Veterinary services in East Arnhem cover more than 33,000 square kilometres, reaching communities and homelands where access to animal health care is limited by distance and cost.

East Arnhem Regional Council (EARC) delivers regular veterinary and animal management services across its six communities. To extend that reach, the council partners with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations to bring animal health care, advice and education to more remote locations.

The council's Animal Management Program operates on a One Health framework, recognising the connections between animal, human and environmental health.

Dr Madeleine Kelso, EARC Regional Manager for Veterinarian and Animal Control, said partnerships are central to extending the program beyond the council's own communities.

"As our Animal Management Program focuses on One Health principles, we have always strongly encouraged partnerships with stakeholders in the East Arnhem region to promote broader animal welfare benefits beyond our jurisdiction," she said.

"Due to financial and geographical constraints, many of the homelands we provide contracted veterinary services to would otherwise miss out on critical animal health services."

What the partnerships deliver

The partnerships have supported animal desexing, parasite control, health consultations and education programs across a number of homelands.

The longest-running collaboration is with Laynhapuy Homelands Aboriginal Corporation, which has received veterinary services across multiple homelands since 2019. That work includes desexing, parasite control and animal health consultations, alongside collaborative projects with Yirralka Rangers.

Since 2019, the council has also worked intermittently with Dinybulu Regional Services Aboriginal Corporation to deliver services in the Yathalamarra, Wulkabimirri and Ngangalala homelands.

A partnership with Marthakal Homelands and Resource Centre Aboriginal Corporation in 2019 brought veterinary care and animal health education to the Mata Mata, Rorruwuy and Nyinykay homelands.

More recently, EARC worked with Arafura Swamp Rangers Aboriginal Corporation to provide animal health consultations and parasite control at Donydji, with further surgical veterinary visits planned.

One Health in practice

The One Health approach also extends to collaboration with health and animal welfare organisations. In 2023, the EARC Animal Management Program worked with Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation and Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities (AMRRIC) to organise and host the first East Arnhem One Health Workshop.

The workshop brought together stakeholders from across the region to discuss One Health principles, share knowledge and explore connections between animal, human and community wellbeing.

For EARC, the partnerships offer a way to extend animal health services across a region where distance and access would otherwise create significant barriers to care.