General News
11 July, 2022
Almost 1.5 million hectares returned to Traditional Owners
ONE of Australia’s largest native title claims reached a significant milestone this week when the Honourable Justice Mortimer granted native title rights for four groups covering almost 1.5 million hectares of Cape York, north of Cairns.
After eight years of fighting for their rights in what is known as the Cape York United Number One Claim (CYU#1 Claim), the Ayapathu, Lama Lama, Northern Kaanju and Southern Kaantju Native Title Groups celebrated that their ancestral land rights are finally being recognised.
The Determination hearings held on Tuesday, July 5 and Wednesday, July 6, at the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park in Cairns were the second series of native title Determinations in the CYU#1 Claim.
The total claim area for CYU#1, filed on December 11 2014, covers almost 55% of Cape York.
Northern Kaanju Traditional Owner Joanne Nelson paid tribute to Elders who had paved the way for the landmark Determination, many of whom – including family members – were not alive today to see the fruits of their hard work.
She said her father would be “over the moon to finally sit back and see that his land was actually handed back.”
“His legacy was ‘family, fire and Country. So it’s very important that we look after Country, the family and the fire – burning the right way at the right time,” Ms Nelson said.
Southern Kaantju Traditional Owner David Nicholls Jnr. and his ancestors spent nearly a century trying to find information about their great grandfather Billy, a former Light Horseman of World War I and member of the stolen generation.
A spelling error in official records had denied them information about Billy and their lands – until a decade ago when the error was discovered.
“What it (the Determination) will mean to us, as the Nicholls family, not only will we get the land back, but we are recognised as part of the Southern Kaantju clan,” Mr Nicholls said.
“It feels like we are taking our great grandfather back now; we are taking him home.”
Lama Lama Traditional Owner Karen Liddy and her family hope to be able to repatriate the remains of their fiercely proud grandfather Harry, forcibly resettled from Lama Lama country to Injinoo, who tried many times to return to Country.
“What my grandfather and my family taught us was passed down, and we continue to walk that walk for him,” Ms Liddy said.
“All our Elders continued the fight to go home, to get Lama Lama people back on Country. “
CYLC Chair Richie Ah Mat praised the tenacity of all Traditional Owners who have won Country back over the past eight years since the CYU#1 Claim was lodged.
“Some Elders have been waiting much longer, fighting for the recognition of their traditional rights in earlier native title and land claims,” Mr Ah Mat said.
“Their efforts, their determination and their resilience have finally been rewarded.
“The CYU#1 claim has been remarkable in its unity and purpose, joining a number of Traditional Owner Groups in one of the largest and most powerful land claims in Australian history.”
