DSMG Annual Report 2025
- richiehowitt
- Aug 25
- 2 min read
DSMG's Annual Report for the Financial Year 2024-25 is now available.
DSMG Chair Julie Jones says in her Chair's Report:
DSMG’s journey in 2025 has seen some significant moments even though at times we do not see the benefits instantaneously. There have been many setbacks and challenges for the Board and much learning and I’m very proud of the commitment you all make to stand for the site and for Ngurra.
Highlights for the year include both highs and lows. The return of Dharug money held by Blacktown City Council, through an EOI tender was an exceptional moment. In contrast, responding to the ongoing issues of the Richmond Road Upgrade Project has taken excessive time and energy and caused much stress for the Board and community.
Our project to install a small secure storage shed to support activities on the site has faced more challenges than we ever anticipated. The original funding was provided by the Department of Premier and Cabinet and we were optimistic that we were n track hen the shed materials were delivered in August 2024, only to be disrupted by the discovery of asbestos contamination from the old diary buildings at the worksite during installation of the slab. Before we had a chance to relocate the materials behind the existing security fence the whole kit was stolen. Subsequently, we faced the cost of remediating the contamination and restarting the project. We added a security fence to the project and received s60 approval for the works from HeritageNSW. We were able to utilise the funds from the Blacktown Bicentenary Legacy grant to meet these costs and the slab, security fence and shed were completed in mid-August 2025.
The portable toilet unit purchased in 2024 is now securely stored within this compound and the shed offers secure storage and a workspace and meeting space that looks over the site.
DSMG's audited accounts, included in the Annual Report, show the company in good financial health, with resources available to continue the culturally led ecological restoration already underway with grant funds from Microsoft Corporation and support from the international Society for Ecological Restoration and in collaboration with a range of strategic partners and service providers.
The Blacktown Bicentenary Legacy grant improved our financial position significantly and DSMG ended the year with Net Assets of $1,895,836 (including the land value of the BNI) ($1,104,539 in 2024).
We began the new financial year with a successful weekend workshop reviewing the Richmond Road Upgrade Project's implications for the BNI with Dharug community (morning) and a weed identification workshop and working bee to remove invasive weeds such as fireweed from across the site with the support of Hawkesbury River County Council (afternoon).
A review and update of the DSMG Strategic Plan sees the company well-placed to meet the challenges and opportunities before us.
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