Bargarla Aboriginal corporation gets share in T-Ports Lucky Bay port on Eyre Peninsula in South Australia

T-Ports chief executive officer Kieran Carvill and Barngarla Aboriginal chairperson Jason Bilney with their agreement acknowledging the Barngarla shareholding in the Lucky Bay port on Eyre Peninsula, South Australia.

Barngarla Aboriginal people in 2021 gained an historic T-Ports shareholding in the new Lucky Bay port on Eyre peninsula side of South Australia’s Spencer Gulf.

Part ownership in the Lucky Bay project for Barngarla Determination Aboriginal Corporation was included in an agreement with T-Ports that was initially made after the corporation gained native title over its traditional Eyre Peninsula area in 2018.

T-Ports chief executive officer Kieran Carvill said it was a key importance for all businesses to recognise that native title needed to be taken seriously and not regarded as some cash transaction or a cheap payout. “We need to actively develop a culture of respect and inclusion, recognising that the first nation custodians of the land are exactly that.”

Barngarla chairperson Jason Bilney said T-Ports have been good to work with: “They have respected our ancient connection to our country, land and sea as traditional owners of the Eyre Peninsula. We have worked through changes that we needed and they needed. We are very proud to be part of a project which will help both our community and the Eyre Peninsula as a whole”.  

Barngarla elder and deputy chairperson Roderick Wingfield added: “Nothing can happen without respect. T-Ports have respected us, and we respect this project. To own part of the project is something that our future generations can be proud of.”

As part of the agreement and the ongoing cooperation between T-Ports and Barngarla, T-Ports will look to develop a Barngarla Ranger programme, support scholarships for Barngarla students and provide job opportunities.

The port at Lucky Bay was the first to be built in South Australia for three decades. It was the first of T-Ports’ multi-user and multi-commodity transshipment ports, with a second planned for Wallaroo on Yorke Peninsula. Lucky Bay’s project was based on handling agricultural products and could expanded to allow export of local minerals. Grain growers also had a shareholding in the port.