The First Peoples of the River Murray and Mallee Region have today become recognised as native title holders of about 260 square kilometres of land and waters in the Riverland, South Australia.
At a Federal Court hearing at Lake Bonney, Justice John Mansfield made a consent determination recognising the First People of the River Murray and Mallee Region’s non-exclusive native title rights and interest over parts of their traditional land in areas of the Murray River around Renmark, Berri, Barmera, Waikerie and Morgan.
The consent determination finalises the First People of the River Murray and Mallee Region’s native title application that was lodged in 1998 and recognises the non-exclusive rights to access, hunt, fish, camp, gather and use the natural resources, undertake cultural activities, conduct ceremonies and meetings, and protect places of cultural and religious significance.
In conjunction with the consent determination the SA Government and the First People of the River Murray and Mallee Region have entered into an indigenous land use agreement that sets out the terms of their ongoing relationship including consent to future act processes in the area, protocols for protecting sites and objects of significance, planning protocols for notice of development activities in the area and agreement to benefits to be granted to the native title holders including the transfer of several freehold blocks of land.
National Native Title Tribunal Deputy President Chris Sumner said the resolution of this application results in the formal legal recognition of the First People of the River Murray and Mallee Region’s ongoing and traditional relationship to the land and waters and their continuing connection to their country.
“All the parties involved in the process leading to today’s outcome are to be congratulated for their willingness to work together to resolve the application by agreement.”
“It’s been a lengthy process but the parties have developed a strong agreement of how they will work together in the region and how the River Murray and Mallee Region People’s rights will be recognised and protected.”
“This is the sixth determination in South Australia and demonstrates the ongoing commitment of those involved in the native title process – the Federal Court, the Tribunal, South Australian Native Title Services, the SA Government and legal and anthropological advisors – to work together in a cooperative way to settle native title negotiations in South Australia.”
Previous determinations were the contested determination of De Rose Hill in 2005, and the consent determinations of Yankunytjatjara/Antakirinja in 2006, Witjira National Park in 2008, Adnyamathanha People in 2009 and Antakirinja Matu-Yankunytjatjara People in 2011.
The Federal Court is expected to make two further determinations by consent in the Gawler Ranges and Eringa Peoples applications in December.
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