Indigenous initiatives fill void left after Rio Tinto's exit from Nhulunbuy

Indigenous businesses in north-east Arnhem Land are finding opportunities in the void left by the loss of Rio Tinto's alumina refinery, which was once the largest employer in the town of Nhulunbuy.

Rio Tinto closed the Gove alumina refinery last year. Since then, economic development has been a focus for the Gumatj leaders who are expected to use this weekend's Garma festival to showcase their economic projects and announce a new agreement with the Commonwealth aimed at giving traditional owners greater control over economic development on their land.

The CEO of the Gumatj Corporation Klaus Helms said the town had changed since the "curtailment" of the refinery.

"What I have noticed is that the town is not reflecting a mining town anymore but becoming a regional town," he said.

Mr Helms said more Indigenous people had been coming into the town to use services.

The Gumatj Corporation have used mining royalties to set up several businesses and has just bought a concrete batching plant from Rio Tinto.

A senior Gumatj leader Djawa Yunupingu said Indigenous control of economic development would be on the agenda at this weekend's Garma festival which brings Indigenous leaders from around the country to north-east Arnhem Land.

"People talking about economic development that's what I would want to have a look to be brought forward," he said.

At the festival two years ago Djawa Yunupingu's brother, land rights champion Galarrwuy Yunupingu, said land rights needed to be "woken up" to give traditional owners greater control over economic development on their land.

The Gumatj have now signed an agreement with the Commonwealth that they said could help to achieve that.