GWR acknowledges the Martu people as the traditional owners of the land at Wiluna West and we recognise their right to derive social and economic benefits from our activities on their land.

The Company also recognises that mining and exploration companies have an important role to play in contributing to sustainable social, economic and institutional development benefitting indigenous communities.

GWR is working hard to deliver an iron ore project and to pursue gold mining opportunities at Wiluna West and elsewhere that will benefit indigenous peoples. By meeting shareholder expectations on success and profitability, the Company recognises it can maximise positive outcomes for the wider Wiluna community.

In July 2010 the Company executed a Native Title Mining Agreement with the Tarlpa Native Title claimants over the Wiluna West Project.

The agreement represented a significant milestone for GWR and respects the traditional rights and customs of the indigenous people, in particular the Tarlpa Native Title claimants who are the traditional owners and custodians of the land which hosts the Wiluna West Project.

The mining agreement encompasses a number of employment, cultural and business initiatives.

GWR continues to work with the wider community to encourage indigenous business initiatives able to provide goods and services to the Company into the future.

GWR is proud of its long standing commitment to the youth of Wiluna, who represent the building blocks for the community’s long-term strength. 

Over the years, GWR has funded scholarships to the Clontarf Football Academy for young men and Rolemodels Australia for young women, as well as funding the work of a liaison officer.

More recently, GWR has become a foundation sponsor of the Murlpirrmarra Connection, which assists and supports Wiluna and Murchison-based, young Aboriginal men and women, in the areas of education, sporting pathways, health, rehabilitation, discipline, self-confidence and employment prospects.

For more information, refer to the Murlpirrmarra website.

The Company has wholeheartedly engaged in the Wiluna Regional Partnership Agreement, an initiative formulated by the Commonwealth Government in partnership with the Minerals Council of Australia.

The partnership aims to improve the socio-economic wellbeing of Indigenous Australians by expanding access to employment and business development opportunities available in mining regions by laying the foundation for lasting, intergenerational benefit. It involves government, Indigenous people, businesses and communities.

The agreement aims to benefit both Indigenous people and mining companies through improved opportunities for the industry to source local labour, products and services, skills development and achieve higher staff retention. The partnership is also aimed at present and future development of mineral resources, and the establishment of vibrant, diversified and sustainable regional economies.

GWR Group and WAMYIG are Working to enhance Western Australian regional infrastructure and provide fair and open access for junior and mid-tier miners and other businesses.

Western Australian-based, WA MYIG Incorporated works with miners, infrastructure providers, small and medium businesses, local communities, Government (Federal, State and Local) and agencies to deliver fair and open access to ports, rail, roads, pipelines, energy and telecommunications in the Midwest, Goldfields, Yilgarn and Pilbara regions.

Primarily representing smaller and mid-tier miners and their supply chain partners, WA MYIG Inc promotes strong links with key stakeholders in order to work together on infrastructure opportunities, solutions and bottlenecks.

WA MYIG Inc is registered with the West Australian Department of Commerce (IARN: A1034602Z under the Associations and Incorporation Act 2015 (Section 10)) as a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to working to enhance local businesses’ access to infrastructure.

GWR Group Chair Gary Lyons is WAMYIG’s founding Chair and David Utting is secretary.