APN Cape York

What APN Cape York does

APN Cape York is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee and registered charity, entirely owned by Southern Wik Traditional Owners, founded in 2011 and headquartered in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. The organization operates the Aak Puul Ngantam Ranger Program, which manages 3,780 square kilometres of Southern Wik homelands in Western Cape York, delivering land and sea management services including turtle nest monitoring across 58 kilometres of beach, feral pig and cattle control (over 1,000 feral pigs removed in 2019), weed management, and a zoned early-season burning program that generated 1,724 square kilometres of controlled burns and produces carbon offsets.

Core products include Turtle Monitoring, which uses drones fitted with super high-resolution cameras to capture thousands of images of remote beaches, analyzed by AI built in partnership with CSIRO and Microsoft to identify turtle nests and predator tracks; Feral Pig Management; Weed Management; and Carbon Offsets. The organization also operates Woyan Min (The Right Path), a cultural reconnection division that delivers the Returning Generation Project (immersive four-day camps for Year 6 students with Wik elders) and Community Capacity programs for 16-24 year olds, as well as partnerships facilitating mainstream training and employment.

Revenue is derived primarily from the Queensland Government's Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger Program (funding a coordinator plus nine full-time rangers), carbon offset transactions from early-season burning, residual cattle activities, and small-volume individual donations via the organization's website. The customer base is effectively the Southern Wik Traditional Owners of Aurukun, with the Queensland Government acting as the primary external funder and partnerships with CSIRO, Microsoft, Education Queensland, and the Wik Prescribed Body Corporate (Ngan Aak Kunch) supporting program delivery.

Name

APN Cape York

Legal name

APN Cape York

Website

https://apncapeyork.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indigenous Land and Sea Management Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Waste Management and Remediation Services (562)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Cities, Urban Development & Green Infrastructure (BPADALAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

State/Provincial Housing, Urban/Regional Planning & Community Development (BPAIABAM), Regional & Land Use Planning (BPAHAKAE)

Keywords

• Indigenous land management
• Environmental conservation services
• Cultural heritage programs
• Carbon offset projects
• Marine turtle monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Cairns

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Funding: Ongoing funding through Queensland Government's Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger Program for a ranger coordinator and nine full-time rangers, plus additional funding through various partnerships and commercial activities.
2. Carbon Offset Projects: Early season burning programs that generate carbon offsets. The 2017 season saw significant increase in early season burning with reduction in late season fires, managed by APN Rangers using helicopters dropping incendiaries and on-ground burning.
3. Cattle Projects: Historical cattle station operation mentioned, with 300 feral cattle removed from high value environmental areas. Commercial cattle activities complement other funding streams.
4. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Registered charity accepting donations through website, with single donation options starting at $10, supporting programs like Returning Generation youth camps and environmental conservation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

APN Cape York delivers community-led land and sea management and cultural reconnection services across 3,780 square kilometres of Southern Wik homelands in Western Cape York, Far North Queensland. Core offerings include the Aak Puul Ngantam Ranger Program (covering turtle monitoring, feral pig and weed control, fire management, and road maintenance), carbon offset generation through early season burning, and the Woyan Min cultural programs (Returning Generation Project for school children and Community Capacity programs for youth and families).

Product overview

APN Cape York offers a suite of environmental management and cultural reconnection services centred around the Aak Puul Ngantam Ranger Program, which manages 3,780 square kilometres of traditional lands. Core offerings include Turtle Monitoring using AI-powered drone imagery for marine conservation, Carbon Offsets through early season burning, Feral Pig Management, and Weed Management. The organisation also operates Woyan Min (The Right Path), a division focused on cultural reconnection comprising the Returning Generation Project for school-aged children and Community Capacity programs for youth and families. These integrated programs work together to achieve APN's mission of facilitating Traditional Owner return to country while protecting environmental and cultural values.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Woyan Min: APN Cape York's division devoted to re-connecting Aurukun's young people with their heritage and homelands. Wik Mungkan for 'The Right Path'.
• Aak Puul Ngantam Rangers

