Wajarri Yamaji Aboriginal Corporation (“WYAC”) was established in May 2013 for the Wajarri Yamaji people who have traditional rights in the Murchison area.
WYAC is a registered Public Benevolent Institution (charity) and membership-based association. It receives monies through the Murchison Radio Observatory Indigenous Land Use Agreement as well as more recent mining agreements. These funds are then independently invested and distributed by Winja Wajarri Barna Limited, the Trust.
Governing Rules
The corporation operates according to it’s Rule Book, which governs the overarching operations of the Board of Directors and the relationship between members, Directors and the Chief Executive Officer.
View our Rules to learn more about how we operate.
Meetings
Directors meet at least 6 times per year. An Annual General meeting is held within five months of the end of the financial year.
Join us as a Member to receive upcoming meeting notices and Wajarri Community Office newsletters.
CEO
Graham O’Dell is highly qualified and brings a wide range of skills and experience to the CEO role, particularly in native title and business development. His qualifications include:
- GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN APPLIED CORPORATE GOVERNANCE – Governance Institute of Australia (2020)
- GRADUATE DIPLOMA OF LEGAL PRACTICE – College of Law (2010)
- JURIS DOCTOR (LAW DEGREE) – University of Notre Dame (2009)
- MASTER OF COMMERCE (MANAGEMENT) – Curtin University (1996)
- GRADUATE DIPLOMA OF BUSINESS – Curtin University (1994)
- BACHELOR OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION – University of WA (1986)
For the past 12 years Graham has been working within native title as a lawyer. Before coming to WYAC Graham was the acting CEO of the North Queensland Land Council, the native title representative body (NTRB) for north Queensland.
Whilst in Queensland he was also the Principal Legal Officer with the Cape York Land Council.
Before this Graham spent almost 7 years with the Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC), NTRB for the Pilbara and Yamatji (Murchison/Gascoyne) regions, as the principal legal officer and senior regional legal officer (Pilbara Region).
Whilst he was Acting Principal Legal Officer at YMAC, Graham became familiar with the Wajarri native title claim and has followed the progress of the claim to determination. He is fully conversant with Aboriginal Lore and Culture in the Yamaji region, with specific experience with the Wajarri Yamaji People.
Directors
We acknowledge our board of Directors for their commitment to our values and their strategic guidance; delivering access to great programs and community initiatives.
WYAC currently has eight (8) Directors comprising eight (7) Member-Directors who represent the four (4) Land Committees and one (1) Independent Director.
Jennylyn Hamlett – Chairperson – Minangu Land Committee
Des Mongoo – Minangu land Committee
Rebecca Lockyer – Burringurrah and Milly Milly Land Committee
Tanya Roe – Ngoonooru Land Committee
Julie-anne Berg – Ngoonooru Land Committee
Michelle McIntosh – Byro Land Committee
Margaret Dowden – Byro Land Committee
Tahnee Davies – Independent Director
Land Groups
The Wajarri Yamaji Native Title Determination encompasses an area of approximately 85,000 square kilometres in the Murchison and Gascoyne regions of Western Australia.
The Wajarri Yamaji People comprise four Land Groups; Minangu, Burringurrah/Milly Milly, Bryo and Ngoonooru.
Each Land Group is represented by a committee of Traditional Owners, called the Land Committees. Those four Land Committee members are as follows:
Minangu
Anthony Dann
Jennylyn Hamlett
Julie Jones
Val Jones
Russell Simpson
Gail Simpson
Leonie Boddington
Burringurrah/Milly Milly
Charles Snowball
Rebecca Lockyer
Sharlene Thorne
Byro
Michelle McIntosh
Dawn Hamlett
Russell McIntosh
Ngoonooru
Stephen Compton
Travis Fraser (Snr)
Tanya Roe
Richard Berg
Robert Budd
Matthew Berg
Julie-Anne Berg
