Draft Outcomes report: Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples Regional Forum

This document is the Draft Outcomes Report of the Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples (RAP) Regional Forum, held in Yungaburra in May–June 2019. Compiled by the Wet Tropics Management Authority, it records the discussions, resolutions, and collective positions expressed by Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples regarding governance, cultural authority, and future management of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. The report is explicitly a record of forum outcomes rather than government policy, capturing Aboriginal perspectives at a critical point in the review of the Wet Tropics Management Plan and the refresh of the 2005 Regional Agreement.The report affirms Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples as Traditional Custodians with an ongoing responsibility to care for Country, maintain cultural sites, and protect cultural heritage for future generations (pp. 2–4). It emphasises that this responsibility requires a strong and continuous Aboriginal voice in decision-making affecting the Wet Tropics footprint and the wider biocultural region (pp. 5–8). Cultural knowledge is presented as living, place-based, and collectively held, rather than static heritage, and as essential to both environmental stewardship and cultural continuity.A central theme of the document is governance. The outcomes highlight the role of the Traditional Owner Leadership Group (TOLG) as a mandated regional body tasked with advancing Aboriginal priorities, including the development of an Implementation Agreement to give practical effect to the original Regional Agreement (pp. 13–29). The report documents concerns about incomplete implementation of earlier commitments and identifies the need for clearer structures, resourcing, and accountability to support Aboriginal leadership in World Heritage management.The forum outcomes also address the collection, documentation, and endorsement of cultural knowledge. While the report does not prescribe detailed methodologies, it stresses the importance of authenticity, accuracy, and Traditional Custodian endorsement in any recording or use of cultural information (pp. 12–16). It recognises multiple sources of cultural knowledge, including Traditional Owner groups, RNTBCs, PBCs, land trusts, and cultural heritage bodies, and calls for structured, culturally governed approaches to managing this information.The report further outlines aspirations for economic, social, and cultural development, particularly through culturally appropriate tourism, education, and visitor infrastructure (pp. 16–26). It situates Indigenous tourism within a broader framework of rights-based governance, partnerships, and sustainability. Overall, the document captures a pivotal moment in which Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples articulated a collective vision for cultural authority, governance reform, and the practical embedding of local cultural knowledge in the future management of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.