About GREAT
The Gulf Regional Economic Aboriginal Trust (GREAT) is a large social enterprise with a strong focus on economic development.
Economic Development
Download our Economic Development documents:
- Economic Development - a panacea - 726 KB PDF file
The real (UNAPOLOGETIC) solution for Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal communities - Economic Development in Action - 1531 KB PDF file
GREAT walk their talk with a $30m (self funded) balance sheet and no debt.
GREAT Activities
GREAT currently holds considerable investments in:
- The Roadhouse at Doomadgee.
- Doomadgee Roadhouse accommodation units (12 high standard units)
- Doomadgee Roadhouse 4WD Hire
- Normanton Foodworks grocery and lotto
- Normanton Bakery located inside Normanton Foodworks
- Daintree Discovery Centre
- Ancient Journeys Art and Retail Gallery
GREAT is currently working on:
- Proposed concept to help change and curb the online gambling problem in Australia - online casino with 5 RSL Clubs on the Sunshine Coast.
- Construction of a bakery at the Foodworks complex in Normanton.
- Existing Normanton Traders site will be transition to a retail warehouse and distribution hub supplying the items listed about to the entire Lower Gulf region including the communities of Doomadgee, Burketown, Karumba, and potentially Mornington Island
- Establishment of a shopping cart system on both the Doomadgee Roadhouse and Normanton Traders websites whereby people can order, pay via credit card or layby items from our retail warehouse and distribution hub. The websites will house items from GAF (wholesale supplier of whitegoods) but we will also work with Big W and K-Mart to seek the best prices. Often sale prices from retailers like Betta, Big W and K-Mart are better than wholesalers so hopefully we will be able to offer some bulk/special purchase pricing to the region.
- Seek the purchase of other grocery stores as grocery becomes part of our core business.
- Feraliser system to create a bio-dynamic soil conditioner to enrich soils in the Lower Gulf so crops can be grown to fatten cattle. Subsequently, the cattle don’t need to be transported to coastal areas to be fattened.
- Terrestrial and portable abattoirs to process the cattle without having to transport them to Townsville to be processed
- Artesian/mineral spa for Burketown
- Use to water from the Great Artesian Basin to create a variety of drinks. Those drinks will be used to value-add to the spa.
GREAT is committed to the development of self-sufficient and economically sustainable Gulf Communities that continue to value traditional cultures. We do this by offering a range of products including::
To achieve our mission, GREAT will actively establish, or provide assistance for the establishment of local business ventures for the general welfare of the native title groups, individuals’ families and local communities.
The GREAT aims to achieve this by:
- Providing low interest loans to find new and existing GREAT funded business ventures;
- Providing finance for equity in other ventures and, at the ADBT Board’s discretion, local land purchases associated with business development;
- Providing finance for relevant business & corporate training; and
- Assisting in community development programs.
For more than 25 years ADBT and now GREAT have been closely involved with Indigenous businesses providing mentoring services and support to a range clients. GREAT has funded and/or supported the following business start-ups, purchases and re-openings over the past four (4) years:
- Security business on Mornington Island
- Security business in Doomadgee
- Car hire business on Mornington Island
- Labour hire business in Normanton
- Water and tipper truck based from Gregory
- Water trucks in Normanton
- Lawn care business in Doomadgee
- Ancient Journeys art gallery/retail used to leverage business opportunities for aspiring artists