Products and services

• Aak Puul Ngantam Ranger Program Land and sea management program covering 3,780 square kilometres of Southern Wik homelands, addressing threats including turtle nest predation, feral pig management, weed control, fire management, and road maintenance. Funded through the Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger Program.
• Turtle Monitoring Marine turtle conservation program monitoring 58 kilometres of beach between Love and Kirke Rivers, using drones with AI-powered image analysis (in partnership with CSIRO and Microsoft) to identify turtle nests and predator tracks for Olive Ridley and Flatback turtles.
• Carbon Offsets Early season burning program across zoned areas that creates carbon offsets while protecting country from late season hot fires. APN Rangers manage fire through aerial incendiary drops and ground-based burning.
• Feral Pig Management Program addressing feral pig impact on marine turtles, lagoons, and waterholes through aerial shooting, fencing, poisoning, and beach patrols. Over 1,000 pigs shot in 2019.
• Weed Management Weed control program targeting sicklepod near Big Lake and Parkinsonia south of Ti Tree using targeted herbicide application and controlled burning.
• Woyan Min (The Right Path) Division devoted to re-connecting Aurukun's young people with their cultural heritage and traditional homelands, comprising the Returning Generation Project for 6th graders and Community Capacity programs to re-engage 16 to 24 year olds. Wik Mungkan for 'The Right Path'.
• Returning Generation Project (Tha' Pemp Wuut Mangkantam) Cultural reconnection program that returns 6th graders to remote ancestral homelands for immersive four-day experiences with Wik elders and teachers, exploring flora and fauna and learning traditional knowledge at Blue Lagoon Outstation.
• Community Capacity Program creating opportunities for local community members to make positive changes to their lives and country, partnering with government, NGO, and private organisations to provide linkages into mainstream training and employment.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% turtle nesting survival rate achieved through conservation efforts
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CSIROcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with CSIRO and Microsoft to develop AI-powered drone technology for turtle conservation. CSIRO provides scientific expertise and research capabilities to support the monitoring and analysis of turtle nesting sites using artificial intelligence.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with CSIRO and Microsoft using artificial intelligence to support turtle conservation. Microsoft provides technology infrastructure for AI analysis of drone-captured images to identify turtle nests and predator tracks on remote beaches.
• Queensland GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing funding through Queensland Government's Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger Program providing funding for a ranger coordinator and nine full-time rangers to coordinate and run on-country conservation programs.
• Ngan Aak Kunch (Wik Prescribed Body Corporate)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking in partnership with the Wik Prescribed Body Corporate, Ngan Aak Kunch, as the traditional owner representative body for the Southern Wik homelands.
• Aurukun Shire CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partnership with Aurukun Shire Council for community development and homeland initiatives.
• Koolkan Aurukun State School and Education QueenslandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Koolkan Aurukun State School and Education Queensland to develop cultural programs for Year 6 students that take place on country, including the Returning Generation camp.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Torres Strait Regional Authority: Statutory authority representing Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal people in the Torres Strait region. Comparable because it administers Indigenous-led land and sea management, cultural preservation, and economic programs for remote communities - a structurally similar model to APN.
• Northern Land Council: Northern Territory-based Aboriginal land council representing Traditional Owners in the Top End. Comparable as an Aboriginal-led representative body facilitating Traditional Owner return to country, land management, and cultural preservation across a large remote estate.
• Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC): Australian federal statutory authority that supports Indigenous-led land and sea management across the country. Directly comparable as it funds and partners with Indigenous organizations delivering ranger, conservation, and cultural programs on traditional estates, including in Cape York.
• Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation: Queensland Cape York-based Aboriginal land council representing Traditional Owners. Highly comparable as a Cape York Indigenous organization delivering land and sea management, ranger programs, and cultural heritage support in the same region.
• Conservation Volunteers Australia: Not-for-profit delivering hands-on conservation and environmental projects across Australia, including habitat restoration and species monitoring. Comparable as a charity running field-based conservation programs, though more volunteer-led than community-governed.

Broad incumbents

• Bush Heritage Australia: Large national conservation non-profit that acquires and manages land for biodiversity, including partnerships with Aboriginal owners on Indigenous-held lands. Comparable because it operates conservation programs on Indigenous estates with cultural and environmental objectives similar to APN's, though at much larger national scale.
• Australian Wildlife Conservancy: Australia's largest private owner of land for conservation, managing more than 1.5 million hectares for wildlife. Comparable in that it runs scaled land management, feral animal control, and fire management programs on remote Australian estates, including some Indigenous partnerships.
• Greening Australia: National environmental organization focused on landscape restoration, revegetation, and weed management. Comparable for its environmental management delivery model (weed control, habitat restoration) that parallels parts of APN's program suite.
• WWF-Australia: Large international conservation NGO operating in Australia across threatened species, habitat, and Indigenous engagement programs. Comparable in running turtle conservation and Indigenous partnership work, including in northern Australia, though at a much larger organizational scale.

Others

• Pew Charitable Trusts (Australian programs): International NGO that funds and partners on Australian environmental and Indigenous sea management initiatives, including marine conservation programs relevant to turtle habitat. Comparable as a funder/partner ecosystem participant rather than a direct service provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/apncapeyorkau
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/apn-cape-york

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about APN Cape York