Nearly half of Kakadu National Park returned to Aboriginal traditional owners

An historic ceremony taking place today sees the official handing back of nearly half of Kakadu National Park to Aboriginal traditional owners. The handbacks come after a long fight for formal recognition of the rights of traditional owners and their deep connection with Country.

Today’s ceremony is being held at the Cooinda Lodge, which is the location of one of the four areas being handed back. The other areas cover significant sections of the western side of the park.

Over a number of decades, 9,733 square kilometres of the World Heritage-listed National Park in the Northern Territory have been the subject of four separate land claims.

Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt said today’s handbacks resolve around 50% of the land area of outstanding claims in the NT and marks the culmination of a long journey with some claims more than 30 years old.

“Aboriginal peoples’ connection to their country and cultural traditions is uninterrupted and enduring,” Minister Wyatt said.

“The granting of this land recognises this in law, giving traditional owners a seat a say in the management of their land. It affords Aboriginal people the right to assert their cultural authority and to build partnerships to manage their land for the ongoing benefit of their communities.”

Under the new arrangements, the land will be leased back to the Director of National Parks, with an undisclosed amount of rent flowing to traditional owners.

Most of the other parts of the park had already been returned to traditional owners.

Minister Wyatt added “Land security is economic security, and this move empowers Aboriginal Territorians to use their land for their future.

“These handbacks go directly towards target 15 of the National Agreement of Closing the Gap that seeks to increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples legal rights or interests in land and sea Country by 15%.

Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley noted “These four land handbacks will now bring nearly all the land within Kakadu National Park under Aboriginal ownership.

“They mark another important step towards a strong ongoing partnership between Traditional Owners and Parks Australia, as we work towards a stronger Indigenous voice in the joint management of Kakadu National Park.”

While the Kakadu region has been home to Aboriginal people for more than 60,000 years, the park itself was declared in stages from the 1970s.

"These land grants etch a line in the sand after a long wait for recognition," Minister Ley said.

Gaining formal ownership of their ancestral lands will also provide traditional owners with greater economic opportunities by being able to control the types of developments that occur.

In addition to the four Kakadu land claims, two other handbacks will take place today several hundred kilometres away in the town of Mataranka.

They include handbacks of the Old Elsey Homestead and the Urapunga township.

Further information on the land claims is available on the Northern Land Council website

Image courtesy Armsign