warlmanpa and Marumungu people to defend their land and culture and to keep Manuwangku nuclear free.

The documentary was made in collaboration with Traditional Owners, Beyond Nuclear Initiative and NITV. 


Researchers:

Directer:

  • Jason De Santolo

Producers:

  • Larissa Behrendt
  • Craig Longman

Screened:

  • 27 August 2014 on NITV

Protecting Manuwangku documentary (teaser) transcript

PROTECTING MANUWANGKU

Documentary collaboration: Traditional Owners + Beyond Nuclear Initiative + NITV

Screening NITV August 2014

Since 2007, a site on the Muckaty Land Trust has been under assessment for a national radioactive waste dump.

The site was nominated by the Northern Land Council despite strong and sustained opposition from many Traditional Ownerships

The campaign to protect Manuwangku (Muckaty) has united the local community and drawn support from across the country.

This is my country. My name is Dianne Stokes. There's two languages I can speak. What I said was, six years we've been talking about the waste, we didn't want the waste to come to that land and now from tomorrow it’ll be six years, from tomorrow we're gonna say that we still don't want the waste to come, even though it began six years ago but we want to stop it.

Other assistance 

  • Public speaking events around the country
  • Support to pro bono solicitors for the conduct of successful litigation in the Federal Court of Australia.

Outcome

The result of the advocacy was the removal of the nomination of the Muckaty Aboriginal Land Trust as a site for the proposed Nuclear Waste Dump.

Find out more