Gigari is Wulgurukaba, her clan is Nwalgibain, and her language group is Wulguru. Gigari worked tirelessly to secure the recognition of Indigenous rights and interests in environmental and natural resource management—locally, nationally, and internationally.

In 2012, the Wulgurukaba People were granted inalienable freehold title to six hectares of land on Magnetic Island.

7th July 2012 Traditional Owners given freehold title over land on Magnetic Island Statement

7th July 2012 Native title rights granted for slice of Magnetic Island News Report

Gigari sat on many Boards, Expert Panels, Committees and she was a special advisor to many. In her time she was one of Australia’s most important contemporary leaders in environmental management. Her work has realised significant economic empowerment for Australia’s First Nations Peoples through the establishment of the Working on Country Program the Indigenous Protected Area Program and countless Great Barrier Reef initiatives. Her expertise, intelligence and passion for her People, her Country and land and sea management nationally, saw her serve as Chair of the Commonwealth Indigenous Advisory Committee (Environment) and on the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority board for over 10 years.  Gigari served on the following:

1997 - 1998 Founding Members of Indigenous Sea Forum

2002 - 2006 Member of the Indigenous Advisory Committee (Environment)

2005 - 2005 Member of the Wet Tropics Aboriginal Cultural and Natural Resource Management Plan Indigenous Technical Support Group

2006 - 2008 Bush Heritage Indigenous Advisory Board

2006 - 2016 Chair of the Indigenous Advisory Committee (Environment)

2008 - 2018 Member of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Board

2008 - 2009 Member of the Forest Stewardship Council Australia engaged an interim Indigenous steering committee

2012 - 2012 Member of the SEWPAC

2013 - 2014 Co-Chair of World Indigenous Network (WIN)  National Advisory Group

2016 - 2017 Member of the Djelk IPA Advisory Committee

2017 - 2018 Member of the Threatened Species Hub Northern Australia Oversight Committee

2017 - 2018 Member of the CRC North Australia

2018 - 2019 Member of the Indigenous Reef Advisory Committee

2018 - 2019 Member of the Native Title Research Advisory Committee (AIATSIS)

2018 - 2019 Member of the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance Ltd Board

2018 - 2019 Member of the Bush Heritage Board

2019 - 2020 Chair of the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance Ltd Board

Gigari, a Saltwater Woman - passionate and driven she spent a significant amount of her life supporting First Nations People’s across Australia. Her work saw her become one of Australia’s most important advocates for environmental policy and legislative reform. Her legacy is the creation of a significant level of inclusion for Australia’s First Nations Peoples’ in the National effort to care for and protect our shared national legacy of country for the next generation. Gigari authored and was a strong voice in numerous publications, resources and discussions including:

2004 CRC REEF RESEARCH CENTRE TECHNICAL REPORT NO. 50 Managing sea country together: key issues for developing co-operative management for the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area Melissa George, James Innes and Helen Ross Here

2004 Smyth, D. 2004. Case Study No 4 – Developing an Aboriginal Plan for the Wet Tropics NRM Region in North Queensland. (In) Smyth, D., Szabo, S. & George, M. (eds.) Case Studies in Indigenous Engagement in Natural Resource Management in Australia. (pp 109-144). Consultancy Report by Smyth and Bahrt Consultants for the Commonwealth Department of Environment and Heritage, Canberra.

2005 The Wet Tropics Aboriginal Cultural and Natural Resource Management Plan Indigenous Technical Support Group Here 

2005 Cultural Survival Quarterly Magazine - Interview Here

2006 Developing the Wet Tropics Aboriginal Cultural and Natural Resource Management Plan - Pg 54 Here

2009 Indigenous group offers reef management advice - News Article 

2010 A Governance Typology of Indigenous Engagement in Environmental Management Here (Environment)

2010 Experts and marine managers team up on Sea Country management, GBRMPA Here

2010 Investigations, compliance training tackle illegal poaching of dugong News Article

2011 Experts and marine managers team up Sea Country management News Article

2012 Animal Care and Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2012 Here

2012 Sea Ranger program overview Here

2012 Science Engagement and Tropical Australia Building a prosperous and sustainable future for the north Prepared by the Expert Working Group on Science Engagement Into and For Australia’s Tropical Region Here

2012 A Typology of Indigenous Engagement in Australian Environmental Management Implications for Knowledge Integration and Social-ecological System Sustainability Here

2013 Local vies for peak Indigenous job - News Article

2014 Collaborative Governance of Australian Protected Areas, Melissa George & Dermot Smyth Here

2015 Meeting update: Native Title Research Advisory Committee

Native Title Newsletter  Issue Dec 2015 (Dec 2015) Here

2015 International Savanna Fire Management Initiative - The Global Potential of Indigenous Fire Management Findings of the Regional Feasibility Assessments Executive Summary, UNU Here

2015 Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications Legislation Committee Answers to questions on notice Environment portfolio Here 

2016 Social Justice and Native Title Report 2016 - Extract form the 2016 Mabo Lecture by Melissa George Here

2016 Traditional Owners and Sea Country in the Southern Great Barrier Reef – Which Way Forward? Allan Dale, Melissa George, Rosemary Hill and Duane Fraser Here

2018 Russell-Smith, James, Pedersen, Sangha, & ProQuest. (2019). Sustainable land sector development in Northern Australia : indigenous rights, aspirations, and cultural responsibilities. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group.

2018 Traditional Owners of the Great Barrier Reef: The Next Generation of Reef 2050 Actions Final Report From The Reef 2050 Traditional Owner Aspirations Project - Full Report Here

2018 Reef 2050 Mid-Term Review Report From The Reef 2050 Traditional Owner Project Here

2019 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Strategy for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Here

2020 Our Knowledge Our Way Guidelines Here