Our Story
Victims Colleen Walker-Craig (16), Evelyn Greenup (4), and Clinton Speedy-Duroux (16) Credit: Cinema Australia​​
Jaanymili Bawrrunga (JB) is a not-for-profit Bowravillle community-based organization established in 2017 and incorporated in 2019 borne of the Bowraville Solution Brokerage initiative as the local governance structure to address the community’s key strategic priorities which were:
• Affordable Housing
• Opportunities for youth
• Holistic Health Structure and
• Building Capacity
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JB delivers services across a range of sectors enabling a range of entry points for community members and simultaneously presents JB with a range of aligned business opportunities. These services include:
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Community services and health
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Agribusiness
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Tourism
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Land management and sustainability
Between September 1990 and February 1991 3 Aboriginal children (Colleen Walker-Craig, Clinton Speedy-Duroux and four-year-old Evelyn Greenup) were murdered in Bowraville. The Murders, subsequent investigations, and the pursuit of justice for these children has been devastating for the families involved and impacted on the wider close knit Bowraville community.
In November 20213 the legislative council Standing Committee on Law and Justice established a Parliamentary Inquiry into the 'Family response to the murders in Bowraville' in recognition of the suffering of the families involved. On November 6th 2014, the Parliamentary Committee's report tabled in Parliament, outlining 15 recommendations to which the NSW Government implemented.
Recommendation 13 advocated the NSW Government identify and address the healing needs of the families. To understand the complex healing needs of the affected families, a specialist consultant Mr. Grant Sarra was engaged by Aboriginal Affairs NSW to facilitate individual family consultant. In June 2016, the report by Mr. Sarra identified issues relating to 3 key areas: The healing needs of the individual family member, the families ongoing pursuit of just and the needs of the community as a whole.
Clay handprints are seen on the glass of the NSW law courts during a rally for justice for the families of the victims the Bowraville murders in September of 2018. Credit: AAP
Bowraville community members react outside the Supreme Court in Sydney on Friday March 22, 2019 after the High Court refused to hear an appeal. Credit: AAP
The report defined a community experiencing intergenerational trauma with inadequate support, further highlighting to Government the need for support services to address the range of needs the community faces today.
Programs and support services to address trauma, mental health, drug and alcohol abuse, parenting support and training and employment were among those issues identified by the families as inadequate or non-existent.
On 15 September 2016, the Head of Aboriginal Affairs, Mr. Jason Ardler made the ‘Bowraville Solution Brokerage: building community resilience’ declaration.
NSW Government Bowraville Solution Brokerage Response Plan 2018 identifies a resourced Jaanymili Bawrrungga as critical in supporting, progressing and sustaining the priorities in the Response Plan.
As local residents and family members who know the history, community dynamics, and cultural heritage of Bowraville, Jaanymili Bawrrungga Incorporated is best placed to work with the community in implementing the Solution Brokerage priorities and action plan under the Four Pillars framework; meaningful services, good governance, developing capabilities and socio-cultural sustainability.
Justice Kirk (5) holds a sign about his uncle Clinton Speedy-Duroux, who was killed aged 16 in 1991. Credit: Kate Geraghty