GRANTING OF NATIVE TITLE NEAR TULLY HAILED A CULTURAL WIN
Court grants tract around Tully
A FEDERAL Court hearing in Tully will grant native title today to almost 37,000ha of land and waters to the region’s Gulngay Aboriginal people.
Traditional owner and artist Clarence Kinjun has been on a five-year journey to secure the determination that will allow his people to live on the land and erect shelters, to hunt using traditional methods, as well as a suite of other cultural rights that previously did not exist.
“Having recognition over this land means Gulngay can properly manage their country in an environmental and sustainable way,” he said.
“These places are culturally significant to us as they hold our history, our names, our stories and our healing places, connecting us to our land.
“We are connected both spiritually and physically to our land.
“Our country holds our past, our present and our future.”
The determination recognises exclusive native title rights and interests over almost 2000ha, meaning the Gulngay people have the right to possess and occupy the area to the exclusion of all others.
The 35,000ha balance of the land located in and around Tully, north to Japoon National Park and south to Girramay National Park, has been allocated non-exclusive native title rights.
It means existing non-indigenous property rights such as agricultural interests can coexist with the native title.
Mr Kinjun hoped a flourishing eco-cultural tourism business could emerge from the new entitlements, but said education was the most important goal.
“It’s about having access to this country where we can protect our heritage and culture, and where we still have our spiritual connection with the land,” he said.
“It means we can retain our creation stories so our younger generation doesn’t lose that, and (we can) also work with the wider community to have a better understanding of how the Gulngay traditional owners look after their country.”
He also hoped a new crocodile management and egg collection industry could emerge in future years.
The designation could also give traditional owners the right to block future developments on the land, and in some cases share in profits made from developments.