Muru Yulang creating pathways for businesses in Campbelltown
Yarpa is celebrating the success and impact of Muru Yulang (Path of Opportunity), an innovative initiative designed to increase the number of First Nations businesses procuring goods and services to Campbelltown City Council.
Delivered by Yarpa, a business unit of the NSW Aboriginal Land Council, the project aims to create a sustainable and scalable procurement model that increases Aboriginal business participation in local government supply chains while strengthening relationships between councils and Aboriginal businesses.
Project outcomes to date:
- Over 100 Aboriginal businesses engaged through the network
- Six networking and business development events delivered
- Bi-monthly newsletters and business spotlight initiatives launched
- Yarpa Ready micro-credential delivered to support tender readiness and procurement capability development
This initiative was developed as part of the NSW Governments Roadmap for Aboriginal Business Growth. Delivering under Priority Reform 5 of Closing the Gap and funded through Aboriginal Affairs NSW Deliver Better Outcomes program.
The project was developed in response to feedback gathered through Aboriginal Business Roundtables, where underutilisation of Aboriginal businesses in local procurement opportunities emerged as a consistent theme. Businesses also raised concerns about contracts being awarded outside of local communities despite strong Aboriginal business capability within the region.
Opportunities for Aboriginal businesses
Campbelltown City Council was identified as a leading partner for the pilot due to its strong executive commitment, willingness to review procurement practices, and focus on creating meaningful economic opportunities for Aboriginal businesses.
Located in the rapidly growing Macarthur region and positioned alongside major developments including the Western Sydney International Airport and Bradfield City, the Campbelltown LGA presents significant opportunities for local Aboriginal businesses to participate in major infrastructure and procurement projects.
The project has already achieved strong engagement outcomes, with more than 100 Aboriginal businesses joining the Muru Yulang network. Six networking events have been delivered to date, combining practical business workshops with direct access to Campbelltown City Council representatives and the Yarpa team.
The initiative has also supported businesses through bimonthly newsletters, promotional opportunities, business spotlights and social media engagement designed to strengthen visibility and connections across industry and government.
As part of the project, Yarpa also delivered Yarpa Ready, a university-certified microcredential co-designed and delivered in partnership with Western Sydney University.
Yarpa Ready supports First Nations businesses
The program equips participants with the practical knowledge and tools required to become tender-ready and competitive in procurement environments.Yarpa Ready supports First Nations businesses to better understand procurement processes, industry benchmarks, contract management and commercial expectations, while helping participants develop professional networks and customised bid libraries to support future tender submissions.
The project has focused heavily on creating outcomes that extend beyond compliance, ensuring investment flows back into Aboriginal businesses and communities while building long-term economic sustainability.
“Economic empowerment through business ownership and success is key to Closing the Gap,” Shannon Mallison, Director of Yarpa, said.
“We knew that to successfully deliver this project we needed three core ingredients, a strong local Aboriginal businesses community, a local government committed to doing things differently and local opportunities to capitalise on.
“Muru Yulang has brought those three together and the launch of Campbelltown City Council procurement policy will set the foundations to ensure local Aboriginal businesses have equitable access to local opportunities.”
