May 7, 2021
Two meetings will be held in Gayndah on June 6 in a bid to further advance the decades-long process by Wakka Wakka native title claimants to gain legal recognition.
The first meeting, from 9:30am at Gayndah Shire Hall, seeks to authorise an amendment to the Wakka Wakka People #3 and Wakka Wakka People #4 claims by adjusting the description of the Native Title claim group.
The second meeting, to follow immediately afterwards, has three decisions to consider, including authorising any further amendments to the Wakka Wakka People #3 and Wakka Wakka People #4 claims in order to bring them into alignment with proposed consent determinations.
An information session will be held the day before, June 5, from 9:30am at Gayndah Shire Hall so that Wakka Wakka people can gain more information before attending the authorisation meetings the following day.
A bus will be running from Cherbourg on each day to assist residents who wish to attend the sessions.
It will leave from outside the Council Chambers in Barambah Avenue at 7:15am.
Wakka Wakka people who wish to attend the authorisation meetings or the information session should register first with Queensland South Native Title Services community relations officer Richard Mosby on 1800-663-693.
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 south of 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.
There has been a long history of native title claims in the South and North Burnett areas, dating back to 1997.
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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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