Appeal to communicate on closures
DESPITE frustration at closures of iconic destinations by Indigenous councils, the Cape York Land Council has stated traditional owners have every right to lock campers out.
The northern and southern banks of the Pennefather River 45km north of Weipa were closed by the Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council in February.
And on Thursday Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council posted a new notice to shut down camping access to the river.
Janie Creek within the Napranum local government area and a grey area in terms of council jurisdiction, Batavia Landing, was also closed.
Mapoon council was restricting access to the Pennefather River on behalf of the Yupungathi clan and Mapoon Mayor Aileen Addo advised Napranum council was the go-to authority regarding the other two closures.
It’s understood a death within the clan meant sorry business was being observed.
But according to Shaun Pyne, a recent visitor to the Pennefather River, the message of the closure had not got through.
“We were told it was closed because of the turtle hatching but there are people camped everywhere,” he said. “There was no signage, they say you can’t drive on the beach because of the turtles at Pennefather.
“It’s a tough one, we were at Byfield National Park and we could not go in because someone has passed away.
“It is what it is and it’s their land and we have to respect it.
“But people there now don’t know its closed because there are no signs there.”
Native titleholders of the area, the Mokwiri Aboriginal Corporation, could not be contacted for comment.
Cape York Land Council acting chief executive officer Terry Piper said the area had
been Indigenous owned for some time.
“The decisions about their land are up to the traditional owners,” he said.
“People accessing land is an issue for both pastoral landholders and aboriginals on the Cape.”
The nearby campground at Cullen Point remains open but requires a Mapoon council permit.