June 1, 2012
Two native title claims covering a total of 18,679 sq km south-east Queensland have been lodged with the National Native Title Tribunal on behalf of Wakka Wakka groups.
The first claim (Wakka Wakka People #4) covers parts of the Banana and the North Burnett Regional Council areas including Monto, west of Eidsvold and Ban Ban Springs.
The second claim (Wakka Wakka People #5) covers parts of the South Burnett, North Burnett and Gympie regional council areas and Cherbourg Aboriginal Council. This claim stretches from north of Tansey to Upper Yarraman and includes the areas around Proston, Goomeri, Murgon, Cherbourg, Wondai, Kingaroy, Nanango and Tarong.
Both claims were lodged on February 10 and registered on April 5.
A third native title claim, (Wakka Wakka People #3), is also active, covering about 8397 sq km in the Banana, North Burnett, South Burnett and Western Downs council areas. This claim stretches from the Auburn Range to Cooranga North, including Brigooda, Boondooma and Durong South. It was lodged on December 12 last year and registered on January 19.
A spokesman for Queensland South Native Title Services, the body which is representing the applicants in all three claims, told the ABC today that native title had been extinguished in most of the affected areas; the Wakka Wakka groups only wanted exclusive rights to very small areas of land.
“That will be subject to mediation between the relevant parties and negotiation and hopefully settlement,” he said.
Native title cannot be claimed in areas where it has been extinguished, such as privately owned land (residential freehold and privately owned freehold farms), residential, commercial or community purpose leases, public work areas such as schools, roads or hospitals; and pastoral or agricultural leases that grant exclusive possession.
Native title can be claimed on vacant Crown land which is unoccupied or unallocated; some State Forests, National Parks and public reserves; inland waters; some leases, such as non-exclusive pastoral and agricultural leases; and some land held for Aboriginal people. It can only be claimed in areas where it has not been extinguished.
There has been a long history of native title claims in the South and North Burnett areas, dating back to 1997. Four previous claims on behalf of various groups have either been discontinued, dismissed or struck out.
