The Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation Ltd (NYFL) is a Traditional Owner organisation established by Ngarluma and Yindjibarndi Elders in the 1990s in response to increasing resource-sector activity on the Murujuga cultural landscape.
Since 1998, NYFL has been the Traditional Owner representative organisation of the Woodside operated North West Shelf (NWS) Project, which includes the Karratha Gas Plant.
Since its inception, NYFL has represented the rights and interests of Traditional Owners and has evolved into a leading Aboriginal organisation in the Pilbara. Its mission is grounded in community direction and Elder leadership, with a focus on advancing the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of all Ngarda-ngarli (Aboriginal people) across the region and beyond.
NYFL delivers a broad range of place-based programs including food security, economic self-determination, data sovereignty, community services, cultural heritage empowerment and social enterprise. Following a strategic rebuild over the past decade, the organisation seeks to position itself as a key regional institution driving systems-level change, modernising long-standing agreements, and pursuing outcomes aligned with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Its operations emphasise cultural authority, strong governance, and long-term sustainability.
In recent years, NYFL has also emerged on the international stage, contributing to global discussions on Indigenous participation in mining, energy transition and regional development. The organisation has engaged with multinational research partners, participated in OECD policy forums, and collaborated on international site visits examining best-practice renewable energy models. This growing international role complements its core community work, reflecting NYFL’s commitment to ensuring that major economic forces shaping the Pilbara deliver meaningful opportunities and improved outcomes for Traditional Owners and the wider region.
