Gelganyem Trust

A strong organisation that manages the funds and assets under the Argyle Participation Agreement on behalf of the Traditional Owners.

Gelganyem Trust was established in April 2005 as a charitable trust and marked the end of 3 years of negotiations which showed a new way forward for self-determination of Traditional Owners of the Argyle Diamond Mine area. Gelganyem Directors manage the Sustainability Fund complying with the requirements of the Agreement. Payments from Argyle Diamonds to Gelganyem Trust are made twice a year for the benefit of Traditional Owners. The payments are made in line with the rules of the Agreement and depend upon whether Argyle Diamond Mine makes money over the previous six months. The payments continue until 6 months after the production at the mine ceases.

Our Plans

Our Priorities

In 2013, the Gelganyem Board of Directors sat down together to plan out how we can have healthier Traditional Owners and families, stronger Communities, encourage Traditional Owners to participate in education, continue to embrace our culture, have more Traditional Owner businesses and more Aboriginal people taking up employment in the East Kimberley.

To do this well, our priorities over the next 3 years are:

1. Health and Well-being;
2. Education;
3. Law and Culture;
4. Business and Investments; and
5. Sustainability Fund (Money for the Future)

Our Directors

Each year the directors of Gelganyem Limited elect a Chair and a Vice-Chair.

There are 11 Directors in total (9 Traditional Owner Directors and 2 Independent Directors). Of the 9 Traditional Owner Directors, 4 come from the 2 primary Dawang of Mandangala and Tiltuwum.

Each of the primary Dawang have 2 representatives each, 1 male and 1 female.

The remaining 5 Directors come from one of the 5 secondary Dawang of Balabur, Bilbildjing, Neminuwarlin, Upper Jimbila and Yunurr.