Clear advantage to local group

A NEWLY established local Indigenous company, has been awarded the weed management contract for Sekisui House’s controversial 20-hectare development site at Yaroomba.
Gondwana Pty Ltd is an initiative of the DASSI Group (Descendants of Australian South Sea Islanders) and was established by Mick Fewquandie who, seeing the need for employment of Indigenous and Islander people locally, decided to take up a new challenge and create his business.
Up to 80 per cent of its members are of Islander and Indigenous heritage.
Mr Fewquandie is thrilled to have been given the opportunity to undertake the weed management contract as it is his first major project for the company.
“Gondwana is very happy to have won the contract in an open tender, and to provide job opportunities for our people in the local area,” Mr Fewquandie said.
“Not only do we have the expertise and energy to do the job but we bring with it the traditional valuing and love of the land itself.”
Gondwana joins a number of local contracting firms Sekisui House uses to regularly maintain the existing developed and undeveloped sections of the site.
The yearly contract will see the site cleared of Class 2 and Class 3 weeds such as groundsel bush, lantana, climbing asparagus fern and camphor laurel species plus others.
The contract also allows for ongoing weed management activities to maintain the site.
Sekisui House senior development manager Evan Aldridge said Gondwana had been chosen as it brought significant local knowledge of the area and experience in weed management and importantly a cultural affinity with the land, plus competitive pricing which contributed to them securing the contract.
“The decision to contract Gondwana is an important step for Sekisui House and supports the findings in the Federal Government‘s ‘Closing the Gap’ report which highlights initiatives that provide positive outcomes for Indigenous and Islander people,” Mr Aldridge said.
“It is important as a land owner to maintain control of the vegetation, especially the weeds on our site.
“We continue to assist in the work of the council and the Coolum and North Shore Coast Care group regarding the valuable frontal dune area.”