Clermont Aboriginal Community Development Fund

Glencore operates the Clermont Open Cut coal mine within the Project Area also known as the Clermont-Belyando Area Native Title Claim (formerly the Wangan & Jagalingou Native Title Claim QUD 85/04). Glencore acquired a stake in the Clermont Mine from Rio Tinto Coal Australia in 2014.

The Clermont-Belyando Area Native Title Claim Group (and Rio Tinto as the previous mine owners) signed an Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) in May 2008.

This agreement (which, following the sale of the Clermont Mine from Rio Tinto, is now binding on Glencore) established an Aboriginal Community Development Fund (ACDF) that provides funds to support community driven projects that deliver positive, constructive, real and sustainable outcomes to the Aboriginal Community of Interest. The ACDF is administered by the Aboriginal Community Development Fund Committee (ACDFC).

The funding available to the Aboriginal Community Development Fund may vary from year to year. Guidelines have been established to ensure the Aboriginal Community Development Fund is used in the most effective way to assist the Aboriginal Community of Interest achieve their 'Vision of the Future'.

Vision and objective

Through the agreement, the Clermont-Belyando Area People seek to achieve equivalent access and outcomes in education, training, employment and economic participation as that enjoyed by the community as a whole as well as retaining the unique heritage and traditions of the Clermont-Belyando Area People.

The ACDF's vision is that:

The ACDF's objectives are:

• Capacity Building: "That Aboriginal people are able to participate fully in their community and are empowered to take greater control of their health and community wellbeing."
• Education and Training: "That Aboriginal children reach educational outcomes at the same level as the community average and that there is continual improvement of the educational, training and pre-vocational skills and abilities of Aboriginal people living in the region."
• Cultural Heritage: "That ancient cultural heritage of the Clermont-Belyando Area people is identified and preserved for the benefit of current and future generations."
• Governance: "That professional governance structure and process to enhance effective and efficient planning and decision-making, leadership, coordination and monitoring of the Fund is developed and maintained."

The ACDF Committee will use the vision statement and objectives as a guide to decide how it can best support and develop the Aboriginal Community of Interest. The vision and objectives form the basis for the types of projects that the ACDF Committee will support and how it intends to allocate funds.

Applications

Applications for funding must be applicable to the Clermont-Belyando Area Native Title Claim area or benefit Aboriginal people residing within this Community of Interest. View a map of the Claim area (PDF 1.7MB).

Applications for funding open on 1 January of each year and assessments will take place on a quarterly basis. Applications for the University Scholarship opens in October every year. Please read through the Funding Guidelines document before completing your application.

Term

The ACDF is for the term of the Clermont Coal project leases. Projects with a life beyond the funding term will be monitored by the Executive Officer as per the terms of the partnership agreements.

Important dates for 2025