CANBERRA, Australia, 24 April 2018 – Lockheed Martin Australia is teaming up with Landcare Australia to support the restoration of important Aboriginal cultural sites in the Ginninderra catchment in Canberra.

Umbagong District Park in Belconnen and has a high Aboriginal significance due to the presence of axe grinding grooves and the area contains numerous native flora and fauna species that are significant to the Ngunawal people. 

The Ginninderra Catchment Group is working with Mullangang Traditional Aboriginal Landcare Group, the Umbagong Landcare Group and MacGregor Landcare Group to maintain and restore the area surrounding the axe-grinding grooves at Umbagong District Park.

“Ginninderra Creek, which flows into the Murrumbidgee River, was an ancient pathway for Aboriginal people and is still important to our people today,” said Ngunawal elder and Director of the Mullangang Traditional Aboriginal Landcare Group, Wally Bell.

Volunteers are working to improve the water quality of Ginninderra Creek and enhance culturally significant sites by controlling emerging weeds along the creek and by undertaking instream and riparian planting.

“There is strong community demand for information about Aboriginal heritage of the ACT region,” said Karissa Preuss, Coordinator of the Ginninderra Catchment Group.

“This project will go some way towards meeting the demand by offering short interpretive walks, led by local Ngunawal custodians, in association with each of the on-ground restoration events.”

The sponsorship reflects the values of Lockheed Martin’s Go Green program which promotes business practices and facility processes that reduce environmental and operational risk.

It comes on the back of Earth Day when Lockheed Martin celebrated its commitment to environmental stewardship in its operations using best practice principles in environmental management to enhance sustainable business activities and products.

“Lockheed Martin Australia is proud to contribute to this community project which very much aligns with our own Go Green Program to reduce carbon emissions, energy and water use and waste to landfill,” said Lockheed Martin Australia Chief Executive Vince Di Pietro AM CSC. 

“This partnership with Landcare Australia develops and extends our Go Green Program and demonstrates our commitment to environmental stewardship as well as aligning with the mission and principles of Earth Day.”