Case study: Targeted funding to support recovery for a devastated First Nations community

19 December 2025

Wujul Wujal in Far North Queensland is home of the Kuku Yalanji, Kuku Nyungul and Jalunji clans – the ‘rainforest people’, the traditional owners and custodians of the area. Located in a World Heritage site abundant with sacred waterfalls in the Bloomfield Valley, Wujal Wujal means ‘many falls’ in the local language.

Tropical Cyclone Jasper crossed the Queensland coast as a category 2 system in the vicinity of Wujal Wujal at around 8 pm AEST on the evening of 13 December 2023. TC Jasper was associated with an extraordinary flooding event causing large-scale andcausing the Bloomfield River to reach its highest levels in living memory. Wujal Wujal was completely inundated, leading to the evacuation of all residents to Cooktown and Cairns. Many were displaced and off Country for more than six months.

The flooding caused extensive damage to homes, roads, and community infrastructure, with most council buildings, equipment, and vehicles destroyed. Recognising the community’s unique needs, QRA developed a $13.93 million Wujal Wujal Targeted Assistance Package, jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). This was the first targeted recovery package for a Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and focused on repairing and improving the resilience of key community and recreational assets, including the art and cultural centre, community garden, recreation hall, sports grounds, and walking tracks.

QRA worked closely with the Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council to ensure the package addressed community priorities. Additional funding supported repairs to critical services and infrastructure. On 7 June 2024, the Bloomfield Valley held a Community Healing Ceremony to mark a significant step towards recovery and the return of residents to Wujal Wujal. Recovery efforts for Wujal Wujal are ongoing.

Last updated: 19 December 2025
QRA Reference: QRATF/25/8716

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