April 26, 2019
A meeting will be held in Gayndah on May 26 as part of the decades-long process by Wakka Wakka native title claimants to gain legal recognition.
The “authorisation meeting” will consider proposed alterations and additions to the named ancestors in native title claims Wakka Wakka #3 and Wakka Wakka #4.
The meeting will also vote whether to confirm decisions made at a meeting on December 1 in Gayndah including authorising a settlement of Wakka Wakka #3 and part of Wakka Wakka #4 on the terms of a proposed consent determination.
Queensland South Native Title Services has invited Wakka Wakka people to contact its community relations officers Ron Fogarty or Diana Healey on freecall 1800-663-693 in regards to the authorisation meeting.
A bus will be available for Cherbourg residents to attend.
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.
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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.
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