Groote Archipelago Update from the CEO

October 21, 2024

The election of the Groote Archipelago Regional Council (GARC) has been postponed from 26 October 2024 to 15 March 2025.


The new Minister for Local Government has decided to postpone the election in light of concerns of community members that there were no electoral wards for the election of the 7 GARC Councillors. East Arnhem Regional Council understands and has raised this concern itself in previous months. 


On behalf of EARC I would like to assure all the people of the Groote Archipelago that we will continue to deliver all current and planned projects, initiatives and services to each of the three Groote communities. EARC will continue to meet with the three Local Authorities, to continue to listen and be guided by the voices of the people in the three communities of Milyakburra, Umbakumba and Angurugu and their related homelands.


I would like to thank all our EARC workers in the three Groote Archipelago communities who continue to deliver the wide range of quality services to the Groote communities, with the support of our Regional based managers and staff in Nhulunbuy and Darwin. This is happening based on agreement to a request by the GARC Constituting Member for EARC to continue to deliver services to the GARC area from when it was officially declared on 1 September 2024 until the election of a new Groote Council. 


EARC will then continue to deliver services under an Agreement for Services from the election of a Groote Council now scheduled to be declared in April 2025, for all Local Government and Support Services and other Community Services through existing contracts with EARC. As the Agreement for Services is due to start 5 months later from April 2025, the nominated end date of 30 June 2025 (or a later agreed date), may well have to be considerably later. 


EARC will also continue to discuss closely with the new NT Government what funding is actually needed to ensure the maintenance of service delivery levels across the whole East Arnhem region, at whatever point in the future the Groote Archipelago Regional Council is due to actually deliver services itself. 


EARC can confirm that when employees are finally due to move from working for EARC to GARC, that the standard of their current salary and conditions will not be reduced, in line with National Employment Standards to protect workers through transfer of business. 



Dale Keehne
Chief Executive Officer
East Arnhem Regional Council

October 8, 2025
Deputy President Stephen Dhamarrandj and CEO Dale Keehne recently visited Milingimbi and meet with our Municipal Team.
October 5, 2025
President Lapulung Dhamarrandji, Deputy President Stephen Dhamarrandj, Councillor Ganygulpa Dhurrkay, CEO Dale Keehne, Director - Council Services Signe Balodis, and Council Staff attended the Traditional Credit Union (TCU) ’s 30-year celebration in Milingimbi on Friday, 3 October 2025.
September 29, 2025
Councillor Murphy Yunupingu, CEO Dale Keehne, and Director – Council Services Signe Balodis attended the National Police Remembrance Day held in Nhulunbuy to honour officers who have passed and acknowledge the tireless work of the Police to support safe communities and homelands.
A group of three people practicing CPR
September 26, 2025
As the Aboriginal Controlled Local Government Council for the East Arnhem region, our Council prides itself on providing and delivering excellent djäma (work) and career opportunities in the six remote Yolŋu communities and Nhulunbuy with strong connections to homelands.
September 22, 2025
Elected Members from across the East Arnhem region came together at the Garma Cultural Knowledge Centre, ahead of the formal Council Meeting held on Thursday, 18 September 2025.
Several marquees setup on the grass
September 10, 2025
In September, the East Arnhem Regional Council Aged Care Services & Disability Services team at Yirrkala brought our participants to Miḏawarr Day Out 2025 at the Gove Peninsula Surf Life-Saving Club, Nhulunbuy.
September 8, 2025
Today the results of the 2025 Local Government Elections have been officially declared by the Northern Territory Electoral Commission .
September 2, 2025
The East Arnhem Regional Council Disability Services team is dedicated to providing culturally safe, high-quality support for all our participants.
September 1, 2025
East Arnhem Regional Council (EARC) is proud to participate in the ‘Healthy Homes Community Clean Up Week’ alongside many other organisations committed to improving the health and housing outcomes of residents living in Yirrkala.