Power to Country: First Nations-led sustainable energy solutions

This is an excerpt of an article that GARUWA wrote for Renew Magazine. We encourage you to purchase Renew Issue 168 to read more.

In the remote Northern Territory’s Gulf of Carpentaria lies Mumathumburru, also known as West Island. Its coastline features sandy beaches and rocky outcrops, surrounded by clear, expansive blue waters home to diverse marine life. Inland, the landscape is characterised by rugged terrain, lush vegetation and cultural sites that hold deep significance for the Garrwa and Yanyuwa people.

Yet despite the beauty, energy insecurity is forcing First Nations custodians to leave.

The Power to Country initiative, a collaboration between GARUWA, Original Power and Ngardara Cooperative, aims to transform this lived reality through self-determined, community-led renewable energy solutions.

At its core, Power to Country underscores the importance of sustainable energy in empowering First Nations people to live on Country on their own terms.

The Power to Country story begins with Shirley Simon, a Garrwa woman determined to return to her family’s homelands with solar energy.

…purchase Renew Issue 168 to continue reading.