Kaanju people recognise the potential of our land and resources for economic development and the need for our community to build enterprises that will help sustain our people and homelands into the future. We stress that any economic development on our homelands is locally initiated and controlled. The main objectives for Kaanju people at Chuula in establishing homeland-based economic enterprises are:
To generate funds in order to help provide further infrastructure to support the reestablishment of permanent Kaanju communities on homelands.
To gain greater economic self-sufficiency.
To provide CDEP employees the opportunity to earn additional income.
To provide employment opportunities for members of the Chuula community outside that of CDEP, and to act as a springboard for employment in the mainstream.
To build on opportunities, knowledge and skills at the local level to participate in the hybrid economy and in the mainstream economy.
In late 2002 at the request of Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation consultants from Balkanu Business Hubs visited Chuulato look at the feasibility of certain enterprise development opportunities on Kaanju homelands. The resulting report Chuulangun Aboriginal CorporationChuula Outstation Opportunities reviews 13 ideas, suggested by Kaanju people at Chuula, for potential enterprise development at Chuulangun and on surrounding Kaanju clan estates. A brief overview and SWOT analysis plus proposed recommendations were included in the report for each of the identified enterprises. The ideas for potential business development include:
The experience of Kaanju people living at Chuula in cattle-work on neighbouring pastoral stations on Kaanju homelands and on pastoral properties elsewhere on Cape York Peninsula, has prompted the development of a cattle enterprise at Chuula. The cattle enterprise project has three main aims:
To build a viable, sustainable and profitable cattle enterprise on Kaanju homelands.
To maintain a 'killer' herd for community and local use.
To manage feral cattle on homelands.
The cattle enterprise is already in progress with several kilometres of fence line established and yards under construction.
