June 11, 2018
A meeting to be held at Gayndah on June 30 is the next step in a decades-long process by Wakka Wakka native title claimants to gain legal recognition.
The descendants of various people identified in Native Title claims “Wakka Wakka People #3” and “Wakka Wakka People #4 (part)” will meet at Gayndah Town Hall to consider authorising an Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) with Gympie Regional Council.
They will then discuss forming a Registered Native Title Body Corporate, which would be the official holder if Native Title is determined by the Federal Court in either a consent agreement or after a trial.
Wakka Wakka People #3 was lodged with the Native Title Tribunal on December 12, 2011, and registered on January 19, 2012. Another claim, Wakka Wakka People #5, also lodged in February 2012, was combined with Wakka Wakka People #3 in March 2016.
This combined claim stretches from the Bunya Mountains to near Gayndah and includes areas around Goomeri, Murgon, Cherbourg, Proston, Wondai, Kingaroy, Nanango, and Maidenwell.
Wakka Wakka People #4 includes areas around Gayndah, west of Eidsvold and Ban Ban Springs. It was lodged on February 10, 2012, and registered on April 5, 2012.
southburnett.com.au understands that negotiations with other councils in regards to an ILUA covering their part of these active claims are still ongoing.
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.
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Native Title has been extinguished in most of the affected areas:
- 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.
Related article: Tribunal Registers Two Native Title Claims
