Native title recognised over far north QLD pastoral lease
| 26/07/2007 |
Time and energy channelled into native title negotiations have paid off for far north QLD traditional owners, the Strathgordon Mob, who will today have their exclusive native title rights recognised through agreement over a pastoral lease, 415 km north-west of Cairns.
This morning, at the Strathgordon Homestead, Justice Greenwood of the Federal Court of Australia is scheduled to make a consent determination recognising the Strathgordon Mob's rights to possess, occupy, use and enjoy the 1180 sq km pastoral lease to the exclusion of all others, in accordance with Queensland and Commonwealth laws. The Court will also recognise the group's non-exclusive native title rights over the waters, including the rights to hunt, fish and gather.
The determination finalises the group's native title claim, which was lodged on their behalf in May 2003 by the Cape York Land Council. The claim included all land and waters on the Strathgordon Pastoral Lease which is held by the Poonko Strathgordon Aboriginal Corporation.
Negotiations between the Strathgordon Mob, Queensland Government, Poonko Strathgordon Aboriginal Corporation, Cook Shire Council and Queensland Lapidary and Allied Craft Clubs Association over the native title claim led to agreement about the groups' respective rights and interests in the claimed area. The Strathgordon Mob also reached two indigenous land use agreements (ILUAs) with some of the parties that set out how their rights and interests will be carried out on the ground.
Tribunal Member Graham Fletcher, who mediated the agreements, said the parties had effectively used the available time and resources to negotiate an outcome they were all satisfied with.
‘The parties approached the negotiations with a willingness to reach agreement,’ he said. ‘They were able to settle the native title claim and develop ILUAs that provide them with certainty about how they will carry out their rights and interests on the ground and go about their work in the future.’
‘Like many other groups around Australia they have demonstrated that negotiating native title can deliver welcome outcomes to those involved while building constructive relationships based on mutual understanding and respect.’
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