Cape York Natural Resource Management project officer Katelyn Greaves and biodiversity project officer Belinda Woodland check out the 75 Charlotte Street site the organisation is hoping to develop into a Cooktown hub. Photo: Supplied.
It may not look like much at the moment, but one Cape York organisation has grand plans to transform a vacant Cooktown block of land into a vibrant natural resource management hub.
Planning is underway for a shared natural resource management space for land trusts or corporations, First Nations prescribed body corporates and other interested organisations in Cooktown and from across Cape York to use in the battle to protect the region’s environment.
Cape York Natural Resource Management (NRM) is leading the development at 75 Charlotte Street, and said it hoped to hear from potential partners who may want to lease office space if they shared similar purposes and values to the organisation.
Cape York NRM Chair Jim Turnour said the board had established a Cooktown Land Development subcommittee and was keen to help support projects across the Cape.
“We are a not-for-profit organisation focused on supporting the sustainable development, management and protection of Cape York’s natural environment and cultural values,” Mr Turnour said.
“We are community-based and work with Traditional Owners, producers, community groups, land carers, industry and NGOs, amongst others, to help build and strengthen networks to achieve shared land management goals.”
After Cape York NRM purchased the land in 2022, the subcommittee met on 11 March to start the ball rolling on the development of an office and temporary staff accommodation on the site.
“But we want to see if partners might be interested in being part of that, to develop a hub for natural resource management in the region,” Mr Turnour said.
“Preliminary planning has been undertaken; we know, however, that we deliver projects through partners, and don’t want to finalise plans until we have had an opportunity to talk to them about how any development could bring broader benefits to the region’s NRM community.”
Cape York NRM will be undertaking stakeholder engagement with suitable business partners over the next two months, and Mr Turnour said a final concept for the site would be developed at that point.
“This will inform the design and size of the development so plans can be finalised to seek funding for construction,” he said.
