Meet the participants

Yaegl commercial fishing enterprise - to be updated

Wonnarua Nation Aboriginal Corporation Aquaculture, Project Lead – Laurie Perry

Meet Laurie Perry from the Wonnarua Nation Aboriginal Corporation and a participant in the Aboriginal Fisheries Business Development Program.

Laurie Perry has been the CEO of Wonnarua Nation Aboriginal Corporation for nearly 10 years. After leaving school in Singleton in 1979, Laurie soon commenced working at Liddell Colliery in Ravensworth, working underground for 10 years, before a serious accident put him out of work.

“My passion is to look after our membership, build our communities, to make sure our traditional country is legislatively protected and managed our way”.

Returning to Liddell Colliery after two years, Laurie soon after faced retrenchment due to the mine’s closure. Laurie furthered his studies at Singleton TAFE over several years working on developing his business skills, including a focus on Aboriginal tours across his traditional country.

“I live in the largest mining, wine, tourism and power industry and see my role in building a futuristic Aboriginal Industry. My key objectives are closing the gap, supporting youth, supporting emerging Elders and current Elders needs and to reduce the high levels of youth unemployment and incarceration levels across our region. I want to create an Aboriginal economic future for all Aboriginal people living in Wonnarua Country”.

The Wonnarua Nation Aboriginal Corporation will be working with DPIRD Fisheries and the program partners to develop a new aquaculture enterprise on Wonnurua Country, with benefits to flow back to their community.

Walbunja Aboriginal Fishing Cooperative, Project Lead - Wally Stewart

Meet Wally Stewart from the Walbunja Aboriginal Fishing Cooperative and a participant of the Aboriginal Fisheries Business Development Program.

A Walbunja man from the Yuin nation on the far south coast of NSW, Wally is also an applicant for the South Coast People native title claim and member of NSW Aboriginal Fishing Rights Group. Wally is currently employed as a part-time Project Officer with Joonga Land and Water Aboriginal Corporation.

“I manage projects for Joonga Corporation including the SMART Drumline (shark) contract in Eurobodalla Shire, running Cultural boat tours in Narooma to deliver awareness and understanding on the impact of colonisation. I am also responsible for coordinating a scientific dive team and sourcing other contract opportunities for Joonga staff”.

Wally has previously worked with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, provided a maintenance program for Cape Byron Marine Park and Byron Bay Lighthouse, Aboriginal Liaison Officer for Batemans Marine Park, and was also the Incident Controller for marine mammal strandings for the north coast whale disentanglement team. Wally regularly volunteers his time working closely with the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Wollongong Uni (Blue Economy) and Oxfam to build a foundation for economic development for his community.

“My passion is Aboriginal fishing rights and working towards building a sustainable healthy Yuin Land and Sea Country. I believe if you have healthy Land and Sea, you will have healthy Yuin people”.

Wally will be working with DPIRD Fisheries and the program partners to develop a new Aboriginal Fishing Cooperative enterprise on Walbunja Country, with benefits to flow back to their community.